Julia Kristeva, a Bulgarian-French philosopher and literary critic, revolutionized literary theory with her unique blend of linguistics, psychoanalysis, and feminism. Her work on intertextuality, semanalysis, and the semiotic challenged traditional notions of meaning and subjectivity in language.

Kristeva's concepts of abjection and the maternal body as a source of identity have had a profound impact on feminist theory and post-structuralism. Her ideas continue to shape literary analysis, offering new ways to understand texts and their relationships to other works and cultural contexts.

Kristeva's background and influences

• Julia Kristeva is a Bulgarian-French philosopher, literary critic, semiotician, psychoanalyst, and feminist who has made significant contributions to literary theory and criticism
• Her work draws on a wide range of disciplines, including linguistics, psychoanalysis, and anthropology, to develop new approaches to analyzing texts and understanding subjectivity
• Kristeva's background and the thinkers who influenced her played a key role in shaping her unique perspective and groundbreaking theories

Childhood in Bulgaria

• Born in 1941 in Sliven, Bulgaria to a poor family
• Grew up during the post-World War II period under a communist regime
• Excelled in her studies and learned French at an early age
• Her experiences of political oppression and the limitations placed on free thought in Bulgaria influenced her later intellectual pursuits

University education in Paris

• Moved to Paris in 1965 on a research fellowship
• Studied at the prestigious École Normale Supérieure
• Worked closely with renowned linguist Émile Benveniste and literary theorist Roland Barthes
• Encountered the groundbreaking work of Jacques Lacan, which had a profound impact on her thinking about language and subjectivity

Influence of Mikhail Bakhtin

• Deeply influenced by the work of Russian philosopher and literary critic Mikhail Bakhtin
• Bakhtin's concepts of dialogism and polyphony, which emphasized the inherently intertextual nature of language, were central to Kristeva's development of the concept of intertextuality
• Kristeva introduced Bakhtin's work to Western audiences through her translations and commentaries
• Bakhtin's ideas about the carnivalesque and the subversive potential of marginal discourses also informed Kristeva's thinking about the revolutionary possibilities of poetic language

Semanalysis vs semiology

• Kristeva's approach to the study of meaning in language and texts, which she termed "semanalysis," represents a critical departure from traditional Saussurean semiology
• While semiology focuses on the structure and functioning of sign systems, semanalysis attends to the ways in which meaning is produced and transformed through the speaking subject's engagement with language
• Kristeva's critique of semiology and her alternative approach have had a significant impact on literary theory and criticism, particularly in the areas of post-structuralism and psychoanalytic criticism

Critique of Saussurean semiology

• Kristeva argues that Saussurean semiology, which is based on a binary opposition between signifier and signified, fails to account for the dynamic and unstable nature of meaning in language
• She critiques the Saussurean notion of the sign as a fixed unit of meaning, arguing that it neglects the role of the speaking subject and the social and historical contexts in which language operates
• Kristeva also challenges the idea of language as a neutral medium for communication, emphasizing instead its inherently political and ideological nature

Semanalysis as alternative approach

• In contrast to semiology, semanalysis focuses on the production of meaning through the speaking subject's engagement with language
• Kristeva argues that meaning is not a static property of signs but rather emerges through the process of signification, which is always embodied and situated within specific social and historical contexts
• Semanalysis attends to the ways in which texts are constructed through the interplay of various signifying practices, including the semiotic and symbolic dimensions of language (genotext and phenotext)

Focus on speaking subject

• Central to Kristeva's approach is a focus on the speaking subject as the site of meaning production
• She argues that the subject is not a unified, rational agent but rather a split and decentered entity that is constituted through language
• Kristeva draws on psychoanalytic theories, particularly those of Freud and Lacan, to explore how the subject is formed through the interplay of conscious and unconscious processes
• She emphasizes the role of the semiotic chora, a pre-linguistic realm associated with the maternal body, in shaping subjectivity and giving rise to poetic language that can disrupt the symbolic order

Intertextuality and transposition

• Intertextuality is one of Kristeva's most influential contributions to literary theory, referring to the ways in which texts are always in dialogue with other texts and are shaped by the cultural and historical contexts in which they are produced and received
• Kristeva argues that every text is a "mosaic of quotations" that absorbs and transforms other texts, challenging traditional notions of originality and authorship
• She distinguishes between two dimensions of intertextuality: the horizontal axis, which refers to the relations between a text and other texts, and the vertical axis, which refers to the relations between a text and the social and historical contexts in which it is situated

Texts as mosaics of quotations

• Kristeva famously describes texts as "mosaics of quotations," suggesting that every text is composed of fragments of other texts that are woven together in new and unique ways
• She argues that no text is entirely original but rather is always in dialogue with the texts that precede it and the cultural and historical contexts in which it is produced
• This view challenges traditional notions of authorship and originality, emphasizing instead the inherently intertextual nature of all linguistic and cultural production

Absorption and transformation

• Intertextuality involves not only the incorporation of other texts but also their transformation and recontextualization within a new textual framework
• Kristeva argues that texts do not simply copy or reproduce other texts but rather absorb and transform them, creating new meanings and signifying possibilities
• This process of absorption and transformation is central to the production of meaning in literature and other cultural forms

Horizontal vs vertical dimensions

• Kristeva distinguishes between two dimensions of intertextuality: the horizontal axis and the vertical axis
• The horizontal axis refers to the relations between a text and other texts that precede or surround it, such as allusions, quotations, and genre conventions
• The vertical axis refers to the relations between a text and the social and historical contexts in which it is situated, including the ideological and political discourses that shape its production and reception
• Kristeva argues that both dimensions are essential to understanding the meaning and significance of a text and that a fully intertextual reading must attend to both the horizontal and vertical axes

Semiotic and symbolic in language

• Kristeva's distinction between the semiotic and symbolic modalities of language is a key concept in her theory of poetic language and her understanding of the relationship between language and subjectivity
• The semiotic refers to the pre-Oedipal, pre-linguistic realm associated with the maternal body and the drives, while the symbolic refers to the realm of structure, grammar, and law associated with the paternal function
• Kristeva argues that both modalities are present in all linguistic utterances and that poetic language is characterized by the eruption of the semiotic within the symbolic

Two modalities of language

• Kristeva distinguishes between two modalities of language: the semiotic and the symbolic
• The semiotic is associated with the pre-Oedipal, pre-linguistic realm of the drives and the maternal body, while the symbolic is associated with the realm of structure, grammar, and law that emerges with the acquisition of language and the entry into the social order
• Kristeva argues that both modalities are present in all linguistic utterances, with the semiotic functioning as a disruptive force that challenges and subverts the symbolic order

Semiotic as pre-Oedipal

• The semiotic is associated with the pre-Oedipal stage of psychosexual development, prior to the child's entry into language and the social order
• Kristeva draws on Lacanian psychoanalysis to describe the semiotic chora as a rhythmic, pulsional space associated with the maternal body and the drives
• The semiotic is characterized by heterogeneity, multiplicity, and the free play of signification, in contrast to the more structured and regulated nature of the symbolic order

Symbolic as realm of structure

• The symbolic is associated with the realm of structure, grammar, and law that emerges with the acquisition of language and the entry into the social order
• Kristeva argues that the symbolic is necessary for the constitution of subjectivity and the ability to communicate and participate in social life
• However, she also emphasizes the inherently oppressive and alienating nature of the symbolic order, which subjects individuals to the laws and norms of language and society
• Poetic language, according to Kristeva, is characterized by the eruption of the semiotic within the symbolic, disrupting its structures and creating new possibilities for signification and subjectivity

Abjection and identity formation

• Abjection is a key concept in Kristeva's psychoanalytic theory, referring to the process by which the subject expels or excludes that which threatens its boundaries and sense of identity
• Kristeva argues that the abject is a pre-Oedipal state associated with the maternal body and the blurring of boundaries between self and other, inside and outside
• The process of abjection is central to the formation of subjectivity and the maintenance of individual and social boundaries

Abjection as pre-Oedipal state

• Abjection is associated with the pre-Oedipal stage of psychosexual development, prior to the child's entry into language and the social order
• Kristeva describes the abject as a state of undifferentiation and ambiguity, in which the boundaries between self and other, subject and object, are blurred and unstable
• The abject is associated with the maternal body and the processes of birth and death, which threaten the integrity and autonomy of the subject

Rejection of the abject

• In order to establish a stable sense of self and identity, the subject must reject or expel the abject, which is perceived as a threat to its boundaries and autonomy
• Kristeva argues that this process of rejection is necessary for the formation of subjectivity and the ability to participate in social life
• However, she also emphasizes the inherently unstable and precarious nature of this process, as the abject always threatens to return and disrupt the subject's sense of self

Role in formation of self

• The process of abjection plays a central role in the formation of subjectivity and the development of a stable sense of self and identity
• By rejecting the abject and establishing boundaries between self and other, the subject is able to emerge as a distinct and autonomous entity
• However, Kristeva also emphasizes the ongoing nature of this process, as the abject continues to haunt and threaten the subject throughout life
• Literature and art, according to Kristeva, can serve as a means of confronting and working through the abject, allowing for the transformation and renewal of subjectivity

Kristeva's feminism and motherhood

• Kristeva's approach to feminism is distinctive in its emphasis on the maternal body and the pre-Oedipal realm as sources of subjectivity and identity
• She critiques traditional forms of feminism that seek to establish women as equal to men within the existing symbolic order, arguing instead for a more radical transformation of language and society
• Kristeva's work on motherhood and the maternal body has been influential in feminist theory and has contributed to new understandings of the role of the mother in the formation of subjectivity

Critique of traditional feminism

• Kristeva critiques traditional forms of feminism that seek to establish women as equal to men within the existing symbolic order
• She argues that such approaches fail to challenge the fundamental structures of language and society that are inherently oppressive and alienating
• Instead, Kristeva calls for a more radical transformation of the symbolic order itself, one that would allow for the expression of the semiotic and the maternal body

Maternal as source of identity

• Kristeva emphasizes the importance of the maternal body and the pre-Oedipal realm as sources of subjectivity and identity
• She argues that the maternal body, with its rhythms and drives, is the site of the semiotic chora, a pre-linguistic space that is essential to the formation of subjectivity
• Kristeva suggests that a recognition of the maternal body and the semiotic can serve as a basis for a new form of feminism that challenges the oppressive structures of the symbolic order

Importance of pre-Oedipal mother

• Kristeva's work highlights the importance of the pre-Oedipal mother in the formation of subjectivity and the development of language
• She argues that the pre-Oedipal mother, with her rhythmic and pulsional body, is the source of the semiotic chora and the basis for the child's entry into language and the social order
• Kristeva suggests that a recognition of the pre-Oedipal mother and the semiotic can serve as a basis for a new form of feminism that challenges the oppressive structures of the symbolic order and allows for the expression of difference and multiplicity

Influence on post-structuralism

• Kristeva's work has been influential in the development of post-structuralist thought, particularly in its critique of stable meaning and its emphasis on the marginal and the excluded
• Her concepts of intertextuality, the semiotic, and abjection have been taken up and developed by other post-structuralist thinkers, such as Jacques Derrida and Hélène Cixous
• Kristeva's approach to language and subjectivity has contributed to a broader questioning of the foundations of Western thought and a recognition of the inherently unstable and contingent nature of meaning and identity

Critique of stable meaning

• Kristeva's work challenges traditional notions of stable meaning and fixed identities, emphasizing instead the inherently unstable and dynamic nature of language and subjectivity
• Her concept of intertextuality suggests that meaning is always produced through the interplay of texts and discourses, rather than being a fixed property of individual works or authors
• Kristeva's emphasis on the semiotic and the abject highlights the ways in which language and subjectivity are always haunted by that which is excluded or marginalized

Emphasis on marginality

• Kristeva's work places a strong emphasis on the marginal and the excluded, arguing that it is precisely that which is repressed or abjected that holds the key to understanding the workings of language and subjectivity
• Her concept of the semiotic chora, associated with the maternal body and the pre-Oedipal realm, suggests that the marginal and the excluded are essential to the formation of meaning and identity
• Kristeva's approach has been influential in the development of theories of marginality and difference, particularly in the fields of feminist and postcolonial studies

Impact on Derrida and others

• Kristeva's work has had a significant impact on other post-structuralist thinkers, particularly Jacques Derrida and Hélène Cixous
• Derrida's concept of différance, which emphasizes the inherent instability and deferral of meaning, bears a strong resemblance to Kristeva's concept of intertextuality
• Cixous's écriture féminine, or "feminine writing," draws on Kristeva's emphasis on the maternal body and the semiotic as sources of a new form of language and subjectivity
• Kristeva's influence can also be seen in the work of other post-structuralist thinkers, such as Gilles Deleuze and Félix Guattari, particularly in their emphasis on the marginal and the excluded as sites of resistance and transformation

Applications to literary analysis

• Kristeva's theories have had significant implications for the practice of literary analysis, offering new ways of understanding the production and interpretation of literary texts
• Her concepts of intertextuality, the semiotic, and abjection have been particularly influential, providing new tools for analyzing the ways in which texts engage with and transform other texts and discourses
• Kristeva's work has also contributed to the development of new approaches to specific genres and modes of writing, such as avant-garde poetry and horror fiction

Intertextual reading strategies

• Kristeva's concept of intertextuality suggests that literary texts are always in dialogue with other texts and discourses, and that meaning is produced through the interplay of these various elements
• Intertextual reading strategies involve tracing the ways in which a text engages with and transforms other texts, whether through direct quotation, allusion, or more subtle forms of reference and influence
• Such strategies can help to situate a text within a broader literary and cultural context, revealing the ways in which it both reflects and challenges dominant modes of representation and understanding

Abjection in horror and gothic

• Kristeva's concept of abjection has been particularly influential in the analysis of horror and gothic fiction, genres that often explore the boundaries between the self and the other, the human and the monstrous
• Abjection can be seen at work in the way that horror texts often focus on the body and its fluids, blurring the boundaries between inside and outside, self and other
• Gothic texts, with their emphasis on the return of the repressed and the haunting of the present by the past, can also be understood in terms of the abject and its threat to the stability of the subject

Semiotic disruptions in avant-garde

• Kristeva's concept of the semiotic has been influential in the analysis of avant-garde and experimental forms of writing, particularly poetry
• The semiotic, associated with the rhythms and drives of the maternal body, is seen as a disruptive force within language, challenging the structures and norms of the symbolic order
• Avant-garde texts often seek to harness the power of the semiotic, using techniques such as sound play, fragmentation, and nonlinear narrative to create new forms of meaning and subjectivity
• Kristeva's work suggests that such texts can serve as a means of confronting and transforming the oppressive structures of language and society, offering glimpses of a new form of subjectivity beyond the confines of the symbolic order