- Textual analysis: A research methodology that involves exploring written text as empirical data. Scholars explore both the content and structure of texts, and attempt to discern key themes and statistics emergent from them
- Autonomy of literature and poetic language: The idea that literature and poetic language are independent and evolve according to their own immanent laws rather than as a consequence or reflection of historical events
- New principles of hermeneutics: Hermeneutics is the art of understanding and making oneself understood. It involves the interpretation of texts and existence
- Formalism and Formalist: Formalism is the study of art based solely on an analysis of its form – the way it is made and what it looks like. A practitioner of formalism is called a formalist.
- Form and Devices: These terms refer to the structure and stylistic elements used in a piece of work, such as a literary text or a piece of music
- Literariness: The organization of language which through special linguistic and formal properties distinguishes literary texts from non-literary texts
- Foregrounding of literary language: Foregrounding is a concept in literary studies that involves making a linguistic utterance stand out from the surrounding linguistic context
- Defamiliarization: Also known as ostranenie, it is the artistic technique of presenting to audiences common things in an unfamiliar or strange way so they could gain new perspectives and see the world differently
- Estrangement: The state of being alienated or separated in feeling or affection; a state of hostility or unfriendliness
- Fabula and Syuzhet: Fabula refers to the chronological sequence of events in a narrative, while Syuzhet refers to the re-presentation of those events, including the re-ordering of the temporal sequence
- Denotative and Connotative Meanings: Denotation is the strict dictionary meaning of a word, whereas connotation is the emotional, contextual meaning linked to a word
- Formulaic Approach: This refers to a rigid, structured approach to a task or problem, often based on set formulas or conventions
- Close Readers: Close reading is a thoughtful, disciplined reading of a text. It involves careful analysis of the text’s details and patterns to develop a deep, precise understanding
- Ontological Criticism: This form of criticism is based on the nature of existence or being. It’s a philosophical approach that focuses on the concepts of existence and reality
- Modernism: Modernism is a cultural and artistic movement that arose in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It was characterized by a strong and deliberate break with traditional styles and conventions
- Aesthetic Criticism and Aesthetic Experience: Aesthetic criticism involves analyzing and evaluating the nature of beauty as it exists in art or any aesthetic object. The aesthetic experience refers to the experience of seeing and enjoying art or beauty
- Textual Criticism: This is a branch of literary criticism that involves analyzing and comparing different versions of a text to establish their authenticity and to correct errors
- Extrinsic Analysis: This refers to an analysis that is based on external factors or influences. It’s often used in the context of motivation, where extrinsic motivation refers to behavior that is driven by external rewards or punishments
- Impressionistic Critic: An impressionistic critic focuses on their subjective impressions of a literary work, particularly the feelings and associations elicited in experiencing it
- Naturalism: In philosophy, naturalism is the idea that only natural laws and forces operate in the universe. It advocates for the importance of subjectivity, imagination, and appreciation of nature12.