Viktor Shklovskii

About the Author

Viktor Shklovskii (1893-1984) was a pioneering Russian literary critic, writer, and theorist whose innovative ideas profoundly shaped 20th-century literature and film. A key figure in the Formalist movement, he introduced the groundbreaking concept of 'defamiliarization' in his seminal essay 'Art as Technique,' arguing that art's purpose is to make the familiar strange, thereby renewing perception. Throughout his prolific career, Shklovskii authored numerous essays, memoirs, and novels that chronicled the tumultuous events of the Russian Revolution, World War I, and the Soviet era, blending sharp analysis with personal narrative. His works reflect a deep engagement with language, narrative structure, and cultural history, influencing generations of scholars and artists. Shklovskii's legacy endures as a witness to an era of radical transformation, captured vividly in his autobiographical reflections like Shklovsky: Witness to an Era.