Classification paragraph. Oliinyk Kateryna

In the 20-ies of the past century there has begun an active scientific dialogue between Ukrainian and Russian artists on the formal method of the literary studies; the Kharkiv's magazine "Red Road" became a platform for their intentions. After a deep analysis of the opposed to a formalism articles it is to be stated that the critique was based against three main points of formalism:  the domination of ‘form’ over ‘content’, the idealistic approach to the issue, deviations from the dominant methodology. Firstly, the so-called ‘content-supporters’ accused formalists in their orientation in a formal factor of the text. According to Svetlana Matviyenko: "Formalists were always criticized for an ignorance of the context while the awareness of 'form' in its contextuality was one of the highlights in their theoretical movement" [2, p. 24]. At the same time the ‘content-supporters’ developed their conceptions in opposition to a ‘form’, giving priority to content. Secondly, the formalism was considered as an idealistic way of reasoning. For instance, Vladimir Hadzinsky states that the art is a "product of revolution" [1, c. 179]; in other words he believed that an art is purely utilitarian. Thirdly, the formalism as a new methodology in literary studies raised a question about the credibility of Marxism. Notoriously, the latter was promoted as the only possible method and the ‘end’ for a Soviet literature. Therefore, we assume that the formalism in Ukraine, and on the pages of the "Red way" in particular, was perceived in a quite critical manner for its strict ‘form-and-content’ opposition, idealistic approach to a ‘accepted’ method, and, not least, for its contradistinction to the Marxism.

References:

1.                          Hadzinsky V. A Few Words to the Question of "Form and Content" / V. Hadzinskyy / / Red way. - 1923. - № 4-5. - P. 174-179.

2.                          Matvienko S. A Discourse of a Formalism: the Ukrainian Context / S. Matvienko. - Lviv: Litopys, 2004. - 142 p.