OUIL501- Study Task 1- Roland Barthes Summary

In 'The Death of The Author', Roland Barthes discusses the links between the author and he reader, and the interpretation of the authors work.

Barthes talks about the authors work becoming somewhat more important when the authors identity and past is removed from it. He states that 'language knows a 'subject' not a 'person' (P145) and that taking the 'person' or personality from a text can instantly alter how the reader perceives it. However, it is argued that in some examples, that the author is and integral part of or understanding the meaning behind the work. Andy Warhol's depiction of famous images are an example of the author being a vital part of the context behind the work. Through using already 'popularised' images, Warhol reworked imagery which was known by everyone, representing prominent contemporary events and interests. For example, Warhol's soup can (1962) were a statement about the repetition of the every day routines of the population, including his own. This is a prime example of the author having meaning behind how the images are viewed, as if you took away the personality and interests, the reader would miss the opportunity to understand the original intended meaning.