The New Criticism was a formalist style of literary criticism that emerged in the first half of the 20th century. It viewed texts as self-contained and focused on analyzing elements within the text like irony, ambiguity, and paradox to discover implied themes. Key figures in developing New Criticism included I.A. Richards, William Empson, and T.S. Eliot. The approach was popularized through works by Cleanth Brooks and others in the 1940s-1950s. New Criticism emphasized close reading of texts over historical context or authorial intent.