345. Theory 14: Structuralism

Structuralism

Major Figures:-
Ferdinand de Saussure
Claude Levi Strauss
Roland Barthes
Roman Jakobson
Jacques Lacan


Strauss was an anthropologist. 

Sausure's "Course in General Linguistics" (collection of his given class notes in between 1906-1911, by his students) started the theory of Structuralism. This book was originally in French translated by Roy Harris. The theory actually came after Saussure's death. He was a linguist and semiotician (signs of language) and Professor in various univs. Before studying linguistics, he studied Physics and Chemistry. He was also a scholar in Sanskrit language which he studied for 18 months in Berlin. He re-examined language through synchronic and diachronic slides. One's word's meaning depends on another word's meaning. So, structuralism is in the same fashion. To Saussure, we should approach language synchronically. So, synchronic has signifier and Signified together form the Sign and it is arbitrary or random. A 'cat' may mean another thing in another language. Next, Saussure's structuralism has Langue (set of rules) and Parole (accurate use of a language).

Roland Barthes
Units and Rules have interrelationships. For example, brick is the unit which together make wall (rules or grammatical rules). 

Roman Jakobson:
He carried structuralism from Linguistics to other areas of study like philosophy, anthropology, etc.

Definition: Structuralism begins with linguistics or the science of language which started with Saussure. Everything falls under a structure like our existence, language, etc. A structure consists of anything which have similarities. The structures shape human activities. Structuralists believe that all literary texts have various structures beyond the surface level texts.

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