The New Criticism and Formalist Analysis

This article was particularly interesting. I like that it began by addressing a question that we all consider. Is literary analysis still relevant or is it just something of the past? I am guilty of occasionally getting caught up in thinking that literary criticism is something of the past, because I don't see tangible results from it in my life. Ultimately, I think that is serves a purpose and indeed is relevant for society. If nothing else the article addresses that studying literature is a way to apply morality and heart which is a timeless quality of literature.

The emergence of New Criticism is an interesting form. New Critics assert that the "sole task" of a critic is to understand exactly how through language and form meaning and is expressed and "impressed upon the reader." Pure New Criticism is rarely practiced. I think the other formalist views are interesting as well, such as the Russian Formalism.

Russian Formalism emphasizes the need for particular skills to analyze. They focus on plot structures, rhythm, sound, and syntax as revealing aspects of the meaning and to see the social function of the work. They look into how an author can make a concept "new and strange."

I found it interesting to learn about the New Critics approach. They focus on the text itself and not the emotional effect. In fact, this is called the Affective Fallacy. Many critique the New Critic approach, but it is hard to argue against the importance of form. If we find meaning in the poem, it is certainly relevant how we found such meaning, or how that meaning was conveyed.

Literature is different than other forms of expression in that is has a clear formal aspects and aesthetic qualities to consider. A beautiful claim is that literature meaning works not only on readers "intellects," but also their "sensibilities." To understand this meaning of what is being said, it is absolutely necessary to explore how this is done. Formalists think that the form of a literary work is always meaningful.

The dividing into genres is actually a task of formalists, because it is organizing based on unique qualities.

Of the entire article, I was most intrigued by the section over meaning beyond intent of the author. This addresses the intentional fallacy. According to such a concept: Writers do not necessarily understand or plan every aspect. A writer's intensions can be misleading because a work can change from the beginning to what it finally ends up as when its done. A work has more meaning than the writer can give it. A work must prove its own meaning.