formalism & structuralism by calvin thomas

5/28/2018 Formalism & Structuralism by Calvin Thomas

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Structuralism vs. Formalism

Structuralism and formalism may sound like they should mean the same thing, but they

are different. Formalism focused on the forms of literary works such as structure and language.

According to formalist critic, focusing on form, allows the audience to read and interpret the

actual words instead of focusing on the historical and political background, cultural context,

biography. Focusing on the literature itself implies that is has a relatively independent existence

apart from its culture and historical background. Formalism questions genre (i.e. what makes a

poem a poem, not an epic). Criticism is categorized into four types: mimetic, rhetorical,

expressive and formal. Mimetic criticism analyzes ways in which literature mimes the real.

Rhetorical analyzes the way in which literature affects the audience. Expressive analyzes the

artist or authors thoughts. Formal analyzes the works form.

Formalism seeks to interpret literary texts and words outside its relation to the culture

around it. By not focusing on the cultures or historical background in relation to the text, the

audience is somewhat free from stereotypical thinking and has the opportunity to form unbiased

opinions. The lack of focusing on the culture or historical background in relation to the text also

allows the audience unfamiliarity with the text. Best explained by Nietzsche, the process of

obtaining knowledge is by which we become familiar with the unfamiliar. Formalism believes

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that a definitive answer can be found to everything. Literary critics describe literary parts and

evaluate how well or bad the author has done. By focusing on form, formalism critics seek out

the difference in figurative and literal meanings in literature. Truth is the concept according to

formalism.


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Structuralism does not focus on any one object. Instead, structuralism is opposed to the

idea of their being any one concept that can stand alone. Structuralism opposes one idea; instead,

it attempts to understand a concept in relation to what it does not represent, focusing on binary

opposition. Structuralism questions the limits of language. In essence, human reality is

structured, yet limited, by language. Unlike formalism, structuralism focuses on the

understanding ideas through its relation to other concepts.

Theorists argue that existence is lead by language. The world produces meaning.

Therefore, its unrealistic to attempt to separate forms from their historical, political and cultural

context. Language is a contrast with the community that uses it. Words represent the presence of

the absence of objects. To mean is automatically not to be. By being meaning, the object is

automatically not itself.

Unlike formalism, structuralism focuses on the belief that a concept can have different

interpretations. Anything that is being interpreted as a sign or a sign of a sign has infinite

interpretation. Words are nothing but interpretation or signs; therefore they cannot stand alone.

Contrary to formalism, truth and belief are determined on culture, background, language,

community, etc.


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formalism & structuralism by calvin thomas

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