Roland Barthes' Theory of "The Death of the Author": A Critical Analysis

رولان بارتھس کا نظریہ” مصنف کی موت“: تنقیدی جائزہ

Abstract

This paper examines the critical reception of Roland Barthes' influential essay, "The Death of the Author." Published in 1967, the essay argues that the author's role in creating and interpreting a text is not central. Instead, Barthes suggests that a text functions as a complex system of signs and codes, generating meaning through the interplay of these elements. The reader actively participates in this process, constructing meaning based on their own experiences and understanding. Barthes' concept of the "death of the author" challenged traditional literary criticism, prompting new approaches that focus on the text itself and the reader's response. However, the essay has also been criticized for downplaying the role of the author and for its potential to lead to a relativistic approach to interpretation. This paper discusses the strengths and weaknesses of Barthes' argument, and considers its implications for the study of literature. It also examines the ways in which Barthes' essay has been interpreted and debated in the years since its publication. The paper concludes by arguing that Barthes' essay remains a valuable contribution to literary theory, even if its conclusions are not universally accepted. It offers a powerful challenge to traditional notions of authorial authority and provides a framework for understanding the role of the reader in the creation of meaning.

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4. Ibid
5. Ibid. Panaah: 145
6. Ibid
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