Barthes: A Very Short Introduction

Organizing this overview by utilizing the conceit that Barthes was an intellectual of varied--often paradoxical--parts, Jonathan Culler breaks down his analysis of Barthes by devoting a chapter to each of these parts, one after another. The result is to make clear what might otherwise have seemed a hopeless muddle of the many reversals, contradictions, and theoretical leap-frogging that Barthes engaged in during a long career of dodging easy characterization. Yet in spite of the elementary a-b-c format, there is enough meat on this bare-bones outline of Barthes body of work to satisfy the beginner and leave him with an appetite for more. A good little guide with which to familiarize yourself with this seminal semiologist, structuralist, post structuralist, hedonist, et al.

Culler compresses Roland Barthes' scholarly arc to a readable length, allowing us to grasp his development in a way that would take years of study if we rely on original texts. Since Barthes' work covered literature, cultural criticism, politics, sexual customs, and more, this summary is necessary to find what specialized scholars need from his corpus. Collating Barthes' varied thought experiments into a lucid narrative lets us isolate ideas useful to scholarly goals, focusing our productivity rather than flinging ourselves at the mass of Barthes' work. Readable in plain English yet intellectually dense, Culler's summation is a great place to begin in Barthes study, especially for time-strapped readers. Copious citations and a thorough appendix of Barthes' works allow convenient cross-reference and simplify the selection of appropriate sources. New content discussing how Barthes' reputation has fared after his death updates the content through the year 2002. I recommend Culler's introduction for its clear, cogent, straightforward approach to a painfully subtle mind.