By Dr. Mowahib Saleh Mahdi – College of Islamic Sciences – University of Karbala
The Historical Approach to the Death of the Author

The idea of the “Death of the Author” has philosophical and intellectual roots that are tied to the historical conditions following Europe’s revolutions against the church. The existential philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche famously proclaimed the idea of the “Death of God.” This concept resonated widely among European critics, who sought to dismantle the religious approach to interpreting texts and to make way for the emergence of human potential as understood by reason. Anything beyond that was considered “dead.”

Later, the idea of the “Death of God” was transferred to literary criticism. Western critics, led by Roland Barthes (1915-1985), one of the most prominent figures in criticism, declared the “Death of the Author.” Barthes himself acknowledged that some European critics, such as French writer Mallarmé, had already anticipated the need to replace the author with language itself. According to Mallarmé, it is language that speaks, not the author. Barthes also cited the work of Paul Valéry, who mocked the figure of the author and suggested that turning to their inner thoughts was a myth. Valéry argued that the focus should be on the linguistic structure of the text, excluding the author from it.

Barthes also drew from the work of Swiss linguist Ferdinand de Saussure, who viewed a text as a network of linguistic elements. According to Saussure, the best way to analyze a text is to begin with its linguistic foundation—its internal structure—to explore the systems and relationships that form its meanings. In this way, structuralist analysis moves from inside the text outward, rather than from external factors like the author, the context, the era, or the environment.

Definition of the Theory of the Death of the Author

The theory does not mean the complete erasure of the author or the oblivion of their memory. Rather, it aims to liberate the text from the authority of the dominant figure—the author. It opens the text to the reader, as the reader is the primary audience for the text. The theory temporarily removes the author, allowing the text to be filled with the reader, and the reader to become immersed in the text. Afterward, the author may be called upon to bless this new relationship, like a father celebrating the birth of his child.

Therefore, the “Death of the Author” does not signify the author’s literal demise or end but rather serves to patch the text by freeing it from the constraints of context. This opens the text up to a more universal potential that transcends time and space, allowing it to take on its full meaning with the reader and with history. It signals the text’s independence from the authority of the author.

The true author of the text is the cultural heritage that forms its context, serving as both a source for understanding and interpreting the text. This heritage precedes and extends beyond the text itself, surrounding all its transformations.

In his 1966 article “Criticism and Truth,” Barthes argued that the critical model which connects the text to the author has ended, and a new form of analysis must be adopted.

Barthes justifies the idea of the “Death of the Author” by asserting that linking a text to its author means halting the text’s potential and restricting it to a fixed meaning. This leads to the closure of writing.

Roland Barthes, the French critic and writer, is closely associated with structuralist criticism that dominated the era. His works are noted for their diversity and complexity across various linguistic and literary fields. His most well-known works, among over fifteen published books, include Language, The Lover’s Discourse, The Pleasure of the Text, and Writing Degree Zero.

References:

• Muhammad Fattah, Previous Source, p. 66.
• Majdi Wahba, Dictionary of Literary Terms, Lebanon Library, Beirut, 1974, p. 6.
• Roland Barthes, Criticism and Truth, Translated by Dr. Munther Ayashi, 1st edition, Dar Al-Ard, Riyadh, 1995, p. 25.