1.

Critical Appreciation of Viktor Shklovsky's "Art as Technique"

Viktor Shklovsky's essay "Art as Technique" (1917) is one of the foundational
texts of Russian Formalism and marks a decisive shift in literary theory by redefining
the function and purpose of art. Rather than focusing on content, biography, or
historical context, Shklovsky emphasizes the formal qualities of artistic language,
introducing the concept of ostranenie or "defamiliarization" as the core technique
of art. His essay is a radical intervention in aesthetics, challenging conventional
ways of seeing and perceiving, and remains influential in both literary and cultural
studies.
The Concept of Defamiliarization:
The cornerstone of Shklovsky’s theory is the idea that art makes the familiar
strange. According to him, as people become habituated to everyday life, their
perception dulls. Objects, events, and even language lose their vividness and
become automatic. Art, for Shklovsky, intervenes in this automatism by making the
ordinary appear extraordinary through defamiliarization. This technique compels
the audience to perceive the world in a new, more conscious way.
In his words:
“The purpose of art is to impart the sensation of things as they are perceived and
not as they are known. The technique of art is to make objects ‘unfamiliar,’ to make
forms difficult, to increase the difficulty and length of perception.”
This defamiliarization is achieved through the manipulation of form—unusual
syntax, fragmented structure, elaborate descriptions, or disrupted narrative. For
example, in literature, a seemingly simple act like getting out of bed may be
described with such detail and linguistic innovation that the reader perceives it as
if for the first time.
Rejection of Automatism:
Shklovsky critiques the automatization of perception, where habitual
language and behavior lead to mechanical responses. In this state, people no longer
truly "see" the world around them—they merely function within it. He argues that
the role of the artist is to resist this condition. Art resists the mechanical by slowing
down perception, forcing the reader to engage with the process of interpretation.
This insight aligns with broader modernist concerns—such as those in the
works of James Joyce, T.S. Eliot, and Marcel Proust—who all, in their respective
ways, experimented with form to disrupt the complacency of bourgeois realism.
Literary Examples and Applications:
Shklovsky uses Tolstoy as a primary example of a writer who uses
defamiliarization. In Kholstomer, Tolstoy tells the story of a horse from the horse’s
perspective, highlighting the absurdity of human customs like ownership and social
class. This shift in perspective exemplifies how literature can renew perception by
presenting a familiar situation through an unfamiliar lens.
Shklovsky also refers to poetry, particularly in its use of rhythm, rhyme, and
metaphor, as a domain where language is constantly estranged from its practical
function. For him, poetic language exemplifies the art of making language "difficult"
and, therefore, perceptible in a more conscious and aesthetic way.
Contribution to Literary Theory:
"Art as Technique" is a foundational text for Russian Formalism, which
sought to create a science of literature based on form, structure, and literary
devices. Shklovsky’s approach was ahistorical and objectivist, focusing not on
authorial intention or political content, but on how texts function and how they
produce aesthetic effects.
While later theorists, including the structuralists and poststructuralists,
would critique the limitations of Formalism, especially its neglect of historical and
ideological contexts, Shklovsky’s insistence on the materiality of language and the
function of literary devices paved the way for these later developments.
Critical Evaluation:
Despite its innovation, Shklovsky’s theory is not without limitations. His almost
exclusive focus on form can lead to reductionism, ignoring the socio-political and
historical dimensions of literature. Furthermore, defamiliarization, while powerful,
is not the only function of art. Emotional, ideological, or political engagements are
also central to many artistic works. His theory also struggles to account for how
audiences bring their own contexts to interpretation, a point emphasized by
reader-response theorists and cultural critics.
Nonetheless, Shklovsky's essay remains a seminal work that fundamentally altered
the trajectory of 20th-century literary theory. His concept of defamiliarization
continues to be a critical tool for analyzing not only literature but also film, visual
arts, and media.
Conclusion:
Viktor Shklovsky's Art as Technique is a bold declaration that the essence of
art lies in its ability to estrange and renew perception. By foregrounding form and
technique over content and meaning, Shklovsky reframed how we approach
literature and aesthetics. While his approach may be seen as formalist and limited
in scope, its emphasis on perceptual transformation has had a profound and lasting
impact on the study of art and literature. His insights continue to challenge readers,
critics, and artists to reconsider not just what art says, but how it says it.
 2. Discuss Viktor Shklovsky’s essay Art as Technique in the context of Russian
Formalism. How does the concept of “defamiliarization” reshape our
understanding of art and literary perception?

Viktor Shklovsky’s essay Art as Technique (1917), also translated as Art as

Device, is a foundational text of Russian Formalism and plays a pivotal role in
redefining the purpose and method of literary art. In this essay, Shklovsky
introduces the key concept of “ostranenie” or “defamiliarization,” a technique
that, according to him, lies at the heart of all art.
Art as a Way of Seeing:
Shklovsky argues that over time, human perception becomes habitual and
automatic. When we repeatedly encounter the same object or situation, we stop
truly “seeing” it. Our reactions become routine, and the depth of experience is lost.
Shklovsky believes the role of art is to restore the freshness of perception—to
make the familiar strange so that we are forced to notice and feel again.
This leads to his core thesis:
“Art exists that one may recover the sensation of life; it exists to make one feel
things, to make the stone stony.”
In other words, the purpose of art is not merely to mirror life or express
emotion, but to intervene in perception itself. Art reawakens the senses by
disrupting the automatic and foregrounding the form through unusual
techniques.
Defamiliarization in Literature:
In literature, defamiliarization is achieved by manipulating language, syntax,
narrative structure, and genre. Poets and writers achieve this by:
• Using unconventional metaphors and imagery
• Distorting the chronology or narrative perspective
• Employing unusual word order, neologisms, or archaisms
• Creating ambiguity or complexity in expression
For example, instead of saying “He died,” a defamiliarized version might read, “His
breath stopped as the silence swallowed the room.” The second formulation
arrests attention and compels emotional or imaginative engagement.
Technique Over Content:
A hallmark of Russian Formalism—and a key point in Art as Technique—is
the emphasis on form over content. Shklovsky posits that how something is said
(the form or technique) is more important than what is said. Art does not reside in
the story itself but in the method of its telling. The same story, when told
differently, becomes art.
He illustrates this idea with examples from Russian literature, such as
Tolstoy’s retelling of common events in strange or indirect ways to reawaken
perception.
Impact on Literary Theory”
Shklovsky’s theory revolutionized 20th-century literary criticism. It laid the
groundwork for analyzing texts not by their thematic content but by the devices
they use to achieve aesthetic effects. Russian Formalists rejected biographical and
historical criticism in favor of studying literary form and technique as autonomous.
Shklovsky’s ideas influenced later movements such as Structuralism, Post-
Structuralism, and even Modernist and Avant-Garde literature, which embraced
fragmentation, disorientation, and play with form.
Conclusion:
Art as Technique is a landmark essay that shifts the focus of literary criticism
from content to form, from emotion to perception, and from meaning to method.
By introducing “defamiliarization,” Shklovsky urges us to see art not as a mirror of
reality, but as a tool to make reality visible again. It is a clarion call for art to wake
us from the sleep of routine, and to let us feel the texture of the world anew.