The problem of authorship was one that caused many debates in the literary, intellectual cycles. The concept of author as well as the author’s contribution and effect in a work has been one that changed through time.Roland Barthes and Michel Foucault were both acclaimed thinkers that dealt with the matter of the author, searching in a rather philosophical way the role of the author in the creation, perception and meaning generation of a text. They both gave strong views on the subject of the author in terms of who the author is, what role the author has in the creation of a work and how much of the author’s self is in the work itself.
Table of Contents
1. Roland Barthes and Michel Foucault: on the subject of the Author
2. Biography of Roland Barthes
3. Biography of Michel Foucault
4. Barthes’ Deconstruction of the Author
5. Foucault’s Mediation on Authorship
6. Comparative Analysis and Synthesis
Research Objectives and Key Themes
This paper explores the shifting conceptualization of authorship in literary theory, specifically contrasting the radical "death of the author" proposed by Roland Barthes with Michel Foucault's functionalist approach to the author's name and role in discourse.
- Historical evolution of the author's authority and prestige.
- Barthes' theory of textual independence and the reader as the site of meaning.
- Foucault's perspective on the author as a function of discourse and classification.
- The move from individualistic creation to linguistic and structural interpretation.
Excerpt from the Book
Barthes’ Deconstruction of the Author
Barthes deconstructs the notion of author and goes as far as the author’s death in an attempt to declare the texts independence from a specific authoritative figure. In his paper the “The Death of the Author” in a very drastic manner he argues that the author is indeed absent from the text, doing this in order to bring new insights on how the text should be examined and how writing should be discussed releasing it from the confining authority of the author (Rouhvand, 27). In the opening of his paper, Barthes uses the example of Balzac, as a way to show the multiple choices of voice and to whom it belongs. Among those choices, a voice in a text could be that of the protagonist, the writer, a way for the author to speak about literary ideas, a wisdom coming from the collective and anything else that could be attributed to it (Barthes, 2).
The whole of the voice however is formed by these many voices which act together forming a multiplicity of meanings which do not trace back to a specific point of origin (Barthes, 2). Barthes goes against the kinds of criticism that regarded a work in terms of success and failure based on its author whether talking about arts like painting, composing music or writing (Barthes, 2). Barthes finds support in the various thinkers who like him found new ways of appreciating a work, of gravitating towards language and text more dethroning the man responsible for its creation (Barthes, 3).
Summary of Chapters
Roland Barthes and Michel Foucault: on the subject of the Author: Introduces the historical debate surrounding authorship and how the traditional focus on the author’s life has shifted over time.
Biography of Roland Barthes: Outlines the life and key theoretical contributions of Roland Barthes, highlighting his work in semiology and structuralism.
Biography of Michel Foucault: Details the academic path of Michel Foucault, tracing his interest in psychology, power, and discourse.
Barthes’ Deconstruction of the Author: Examines Barthes’ assertion that the author must be removed from the text to allow for the multiplicity of meaning to be realized by the reader.
Foucault’s Mediation on Authorship: Analyzes Foucault’s response to Barthes, suggesting that the author serves a functional role in classifying texts and attributing responsibility.
Comparative Analysis and Synthesis: Concludes that both thinkers ultimately shift the focus from the individual author to the linguistic structures of the text itself.
Keywords
Authorship, Roland Barthes, Michel Foucault, The Death of the Author, What is an Author, Structuralism, Post-structuralism, Literary Theory, Semiology, Discourse, Textuality, Meaning Generation, Reader, Signifier, Language.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this paper?
The paper examines the changing role and conceptualization of the "author" in literary criticism, specifically focusing on the theories of Roland Barthes and Michel Foucault.
What are the primary themes discussed?
The themes include the authority of the author, the independence of the text, the reader’s role in meaning generation, and the function of the author's name in social discourse.
What is the main goal of the research?
The goal is to contrast Barthes' radical dismissal of the author with Foucault's view that the author serves specific, useful functions within literary history and classification.
Which theoretical approach is applied?
The work utilizes a comparative analytical approach, drawing on the foundational texts "The Death of the Author" by Barthes and "What is an Author" by Foucault.
What does the main body cover?
It provides biographical backgrounds for both thinkers, explains their specific arguments regarding authorship, and synthesizes their conclusions regarding the nature of the text.
What are the characterizing keywords of the work?
Key terms include Authorship, Structuralism, Semiology, Discourse, and Textuality.
How does Barthes view the relationship between the author and the text?
Barthes argues for the complete absence of the author, suggesting that the text is a "tissue of citations" and that meaning is reconstructed entirely by the reader.
Why does Foucault maintain a role for the author?
Foucault argues that the author’s name is necessary for the classification of works and for establishing a framework for ownership and responsibility.
How do both thinkers reach similar conclusions?
Despite their different approaches, both move the analytical focus away from the individual writer and toward language, signs, and the structural nature of texts.
- Quote paper
- Elena Agathokleous (Author), 2018, Roland Barthes and Michel Foucault on the subject of the Author, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/1007707
