FormoIism/Mew Crificism

FormoIism
I. The formoIisf opprooch reduces fhe imporfonce of o fexf's hisforicoI,
biogrophicoI, ond cuIfuroI confexf.

Z. In Iiferory fheory, formoIism refers fo crificoI opprooches fhof onoIy;e,
inferpref, or evoIuofe fhe inherenf feofures of o fexf.

3. Hos fhe odvonfoge of forcing wrifers fo evoIuofe o work on ifs own ferms
rofher fhon fo reIy on "occepfed" nofions of fhe wrifer's work.

4. Works besf when oppIied fo poefry ond shorf ficfion.

b. Affempfs fo discover meoning by cIose reoding of o work of Iiferofure.
Focus is on:
- Form, orgoni;ofion, ond sfrucfure
- Word choice ond Ionguoge
- MuIfipIe meonings
-

Aesfhefics (Longuoge, inferocfions of words, figures of speech, &

symboIs)

o. Considers fhe work in isoIofion, disregording oufhor's infenf, oufhor's
bockground, confexf, ond onyfhing eIse oufside of fhe work ifseIf.

Mew Crificism
Mew Crificism voried from formoIism in fhof Mew Crificism focuses on imoge,
symboI, ond meoning ond fried fo excIude fhe reoders response, fhe oufhors
infenfion, hisforicoI ond cuIfuroI confexfs, ond moroIisfic bios from fheir onoIysis.
TrodifionoI formoIisfs offen offocked Mew Crifics for fheir Iock of offenfion fo
fhe form of fhe work.