Julia Kristeva

Definition

Julia Kristeva is a Bulgarian-French philosopher, literary critic, psychoanalyst, feminist, and, along with other key postmodern thinkers, a significant contributor to the field of postmodernism. Her work has had a profound impact on the understanding of language, subjectivity, and the role of the body in meaning-making processes.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Kristeva's work is heavily influenced by the theories of psychoanalyst Jacques Lacan, particularly his concepts of the Symbolic and the Imaginary orders.
2. She is known for her analysis of the role of the maternal body and the pre-Oedipal stage in the formation of subjectivity and language.
3. Kristeva's concept of 'intertextuality' emphasizes the way texts are inherently linked to and shaped by other texts, challenging the notion of the autonomous, self-contained work.
4. Her theory of 'abjection' explores the ways in which the body and its functions, particularly those associated with the maternal, are marginalized and excluded from the social order.
5. Kristeva's concept of the 'semiotic' refers to the pre-linguistic, rhythmic, and affective dimensions of language, which she sees as challenging the dominance of the 'symbolic' order of grammar and syntax.

Review Questions

• Explain how Kristeva's concept of intertextuality challenges traditional notions of authorship and the autonomous work of art.
  • Kristeva's concept of intertextuality posits that every text is inherently linked to and shaped by other texts, undermining the idea of the autonomous, self-contained work of art. This challenges traditional notions of authorship by suggesting that the author is not the sole, original creator of a text, but rather a conduit through which various textual influences and connections are expressed. Intertextuality emphasizes the way texts are always in dialogue with and dependent on other texts, rather than being the product of a single, isolated creative act.
• Describe Kristeva's theory of abjection and how it relates to her understanding of subjectivity and the maternal body.
  • Kristeva's theory of abjection explores the ways in which the body and its functions, particularly those associated with the maternal, are marginalized and excluded from the social order. She argues that the maternal body and its fluids, such as blood and breast milk, are seen as abject – as both fascinating and horrifying, as that which must be cast off in order to establish the boundaries of the self. This process of abjection is central to the formation of subjectivity, as the individual must separate from the maternal body in order to become a distinct, autonomous being. Kristeva's theory of abjection thus highlights the crucial role of the maternal body in the construction of the subject, while also challenging the dominant social and symbolic order that seeks to exclude and marginalize it.
• Analyze how Kristeva's concept of the 'semiotic' challenges the dominance of the 'symbolic' order in language and meaning-making.
  • Kristeva's concept of the 'semiotic' refers to the pre-linguistic, rhythmic, and affective dimensions of language, which she sees as challenging the dominance of the 'symbolic' order of grammar and syntax. The semiotic is associated with the pre-Oedipal stage and the maternal body, and it represents a mode of meaning-making that is not bound by the rigid structures of language. Kristeva argues that the semiotic, with its emphasis on rhythm, tone, and the materiality of language, disrupts the symbolic order and opens up new possibilities for subjectivity and expression. By foregrounding the semiotic, Kristeva challenges the assumption that language and meaning are primarily determined by the symbolic, and she highlights the crucial role of the body, affect, and the maternal in the construction of meaning.

Related terms

Intertextuality: The concept that every text is necessarily related to other texts through various connections, such as direct references, allusions, or the incorporation of ideas and styles from previous works.

Abjection: The state of being cast off or excluded, often associated with the body and its functions, which challenges the boundaries of the self and the social order.

Semiotic: Kristeva's concept of the semiotic, which refers to the pre-linguistic, rhythmic, and affective dimensions of language and meaning, in contrast to the symbolic order of grammar and syntax.