Death of the Author

Roland Barthes’s The Death of the Author mainly addresses the idea of the reader stepping outside of the barriers created by authors. If we relate so much to the authors specific thoughts and beliefs, we are only able to find one meaning. In the past literature has been known to most represent the authors emotions and beliefs. Aside from these traditional ideals, he encourages us to relate more to ourselves individually, identifying what the text means to us rather than comparing and contrasting to the author alone.

With this notion in place we are more apt to disregard the time it was written and look less into its historical meaning. It is more important that we come up with our own meanings from text in order to grow as readers and writers. It is better to be able to identify multiple themes because from this we are able to develop more theories, furthering our understanding of the study of literature.

Shakespeare’s Life and Times is a prime example how people can relate to his works centuries after the time it was written. We find meaning through the time period and language to receive a better understanding of this type of literature.

I do see Barthes’s points when looking into Shakespeare because in his writing we can take away many common themes. Shakespeare often brings up aspects of love, betrayal, humor; meanings we can relate to in everyday life. Although we can keep other ideals learned when studying literature, it is very important at some point to reflect on what the text simply means to us alone with less regard for the authors intentions.

http://shakespeare.palomar.edu/Life.htm