Journal of Northeastern University(Social Science) ›› 2016, Vol. 18 ›› Issue (1): 105-110.DOI: 10.15936/j.cnki.1008-3758.2016.01.018

• Linguistics and Literature • Previous Articles    

A Re-examination of “The Death of the Author”

SHI Feng-xiao   

  1. (School of Foreign Languages, Renmin University of China, Beijing 100872, China)
  • Received:2015-06-16 Revised:2015-06-16 Online:2016-01-25 Published:2016-01-26
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Abstract: Roland Barthes sentenced the author to death in The Death of the Author, which has a profound effect. There have been constant debate and discussion regarding whether to support or repudiate it ever since. However, the comparative reading and analysis of such central concepts as the author, the language, the text and the reader in The Death of the Author with those in his other works will reveal the birth, development, change and reversal therein. It has something to do with the development of his thoughts and his habit of playing with words, which is partly attributed to the intellectual progress of human beings. It carries more theoretical connotations behind and beyond the academic debate. Placing “the death of the author” among Barthes thinking framework and the historical context will contribute to an impartial and deep understanding of its complexity and profundity.

Key words: author, text, language, reader, Roland Barthes, “the death of the author”

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