Presented By Syed Muhammad Usama Sarwar Raja Muhammad Sarmad Institute. Lahore Garrison University LGU English Dep. Session 2017-21

1. By:
Usama Sarwar (Fa-2017/BS Eng./007)
Raja Sarmad (Fa-2017/BS Eng./023)
Syed Muhammad (Fa-2017/BS Eng./003)

2. 
 Origin of Formalism
 Introduction to Formalism
 Textual References
 Reason of ending of Formalism
 Introduction to Jakobson’s Life
 Metaphor and Metonymy
 Jakobson’s model for Functions of Language
 Contribution of Jakobson on Narrative Theory
 Major Ideas of Jakobson
 Conclusion
TABLE OF CONTENTS

3. 
 Formalism almost started in Russia in around 1910
and flourished almost till 1925.
 It’s pioneers include Roman Jakobson who belonged
to Moscow linguistic society and Viktor Shklovsky
belonging to the Prague linguistic circle.
 Started as a reaction against USSR (Union of Soviet
socialist republics), a major influential force in Russia
which followed the ideology of Marxism.
Origin of Formalism

4. 
 As explained in the previous slide that Formalism came
as a reaction against USSR and Marxism ( which talked
about context of class).
 Formalism comes from the word “Form”.
 It basically was a literary movement which promoted the
idea that meaning can be understood from a text only by
giving attention to the form, structure of work and
literary devices operating in it keeping apart political,
social, cultural and historical realities.
 So, basically a formalist only determines the form,
structure and literary devices used (personification,
imagery, alliteration, foreshadowing, metaphor etc.) in it.
Introduction to
Formalism

5. 
 Formalism gives highest priority to the textual meanings
apart from New Criticism which analyzed texts keeping
in view historic or socio-economic lenses.
 Example:
Talking about New Criticism, if we analyze a text like
Hard Times by Charles Dickens, first we would analyze the
Victorian society, then we would interpret it.
 While Formalism on the other hand talked that meaning
would be derived by analyzing the words written on the
paper only, keeping in view the literary devices and the
form, formalistic point of view is observed.
Continuing the previous
slide..

6. 
 Analyzing Sonnet 18 by William Shakespeare from
Formalist point of view:
1. 1) Based on structure we
 can see that it is a sonnet
 sonnet ha having 3 quatrains in iambic
 pentameter ending in heroic
 couplet.
 2) It is following rhyming
 scheme of abab cdcd efef gg.
 3)Talking about literary
 devices, we can se that
 repetition, anaphora, contrasts
and alliteration etc. are used.
Textual Reference (1)

7. 
 Closely examined is Translations from the Natural
World by Les Murray. In this poetry book, “Murray
makes birds, cows, bats, and other favorites of the
animal kingdom talk”.
 The structure, language, and literary devices
presented in each poem provide a unique way in
which Murray can express a different emotion. By
closely analyzing the text, one can appreciate the
artistry of his words while also understanding the
importance of viewing life through a different lens.
Textual Reference (2)

8. 
 Edith Wharton’s House of Mirth (1905), describing a
wealthy husband’s moral rectitude, which is a good
example of irony. Lines are as follows:
 Once in the winter, the rector would come to dine,
and her husband would beg her to go over the list
and see that no divorcees were included except those
who had shown signs of penitence by being re-
married to the very wealthy.
 Showing his hypocrisy under guise of moral
principles, what he condemns is financial decline.
Textual Reference (3)

9. 
 Came as a reaction to USSR and Marxism ideology in
Russia but couldn’t survive for long.
 Without socio-cultural or political context, a text or
piece of literature looses it influence.
 So, in almost 1925 formalism came to an end.
Reason of ending of
Formalism

10. 
 Roman Jacobson (Oct 11, 1986-July 18, 1982) was a
Russian-American linguist and theorist of the 20th
century.
 Contribution in Phonology
 Beginning from Russia to Prague
 Career in United States and retirement
Introduction to Jacobson’s
Life

11. 
 In his essay Two Aspects of Language and Two Types of
Aphasic Differences Jacobson was of the opinion that
language has a bipolar structure and it moved back
and forth between metaphor and metonymy.
 Any sort of discourse can only be developed by
following metaphor and metonymy
 Poetry is metaphoric and prose is metonymic.
Metaphor is mostly used in Romanticism and
Symbolism and metonymy in Realism.
Metaphor and Metonymy

12. 
 Roman Jacobson presented six functions of language
according to which proper verbal communication
can take place.
 Context, sender, receiver, contact, common code and
message are the six important functions of language
according to this model.
 All these factors are very important for
communication to occur.
Jacobson’s Model for
Functions of Language

13. 
 Modern narrative theory began with Russian
Formalism in the year 1920.
 The works of Roman Jacobson, Victor Shklovsky and
Yury Tynyanov are of importance for the beginning
of narrative theory.
 Victor Shklovsky wanted to show the difference
between prose fiction from ordinary language.
 Roman Jakobson’s work on literary structure was a
major influence on narrative theory at it’s beginning.
Contribution of Jacobson
on Narrative Theory

14. 
 Jakobson vs. Saussure and a link between formalism
and modern-day structuralism.
 Jakobson’s colleagues suggested that methods of
studying function of speech sounds could be applied
both synchronically to a language as it exists, and
diachronically, to a language as it changes
 Subsequently Saussure claimed that the study of the
structural relations within and between languages as
they exist at any given time (synchronically) and the
study of the changes in the sounds and their
relations over time (diachronically).
Major Ideas of
Jakobson(Pg 1)

15. 
 Jakobson argued that, it is the structural analysis of
language in the process of development the analysis
of children’s language and it’s general laws and of
language in the process that enables us to throw
light on selecting the phonemes and other distinctive
features
 Jakobson explains: It is once again vexing problem of
identity within variety without solution to this
disturbing problem there can be no system, no
classification
Major Ideas of Jakobson
(Pg 2)

16. 
 Language functions and communication theory of
language
 Jakobson claimed that language must be invsetigated
in all variety of its functions.
 Before discussing poetic function one should define
its place among the other function of language
 He claims that these six elements determine a
different function of language:
Major Ideas of Jakobson
( Pg 3)

17. 
 Referential (towards the context)
 Emotive /expressive ( towards addresser)
 Conative (action-inducing towards the such as
command addressee)
 Metalingual ( language speaking about language)
towards the code
 Poetic function is oriented toward the message
Major Ideas of Jakobson
( Pg 4)

18. 
 Poetry in Jakobson’s analyses
 Poe’s famous poem The Raven with its melancholy
refrain, “Nevermore” this the only word uttered by
the ominous visitor and the poet emphasizes that.
 It just announces negation?
 Poe insists on including the final “r” which is, he
says the most producible consonant.
Major Ideas of Jakobson

19. 
I betook myself to linking
Fancy unto fancy, thinking what this ominious bird of
yore
What this grim, ungainly, ghastly, gaunt, and omnious
bird of yore
Meant in croaking “Nevermore”
This I sat engaged in guessing
This and more I sat divining ( E.A Poe, The Raven)
Major Ideas of Jakobson
(Pg 6)

20. 
 Given the context of the dialogue , the refrain conveys
series of different meanings: you will never forget her,
you will never regain peace of mind, you will never again
embrace her, I will never leave you.
 Jakobson has been pigeon-holed as a linguist
unappreciative of the finer points of poetry on the basis of
small and misunderstood fragment of his total output.
 He has been the central, if as yet unacknowledged, figure
in the development of the modern poetics it is time for us
to come to terms with his formidable legacy.
Conclusion

21. 
Thank You
Any Questions?