Alienation effect or estrangement effect (Verfremdungseffekt): Literary Terms 2
In his theater of the 1920s and beyond, German playwright Bertolt Brecht adapted the Russian formalist concept of “defamiliarization” into what he referred to as the “alienation effect” or “estrangement effect” (Verfremdungseffekt). The term “alienation” in English carries negative connotations of detachment, emotional numbness, and social apathy, which is why the term “distancing effect” is closer to Brecht’s intention. This effect, according to Brecht, is employed by the playwright to make familiar aspects of current social reality appear strange, thereby preventing the audience from emotionally identifying or becoming too involved with the characters and their actions in a play. Instead, Brecht aimed to create a critical distance and attitude in the spectators, in order to provoke them to take action against, rather than passively accept, the state of society and behavior represented on the stage.
Here is a list of 100 literary terms commonly used in cultural studies: Cultural studies Ideology Representation Power dynamics Cultural hegemony Discourse Social constructivism Identity Othering Stereotype Subculture Counter-culture Hybridity Intersectionality Orientalism Postcolonialism Globalization Appropriation Cultural relativism Cultural imperialism Cultural capital Ethnocentrism Cultural identity Cultural hybridity Cultural memory Cultural resistance…
Metamorphosis "Metamorphosis" is a novella written by Franz Kafka and published in 1915. It is one of Kafka's most famous works and is known for its surreal and existential themes. The story revolves around the transformation of the protagonist, Gregor Samsa, into a giant insect and the consequences it has…
Sons of Ben The "Sons of Ben" refers to a group of poets who were followers and admirers of the English Renaissance poet Ben Jonson. Ben Jonson (1572–1637) was a prominent playwright and poet of the Jacobean era, known for his satirical wit and classical influences. The term "Sons of…
