Post Structuralism Theories by Roland Barthes - Essay Example

There are certain words that are understood only by the people who are accustomed to the context and the culture to which the word belongs. According to Barthes, the text is a structure of quotations that have developed in different cultures and it cannot be attributed to the author as the author is merely a person who arranges the quotations in a different manner. Language plays a highly significant part in the structure of the text. Each language has its own style and structure, therefore, it is difficult for the readers who are accustomed to another language to understand the whole context that the author is trying to present in another language.

Thus, the concept that is commonly accepted that the text is the representation of the perspective of the author and it presents the one authorial voice and a singular meaning is challenged by the statement presented by Barthes. The implication of the statement may be that the readers may not seek a singular meaning that is intended by the author to impart, but different readers may perceive the text in accordance with the context they are accustomed to. According to Barthes, rather than allowing the author to drive the readers to an interpretation, the language should be allowed to speak and the readers should interpret the text in accordance with the language.

According to structuralism theories, the literary text is a part of a genre or a recurring structure. According to the theory, each text must have a specific structure. The type of structure in a text represents the genre to which it belongs. The theory endorses that text is governed by the rules of grammar. The way characters are developed and the specific elements that define the characters are also not considered to be the factors that make the text different (Eagleton 1983). The text is considered to be different only if it introduces a new structure.

In light of the statement by Barthes, it can be said that the concepts of structuralism theories have some points of resemblance with the argument made by Barthes. As language defines the text in accordance with Barthes, the grammar and the structure define the text in accordance with structuralism theories.