Poststructuralism

Definition

Poststructuralism is a philosophical and critical movement that emerged in the mid-20th century, emphasizing the instability of meaning and the complexity of language. It challenges the idea of fixed structures in texts and asserts that meaning is derived from the interplay of multiple interpretations, influenced by context, culture, and reader perception.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Poststructuralism arose as a reaction against structuralism, arguing that texts do not have a single, inherent meaning but rather are open to various interpretations.
2. It posits that language is not a transparent medium for conveying meaning; instead, it is inherently unstable, leading to a multiplicity of meanings.
3. Poststructuralist thinkers argue that the author's intention is less important than the reader's interpretation, leading to the concept known as 'the death of the author.'
4. This movement emphasizes intertextuality, where texts reference and influence one another, showing that understanding a work involves considering its connections to other works.
5. Cultural context plays a crucial role in shaping meaning; therefore, poststructuralism often examines how literature reflects and is shaped by societal forces.

Review Questions

• How does poststructuralism change our understanding of narratology and the analysis of texts?
  • Poststructuralism shifts narratology from seeking fixed meanings to exploring how narratives can be interpreted in multiple ways. This approach recognizes that narrative structure can create various interpretations based on reader response and contextual influences. It reveals that meaning arises from the interplay between text and reader, rather than being solely determined by the text itself.
• Discuss how poststructuralism informs the concept of intertextuality and the notion of the death of the author.
  • Poststructuralism underlines intertextuality by asserting that texts are interconnected and influence one another. The idea of 'the death of the author' stems from this perspective, suggesting that an author's intentions should not dictate how a text is interpreted. Instead, meaning is constructed through reader engagement with both the text and its broader cultural context.
• Evaluate how poststructuralism impacts cultural materialism's approach to literature and society.
  • Poststructuralism enriches cultural materialism by emphasizing how literature not only reflects societal conditions but also participates in creating meanings influenced by culture. It critiques deterministic views by highlighting that literature interacts with power dynamics and social constructs. This interaction reveals how texts can both shape and be shaped by historical and cultural contexts, thus complicating simplistic understandings of literature's role in society.

Related terms

Deconstruction: A critical approach developed by Jacques Derrida that seeks to unravel and expose the assumptions, contradictions, and complexities in texts, revealing that meaning is not stable or fixed.

Signifier and Signified: Concepts introduced by Ferdinand de Saussure to describe the relationship between a word (signifier) and its meaning (signified), illustrating how meaning is constructed through language.

Subjectivity: The concept that individual identity and understanding are shaped by social, cultural, and historical contexts, emphasizing the fluid nature of selfhood.