The Author Function (Michel Foucault)

Michel Foucault’s "The Author Function" examines how society attributes meaning and authority to texts based on their creator. He argues that the identity of an author influences how a work is interpreted, classified, and valued. Rather than viewing authors solely as individuals, Foucault suggests that the "author function" is a social construct that shapes our understanding of knowledge, originality, and purpose within specific historical and cultural contexts. This concept highlights how the role of the author affects the way texts are received and the limits of interpreting works outside their authorial identity.