Introduction
One of the approaches in literary analysis involves a closet reading of texts. Essentially, a close reading involves a thorough analysis of texts towards the goal of scrutinizing all details that relate the connotative and denotative meaning of various literary works. As an approach, a close of reading of text is called formalism or new criticism. Formalism as an approach in literary analysis focuses on the intrinsic nature of texts. Texts become independent in that its significance and value lay in the content or more specifically the choice of words and the arrangement of these words in literature. Since formalism derives meaning from the texts, the advantage of this approach is that formalists observe objectivity because formalists base interpretations on the text itself and not on their own biases.
New criticism is a part formalism, which focuses on the interpretation of text through the process of close reading or close textual analysis. A close reading, as formerly noted, highlights the relationship or link of texts with one another, such that interpretation is derived from the aspects of the text that unite its parts and consequently create meaning. In applying new criticism, it is highly important to interpret texts based on the unity of ideas or thoughts, and the form of the text. Formalism and new criticism eliminates fallacies by disallowing external factors from influencing interpretation and derivation of meaning. External factors that do not figure into formalism and new criticism include the author’s life, works, and intentions, and the cultural, historical, and political context of the text. Objectivism is valued when applying both formalism and new criticism in literary or textual analysis.
Literary analysis using formalism and new criticism as approaches focuses on two poems – Love is not All: It is not Meat nor Drink by Edna St. Vincent Millay and The Passionate Shepherd to His Love by Christopher Marlowe. St. Vincent Millay and Marlowe’s poems both reflect or illustrate love. St. Vincent Millay’s Love is not All is essentially a poem about that defines and sets limits to love. On the other hand, Marlowe’s poem captures the feelings, emotions, and thoughts of a passionate shepherd towards the person he loves. In the succeeding literary analysis, formalism and new criticism would be applied to interpret both poems and derive meaning from the text and its structure.
Love is not All: It is not Meat nor Drink by Edna St. Vincent Millay
In the beginning of the poem, the opening line clearly states the purpose or intention of the speaker, which is to define love. The speaker’s choice of words in the poem clearly express the aforementioned intention and significance of the poem, which is why this literary work may be analyzed or viewed from the formalist perspective. To illustrate this theme of formalism or new criticism, one must read the text and note the inherent pattern in the poem that directly and clearly illustrates its meaning. By simply reading the first line of the poem, “Love is not all: it is not meat nor drink”, one would understand that the poem illustrates what love is not. Furthermore, “Love is not all” illustrates the author’s intention, which is to challenge existing ideas about love such as those that regard it as a feeling or emotion that conquers all or answers and addresses problems or ailments. Furthermore, the author sought to define love as a feeling or emotion that is intangible. The author used tangible or visible objects such as “meat”, “drink”, sleep or “slumber”, “roof against the rain”, and “floating spar”. All these objects refer to solid, tangible objects that can be seen, observed, or touched. In the poem, the author described love as something that is unlike these tangible objects. In doing so, St. Vincent Millay was able to define love as something that is intangible because it is a feeling or an emotion. Love is beyond the corporeal world, which is why St. Vincent Millay wrote that love cannot fill an individual’s lungs with air, or clean the blood and fix one’s fractured bones. In these two lines, the author also dismissed the link between love and human being’s physiological needs. Unlike other texts that claim love allows people to survive, St. Vincent Millay suggested in the text that love does not satiate our physical needs.
The text may be explored and interpreted by applying formalism and new criticism because the analysis focuses on the function of words in the text. St. Vincent Millay took advantage of the function of words and structured the text in a way that allowed the author to accomplish her intention. In Form and Contentment, Ronney (18) discussed the important role of form and structure in the analysis of text. Ronney (18) suggests that formalism may have inadequacies when it comes to literary analysis but it is important in remaining objective when it comes to the process of analyzing texts because the approach focuses on the understanding based on the function or tasks of words.
As one can see, the constant use of words that denote negative statements such as “not” and “nor” is the primary focus of the poem’s literary analysis. St. Vincent Millay’s choice of words in the poem illustrate its meaning such that the author sought to define love by noting aspects that do not describe or express it. Hence, St. Vincent Millay defined love by noting its limitations. Limitation is palpable in the way that St. Vincent Millay phrased the first six lines of the poem. Throughout these lines, the author used words that denote negative meaning such as “not” and “nor”. The author’s use of these literary elements is very effective in conveying the intention noted earlier. Upon reflection, the text substantiates the importance of formalism and new criticism in focusing objectively on the meaning and function of texts to understand their meaning.
The Passionate Shepherd to His Love by Christopher Marlowe
In the beginning of the poem, the speaker’s intention is palpable because the first line constitutes a request or a demand. The speaker conveys his desire by directly asking his love to live with him. In the middle of the poem and after making such requests, the speaker then attempts to convince his love by declaring the kind of life he offers. The speaker notes “we will sit upon the rocks”, and “I will make thee beds of Roses” as well as “A gown made of the finest wool”. Basically, the author is saying that the speaker is compelled to follow through his promises because of his feelings or emotions toward his love. Deconstructing the meaning of the words the author used in the poem refers to one aspect of formalism and new criticism, which is finding unity in the text by focusing on the structure and the meaning of the words used.
The text illustrates the appropriate use of words and form in constructing texts because it similarly shows that the thoughtful selection and arrangement of words in the text create meaning. In The New Criticism: Pro and Contra, Wellek (612) argued that formalism and new criticism are highly important despite the criticisms of others because it allows individuals to view and understand texts objectively based on the form, structure, and content of literary works. Unlike other approaches that are subjective, literary analysis using formalist and new criticism approaches aim to understand the meaning of a text. Marlowe’s poem illustrates formalism because the author used words with similar themes in order to convey meaning and establish a semblance of unity in the text.
As one can see, the unifying theme or structure of the text alludes to the purpose of formalism and new criticism. Marlowe’s choice of words in the poem are similar in theme and meaning, and therefore, purpose, which then creates unity in the text. As formerly noted, formalism and new criticism focus on the form and structure of words and the derivation of meaning based on content.
Conclusion
Overall, St. Vincent Millay’s Love is not All and Marlowe’s The Passionate Shepherd to His Love demonstrate formalism and new criticism because both texts illustrate the importance of form and structure in conveying meaning. The authors’ main intention in the texts is to define love: St. Vincent Millay based on what love is not and Marlowe based on the feelings and emotion of the passionate shepherd. In both texts, the authors carefully selected appropriate words that matched their intentions and in the poem, they structured and put together words in order to create unity and convey intended meaning.
Works Cited
Ronney, Ellen. 2000. Form and contentment. Modern Language Quarterly, 61:1, 17-40.
Wellek, Rene. 1978. The new criticism: pro and contra. Critical Inquiry, 4:4, 611-624.
