New Viewpoint on Readers’ Reception in Formalist Literary Theory

Formalist Literary Theory is an important link in the development process of the research focus of western literary theory from the author to the reader. Formalist Literary Theory advocates the independence and self-sufficiency of literature, trying to cut off the connection between works and external society, including authors and readers, and establishes an independent and systematic literary science in centripetal criticism centered on the language form of works. However, it is only a theoretical assumption that literature can be independent completely from factors other than works, and literature can not exist without the subject of acceptance. This paper attempts to make a systematic and in-depth analysis and summary of the readers’ acceptance of Formalist Literary Theory, and discusses its theoretical gains and losses from the perspective of the development of literary theory.