How did Russian Formalism change the study of literature?

Russian Formalism revolutionized the study of literature by shifting the focus from external factors—such as biography, history, or sociology—to the internal mechanics of the text itself. Emerging in the early 20th century through groups like OPOYAZ and the Moscow Linguistic Circle, this movement sought to establish a more objective and scientific approach to literary criticism.1

Key contributions include:

• Defining "Literariness": Formalists aimed to identify the specific qualities that distinguish literature from other forms of discourse, viewing formal self-consciousness as the defining trait of art.12
• Defamiliarization: Led by figures like Viktor Shklovsky, they argued that literature functions by "making strange" common language, forcing readers to perceive the everyday world in a fresh, non-habitual way.1
• Emphasis on Form: By prioritizing technique and structure over content, they treated literature as an autonomous verbal art.1

Though eventually suppressed in the Soviet Union for lacking a political perspective, the movement’s influence persisted, significantly shaping Western New Criticism through the work of scholars like Roman Jakobson.1