Barthes' Contribution to Structuralism and Semiology

While Saussure's theoretical work laid the foundation for structuralism, it was Roland Barthes who extended its application to literature and eventually ventured into post-structuralism. Barthes' seminal text, "Elements of Semiology," delves into the study of signs and their existence solely within language. Four Elements of Semiology Barthes classifies Saussure's discipline of semiology into four key elements: Language and Speech: Barthes argues that language is a social phenomenon and cannot be solely influenced by individuals. Signifier and Signified: While Saussure believed in the arbitrary connection between signifier and signified, Barthes claims it to be a necessity, where the connection is established through a process of contraction and naturalization. Syntagm and System: Barthes explores the relationship between elements within a sentence (syntagm) and the interchangeable relationship between elements of different sentences (system). Denotation and Connotatio…