Barthes
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Transcript of Barthes
What is a myth, today? I shall give at the outset a first, very simple answer, which is perfectly consistent with etymology: myth is a type of speech.
—Roland Barthes, “Myth Today” (1957)
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Saussure’s model of semiology
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llaanngguuaaggeeMYMY
THTH
Barthes’ model of myth as a “metalanguage,” a “second-order
semiology”
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llaanngguuaaggee
MYMYTHTH
Semiotics of the Marlboro Ad:
Lone male figure, clothing, Lone male figure, clothing, cigarette, lasso, wood cabin, cigarette, lasso, wood cabin, harness/tackle, cigarette packs, harness/tackle, cigarette packs, “Come to where the flavor is.”“Come to where the flavor is.”““Marlboro Red or Longhorn 100sMarlboro Red or Longhorn 100s—you get a lot to like”—you get a lot to like” [Surgeon General’s warning][Surgeon General’s warning]
signifier(s) signifiedsignified::Cowboy,Cowboy,
solitude, strength, solitude, strength, frontier ruggedness, frontier ruggedness,
masculinitymasculinity
signifiedsignified: : Masculine prowess Masculine prowess
conferred conferred by consuming the by consuming the
cigarettecigaretteSIGN: Marlboro AdSIGN: Marlboro Adsignifiersignifier: Marlboro Ad: Marlboro Ad
AMERICAN FREEDOM/STRENGTHAMERICAN FREEDOM/STRENGTHSIGN:SIGN:
“Myth is depoliticized speech”
Textsignifiers:signifiers:
rectangle, cloth, stars, rectangle, cloth, stars, stripes,stripes,
signifiedsignified::original colonies, current original colonies, current
statesstates
SIGN: FLAGSIGN: FLAGsignifiersignifier: FLAG: FLAG
signified: signified: AMERICAAMERICA
(country)(country)
SIGN: AMERICA (nation)SIGN: AMERICA (nation)
llaanngguuaaggeeMYMY
THTH
Semiotics of the American Flag:
QuickTime™ and a decompressor
are needed to see this picture.
Ad Council, “Freedom”
Barbara Kruger, Untitled (Questions), 1991
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