A Formalist Critique of the Poems of Kioumars Monshizadeh and Ali Babachahi Based on Geoffrey Leech’s Model

Abstract

One of the innovative approaches in the critique of literary texts, rooted in modern linguistics, is formalist criticism, which analyzes and examines literary works and the prominent features of a writer’s work while uncovering and documenting the aesthetic and artistic values of those works based on linguistic form. In other words, the primary focus of formalist critics is on the structure and form or the superficial aspects of a literary work. Formalist theorists argue that the way a poet or a writer employs language differs from how it is used by others. Kioumars Monshizadeh and Ali Babachahi are among contemporary poets who employ literary language in a distinctive manner. Both poets have effectively utilized formalism to shape and structure their poetry in a unique and aesthetically appealing way. Accordingly, the present study, using a descriptive-analytical method and based on a formalist approach, examines and analyzes the poetry of these two poets through the lens of Geoffrey Leech’s theory of deviation. The findings of this study indicate that both poets, through various techniques, sought to enhance the literariness and prominence of their poems to attract the reader’s attention. From selecting innovative titles and employing fresh and novel expressions to using different types of deviations—including semantic, lexical, stylistic, phonetic, grammatical, and dialectal deviations—one can discern the flawless impact of formalism in their poetry.