Roland Barthes' "Death of the Author"

Roland Barthes' "Death of the Author" is a concept suggesting that a text’s meaning is not solely determined by its creator’s intentions or background. Instead, the interpretation is shaped by the reader’s own perspectives and experiences. Barthes argues that focusing on the author limits understanding, and that once a work is published, it belongs equally to everyone who engages with it. This shifts the emphasis from authorial authority to the reader’s active role in giving meaning, encouraging multiple interpretations rather than a single, author-prescribed one.