STRUCTURALISM (Literary Criticism - History, Proponents, Basic Tenets, Application) || Kheneth Avila

Summary

This script delves into the structuralist movement, highlighting its origins in the work of Ferdinand de Saussure and its development in 1950s France. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the underlying structures and patterns in language, culture, and literature to interpret surface meanings. Key concepts like the arbitrariness of language, binary opposition, and the relational nature of concepts are explored. The script also discusses how structuralism views language as constitutive, shaping our perception of the world, and provides examples of applying structuralist analysis to literary works and myths.

Takeaways

• 🌐 Structuralism originated in the 1950s in France, with key figures like Claude Lévi-Strauss and Roland Barthes, and its roots trace back to Ferdinand de Saussure's work on linguistics.
• 🔍 Structuralism is a theory that emphasizes the underlying structures and patterns in culture, literature, and language, rather than just the surface meaning of a text or idea.
• 🌱 The theory suggests that to fully understand something, one must examine its deeper structure and the common system of patterns involved.
• 🌱 To understand a concept, one must look at the bigger structure it is part of, much like understanding a leaf requires studying the whole tree.
• 🗣️ Language is central to structuralism, with Saussure's idea that language is a system of signs, composed of a signifier (the word or sound) and a signified (the mental concept).
• 🌐 Structuralism posits that language is arbitrary, meaning there is no inherent reason why a word has a specific meaning; it's a product of human agreement and labeling.
• 🔗 Structuralism views language as relational, where concepts are understood in relation to others, such as binary oppositions (good/evil, night/day) and paradigmatic chains (hut/house/mansion/palace).
• 🏛️ The theory is applied to literary criticism by analyzing the underlying structures of texts, such as the rhyme scheme in a sonnet or the common patterns in fairy tales.
• 🌟 Structuralism also considers the role of culture, where different cultural codes and conventions can lead to different perceptions and understandings of the same concept.
• 📚 The theory provides a method for analyzing and interpreting texts by looking at their larger systems, genres, and the underlying patterns that govern them.

Q & A

What is structuralism and when did it begin?

Structuralism is a movement that began in the 1950s in France, focusing on the underlying structures and patterns in culture, literature, and language to interpret surface meanings.

Who are the major proponents of structuralism?

Claude Lévi-Strauss, known for his structural study of myth, and Roland Barthes are among the major proponents of structuralism.

What is the relationship between structuralism and the work of Ferdinand de Saussure?

Ferdinand de Saussure is considered the father of structuralism, particularly in linguistics, and his theories laid the groundwork for the development of structuralism.

How does structuralism view language?

Structuralism views language as a complex system of signs, where words (signifiers) are related to concepts (signifieds), and meaning is constructed through this relationship.

What is the concept of the signifier and signified in structuralism?

In structuralism, the signifier is the physical word or sound, while the signified is the mental concept it represents. The connection between them is arbitrary and culturally defined.

Why does structuralism emphasize understanding concepts through their larger structures?

Structuralism emphasizes understanding concepts through their larger structures because it believes that the true meaning of something lies in its underlying patterns and systems, not just its surface appearance.

What is the role of binary opposition in structuralism?

Binary opposition in structuralism is a system where concepts are defined in relation to their opposites, such as good and evil or night and day. It suggests that concepts cannot exist in isolation but are understood in relation to each other.

How does the concept of 'paradigmatic chain' contribute to structuralism?

The paradigmatic chain in structuralism is a way of organizing thoughts and concepts in relation to each other, allowing for the understanding of one concept through its relation to others within a system.

What does it mean for language to be 'constitutive' in the context of structuralism?

In structuralism, language being 'constitutive' means that it shapes and defines our perception of the world. It is not just a reflection of reality but actively constructs our understanding of it.

How can structuralism be applied to analyze literary pieces?

Structuralism can be applied to literary analysis by examining the underlying structures, patterns, and systems within a text, rather than focusing solely on the surface narrative or theme.

What is the significance of the concepts of 'langue' and 'parole' in structuralism?

In structuralism, 'langue' refers to the overarching system of language, while 'parole' refers to individual utterances or expressions. Understanding 'langue' is essential for interpreting 'parole' within a cultural or linguistic context.

Outlines

00:00

🌐 Introduction to Structuralism

The paragraph introduces the concept of structuralism, which posits that the meaning of things is not inherent but is a result of human labeling and communication. It discusses how humans use language to give meaning to objects and ideas, and how this process is not natural but a human construct. The paragraph also introduces the historical roots of structuralism, particularly in the work of Ferdinand de Saussure, who is considered the father of structuralism. It emphasizes the importance of looking beyond surface meanings to understand the deeper structures that underlie concepts and ideas.

05:01

🔤 Language as a System of Signs

This section delves into the arbitrary nature of language, explaining that there is no inherent connection between words (signifiers) and their meanings (signified). It uses examples like 'tree' and 'cat' to illustrate how language allows us to conceptualize objects. The paragraph also discusses how language is relational, with concepts being understood in relation to others, and how binary opposition and paradigmatic chains are systems within language that help us understand and organize our thoughts.

10:02

🌐 The Role of Culture in Structuralism

The third paragraph expands on the idea that language and culture are intertwined, with cultural codes and conventions influencing our perception of the world. It uses the example of the Alaskan people's perception of colors to illustrate how language can shape our understanding of reality. The paragraph also introduces the concepts of 'langue' and 'parole', which represent the overall system of language and individual expressions, respectively. It emphasizes that to understand a concept fully, one must consider its place within the larger system of language and culture.

15:03

📚 Structuralism in Literary Criticism

This paragraph applies the principles of structuralism to the analysis of literature. It discusses the importance of looking at the underlying structure of a text, rather than just its surface meaning, and how this approach can reveal patterns and systems within the work. Examples such as the structure of a sonnet and the common themes in fairy tales are used to illustrate how structuralism can provide deeper insights into literary works. The paragraph also touches on the idea that language is constitutive, shaping our view and understanding of the world.

20:04

🔍 Structuralism as a Method of Analysis

The final paragraph summarizes the key tenets of structuralism and provides examples of how it can be applied to analyze various phenomena, including myths and everyday occurrences like boiling water. It emphasizes the importance of understanding the underlying structures that drive these phenomena, rather than just their surface appearances. The paragraph also highlights the challenge and intellectual rigor required to apply structuralism effectively, suggesting that it is a method of analysis rather than a static theory.

Keywords

💡Structuralism

Structuralism is a theoretical approach in various fields, including linguistics, anthropology, and literary theory, that emphasizes the underlying structures governing all elements of a system. In the video, structuralism is used to explore how meaning is derived from the relationships between elements within a system rather than from the elements themselves. The video explains that structuralists believe that to understand something fully, one must examine its deeper structure and the patterns that connect it to other elements, such as understanding a single leaf by studying the entire tree it belongs to.

💡Claude Lévi-Strauss

Claude Lévi-Strauss was a French anthropologist who is considered one of the founding fathers of structuralism. His work focused on the structural study of myth, which he believed contained universal patterns and structures. In the video, Lévi-Strauss's work is highlighted as a significant contribution to structuralism, particularly his approach to analyzing myths across different cultures for common structural elements.

💡Ferdinand de Saussure

Ferdinand de Saussure, a Swiss linguist, is often referred to as the 'father of structuralism' in linguistics. He introduced the concepts of 'langue' and 'parole,' which differentiate between the underlying system of a language (langue) and individual utterances (parole). The video mentions Saussure's influence on structuralism, emphasizing his view that language is a system of signs where meaning is derived from the relationship between the signifier (the sound or written form) and the signified (the concept it represents).

💡Signifier and Signified

The terms 'signifier' and 'signified' are central to Saussure's theory of linguistic signs. A signifier is the physical form of the word (sound or written symbol), while the signified is the mental concept it represents. The video explains that the relationship between the signifier and signified is arbitrary, meaning there is no inherent reason why a particular word corresponds to a specific concept. This concept is used to illustrate how language is a system of signs that humans use to label and understand the world.

💡Arbitrariness of Language

The concept of the 'arbitrariness of language' refers to the idea that there is no natural or logical connection between words and the things they represent. This concept is crucial in structuralism because it suggests that the meaning of words is a product of human agreement and convention. The video uses the example of different languages having different words for the same object (like 'dagat' in Filipino and 'sea' in English) to illustrate the arbitrary nature of language.

💡Binary Opposition

Binary opposition is a structuralist concept that describes the way concepts are often understood in relation to their opposites. For example, 'good' is understood in contrast to 'evil,' and 'day' is understood in contrast to 'night.' The video explains that structuralists believe that these opposing concepts depend on each other for meaning and cannot exist independently. This concept is used to show how meaning is relational and context-dependent.

💡Paradigmatic Chain

A paradigmatic chain refers to the way concepts are organized and understood in relation to other similar concepts. It is a method of thinking that involves comparing and contrasting elements within a system. The video uses the example of a hut, house, mansion, and palace to illustrate how each is understood in relation to the others, with each concept contributing to the overall understanding of the category of 'shelter.'

💡Linguistics

Linguistics is the scientific study of language, including its structure, development, and use in communication. In the context of the video, linguistics is integral to structuralism because it deals with the systematic nature of language and how meaning is constructed through the arrangement of linguistic elements. The video discusses how structuralism emerged from linguistic theories, particularly those of Saussure, who saw language as a system of signs.

💡Myth

In the video, 'myth' is discussed as a cultural narrative that contains symbolic meanings and shared beliefs. Lévi-Strauss's structural analysis of myths is highlighted, where he sought to uncover the underlying structures and patterns common to myths across different cultures. The video explains how structuralism can reveal the deeper meanings of myths by analyzing their components and the relationships between them.

💡Cultural Codes and Conventions

Cultural codes and conventions are the shared rules and practices that govern behavior and communication within a culture. The video mentions that structuralism considers how these codes and conventions shape the way people perceive and interpret the world. For example, different cultures may have different standards of beauty or rituals, which are part of the cultural structure that influences individual understanding and expression.

💡Genre

In literary studies, 'genre' refers to a category of literature characterized by certain formal and thematic conventions. The video discusses how structuralism can be applied to analyze literary works by looking at their genre and the underlying structures that define them. For instance, the narrative patterns and themes common to fairy tales or tragedies can be examined to understand the deeper structures that give these genres their distinctive characteristics.

Highlights

Structuralism began in the 1950s in France with pioneers like Claude Lévi-Strauss and Roland Barthes.

Structuralism's roots trace back to Ferdinand de Saussure's work in the early 20th century.

Structuralism opposes the perception of reality to a representational and structural one.

Structuralists believe in examining the deeper structure to understand something fully.

Understanding a concept requires studying the bigger structure it belongs to.

Language is the basis of structuralism, focusing on underlying structures and patterns.

Saussure introduced the concept of the signifier and signified in language.

Language is arbitrary, with no inherent connection between words and their meanings.

Structuralism views language as a system that labels the world.

Concepts are relational; understanding one requires comparing it to others.

Binary opposition is a system where concepts are opposite in meaning.

Paradigmatic chain is a way of organizing thoughts in relation to complex objects or situations.

Language is constitutive, directing our view and understanding of the world.

Structuralism sees language as having a structure, with signifier and signified as its components.

Structuralism analyzes literary pieces by looking at their underlying structure and systems.

The concept of 'langue' and 'parole' in structuralism represents the system and individual expressions of language.

Structuralism's three major tenets include the structured nature of language, its relational aspect, and its constitutive role.

Structuralism is a method for analyzing literary pieces by focusing on their patterns and structures.

Examples of applying structuralism include analyzing the rhyme scheme of a sonnet or the common structure in myths.

Structuralism challenges us to look beyond the surface and find the true meaning in underlying structures.

Transcripts

[Music]

have you ever wondered why things are

named the way they are

like trees

plants

or even a cow

or sometimes when we look around a

flower

why a flower

is called the flower

or sometimes when we look

on a c

y c

is called a c why couldn't be sun or a

tree

maybe sometimes we are asking yeah

how and why

look around you

do you think names come naturally or did

someone name them and later this name

was passed through a generation to come

and voila

that's why a sea is called a sea and not

a tree

in that sense if that name is not

natural

meaning it was just being generated and

by whom

of course science tells us that only

human is the ability to communicate

effectively

that's the only creature who can do such

thing in this regard we humans are the

ones responsible for labeling the world

and the things around us

and we use language as medium to turn

the concept into object without further

ado that will be our topic for today

hi there let's begin

structuralism began its movement in

1950s in france among many pioneers in

structuralism the major proponents that

largely contributed to this movement

were claude levstrasse with his

structural study of myth and roland

bart's however the origin of

structuralism is rooted to the work of

sushi linguist ferdinand de saussure

in the early 20th century in regard as

father of structuralism commonly in

linguistics

this theory was developed in opposed to

perception of reality to a

representational and structural

defendant one

in addition this theory emerged from

theories of language and linguistics

where it looks at the underlying

elements and structures in culture and

literature that can be used as a channel

to further interpret the surface meaning

of the text or idea

structuralists believe that there is

more than just the surface

that to fully understand something

one must look at its deeper structure

and see the common system of patterns

involved

[Music]

for structuralism in order to understand

a concept or idea one must look on the

bigger structure that underlies it and

see how it relates to the other things

that is found in the same structure

for instance

in order to understand a single leaf you

must also study the tree where that

specific leaf came from

it only denotes that we cannot

understand a concept if we just look on

the surface area of the word or concept

but one must examine the bigger

underlying structures of it

imagine that the relationship of the egg

and chicken

one cannot fully understand the concept

of the egg without also studying the

chicken which is the bigger structure

in order to fully understand why waves

occur in the first place one should

study the physical oceanography which in

turn is just because of the wind

gravity and earthquake that commonly

cause different waves

or we can fully comprehend the sun

without studying

the solar system

for just

sun

is part of the bigger structure which is

the solar system the galaxies and the

universe as simple as it is since

language is basis of structuralism in

addition to the atmosphenite mentioned

earlier that structuralism composed of

underlying structures and patterns

further studying language can guide us

towards analyzing and understanding

literary pieces

according to susur language is just a

complex system of science

all words will say

all human activities even our perception

and thoughts are constructed and is not

natural because structuralists believe

that there is no such thing as innate or

natural it is all a product of human

mind in the through language we give and

provide meaning to the object around us

these meanings were specified

through science

sine is the smallest unit of meaning and

is composed of a signifier and is

signified

signifier is the word itself or the

sound we offer

while signified is the mental concept we

produced out of the word or sounds we

hear

for instance when we hear or see the

word tree

[Music]

we then visualize something with leaves

branches and so on the same with the

word cat we conceptualize something with

four legs and so on

however there is no inherent or innate

reason and connection between a word and

its meaning that is why language

according to the sewer is arbitrary

arbitrary meaning

there is no definite reason why a man is

called a man

or why egg is called egg and not tree

blue or sun or any words but just egg

that is because we define such words

like egg in relation to others

meaning we understand that it is called

egg because we also rely on other

objects characteristics that we already

conceptualized that an egg is something

round in a triangle or rectangle or

square

another great example for the

arbitrariness of language is that every

country has their own languages and that

we called dagat in filipino as c in

english or

mer in french

if there is a common reason for the

occurrence of language or words then

all countries will have the same

language then it is not arbitrary at all

[Music]

with that language is not a reflection

or a product of the world but instead

language stands apart from the world

language is a system that labels the

world

simple understanding

imagine you are doing the things that

you are doing right now

whatever it is

now

imagine that you are just doing it with

no idea at all what the thing is called

just actions without labels

what you should call it

that comes the language the language

helps the world to label things to label

everything

even the perception and the thoughts we

have

that is why

the world and the language stands apart

from each other they are like two

different agents that were separated but

have a common goal of making the world a

better world

and also that is why a language is a

system that helps people to understand

things commonly in the same context

and a perfect reason why it is arbitrary

because there is no inherent or innate

connection between the word and the

concept or between the signifier and the

signified

[Music]

going back to idea of the egg being

compared to others in order to fully

understand it it means that a concept or

language cannot be understood in

isolation

thus it is relational

[Music]

[Music]

for instance

imagine you are standing alone in a vast

blank space

structuralism believes that you cannot

understand yourself without the

existence of other things because you

have nothing to compare to but imagine

that you are now standing together with

the monkey

chicken and other things in animals you

can easily spot right on what makes you

different from them

the language then through human minds

will conceptualize the idea and produce

names in order to label that object

though as it was being said it is

arbitrary and that there's no such

reason why things named the way they are

meanings can also relate to others

through binary opposition and

paradigmatic chain

binary opposition is a system of pair

which concepts are opposite in meaning

for example

good and evil night and day

and the likes

structuralism believes that if we take

away one of them the other would also

not exist it's like when we take away

the idea of the day

there wouldn't be night

the presence of another is also the

birth of opposing concept

so they are connected and cannot be

separated

[Music]

so how can we possibly know the concept

of happiness without the existence of

sadness

right

[Music]

paradigmatic chain on the other hand is

a particular way of perceiving and

organizing our thoughts in relationship

to complex objects or situation being

compared for instance the paradigmatic

chain of a hut house mansion and palace

in paradigmatic chain we can easily spot

the idea being referred to an object

with the help of others in the same

system we can then infer that a hat is

smaller than a house

mansion being larger than a hat and a

house but smaller than a palace

and so on

[Music]

another general characteristic or a

planet of language that can be used in

literary criticism is that it is

constitutive

it means that language constitutes or

set the world we live in or in simpler

terms it directs our view and

understanding of the world take the idea

of freedom fighters and terrorists for

example

if we look on their actions in reality

somehow their actions are the same it's

just that the way the names are being

constructed the people in the world

terrorists are someone who are more

ruthless than just those people who are

being freedom fighters but when we look

on what they are doing it's just somehow

the same

let's take the alaskan callers compared

to the seven colors of the rainbow as

example

alaska has only five colors but it

doesn't mean that they can see what we

can see upon looking on a rainbow it is

that they are being limited by the

vocabularies of the language that they

have though they can still see but

perceive it differently

that is why

[Music]

culture is also a big factor in

structuralism

different cultures have their own codes

and conventions

take beauty for instance

different cultures have different

perception of what is beautiful

there still some ethnic groups out there

who perform different battle ritual for

instance

the lotus feet of chinese way back

history

culture is a part of structuralism in a

way that a single text or concept

may represent the system of codes and

conventions of the culture just like how

alaskan perceived colors

the point is

the surface or the structure is still

the same but people just have their own

way of calling it alaskan having five

colors doesn't lessen the value of the

colors

they can still see it the way we are

seeing it

it's just that the language constitutes

or creates the perception of them or in

other sense that's how their language

labels their world remember the

signifier and is signified it is

understood then that a single word may

be signified differently because one

group may conceptualize something

differently compared to others just like

how alaskan people perceive colors

because as we say

language constitutes the world

that is why one way in viewing literary

type is by looking on its larger system

or by looking on its genre for instance

a plot of tragedy is different to the

plot of romans or

horror

with this concept

language has what we call lung and parol

wherein the lung is the larger structure

or the system of the language or the

language itself while the parole is the

individual expressions of the language

or the words we other let's put it in a

context of a house

the house represents the lung while the

door and the things that will fan inside

the door is the parole

imagine there are two doors in a house

if you enter the first one

inside

a korean is there

while on the other door a french isn't

there

upon entering a door you may or may not

understand what that person will say

without understanding the bigger's

structure or its rules and systems of

language which is korean language or the

french one in simple terms

one cannot understand that hada

is the sea for korean and mer for french

without even studying the overall

structure of their language in general

we have three major tenets in

structuralism first that language has

structure or in literary criticism it

views as the underlying system found

within the text under this standard

there is the sign where it composes of

signifier and signify

secondly the language is relational but

a concept cannot be analyzed without

being compared to others illiterary

structuralism tends to compare one piece

to others in order to look on varying

systems or structure that underlies them

understand it is a concept of binary

opposition and a paradigmatic chain

third

language as constitutive

that language constitutes or creates the

world we live in

under this idea are the codes and

conventions that can be found in the

culture together with the lung and rule

or in literary texts by looking on his

genre one can easily understand why the

occurrence of such events takes place

and above all this there is an idea of

language being arbitrary the occurrences

of these things have no innate or

inherent relationship with each other

for better understanding let's have some

examples on how we can apply

structuralism in analyzing literary

pieces

let's take sonnet for example

in order to understand it a structure

list may look on its pattern of having a

rhyme scheme of a b a b c d c d e f e f

and chichi each letter represents each

line of the poem and it means that the

same letters were rhymed you see

structuralism rather look on the

structure and systems rather than on the

overall concept or meaning a piece

wanted to convey that is why

structuralism is somehow referred to be

a method rather than a thought or theory

let's take this short story as example

again

from which a boy left home after

quarreling with his father

sets out a walk through the forest and

falls down in a deep pit the father look

for his son

even managed to look into the pit but

fails to see in the deep because of the

darkness at the very moment the sun has

risen to a point directly overhead

illuminates the pit's depth with its

rays and allows a father to rescue his

child after a joyous reunion they return

together

looking on view of structuralism the

story can be analyzed or schematized

through the grammatic form

father being the higher significant

character and the sun

being below

when the sun leave

his father and went to the forest this

is the first act of division of the

horizontal axis and their reconciliation

is the last stage of the axis

additionally the representation of sun

being the high and the pit being the low

signified the father and the son you see

the story has its structure but the

challenge is how you are able to spot

these structures or the systems that is

why structuralism is an intelligent

movement and a method rather than just

being a group of thoughts and a theory

one should have background for different

principles before one can analyze a

piece using structuralism the main point

is that the tenets mentioned earlier are

just the guides for your journey in

structuralism another example

in order to understand the concept of a

building or how a certain building was

made

one must not look on the outside feature

of it or it's a static view but the look

on what are the principles being applied

in creating it or it's blueprint

another example in fairy tales sleeping

beauty snow white cinderella and

the likes

we grew on the idea that this princess

will always be rescued by a prince

so this is also a kind of pattern

structuralist we'll also consider by

looking on its genre just like the idea

of the lung and buttroll the fairytale's

plot is somehow conceives a pattern

another great example is found in claude

livestro's the structural study of myth

published in 1955 wherein he studied a

structural model of myth from different

cultures according to him a myth is

somehow like a language with its long

and parol

being myth the lung and mythics the

parole

straw's concern is not just a single

myth but rather the underlying structure

which exists in groups of myths and even

all myths according to him all myths

seem to have a common structure which is

commonly being driven by different

mythics yet some structure for instance

in greek mythology there is what they

call zeus or the king of heaven and

hades being its underworld king

same concept in egyptian mythology where

there is also a king of heaven named ra

and osiris for underworld you see there

are patterns in the myth and that what

straws wanted to emphasize that all

myths seem to have a common problems if

we also look on the ancient mythology or

chinese mythology there are these

entities

at the same time the binary opposition

of these myths are also seen to be

structured like there is always a

presence of good and evil heaven and

earth hatred and love and so on just

like what we have in philippines we have

batala and satan in our mythology so i

think that's the basic concepts that we

should understand in structuralism

all in all structuralism is really a

challenging one

but

it could become an easier task if you

just focus on the idea that a word or

concept underlies its meaning

the surface is not quite important

because true meaning lies in its

underlying structures let me ask you one

more time

how will you explain the phenomena of a

boiling water in the kettle

well looking on the view of

structuralism the water is boiling

because the heat energy is transferred

to the molecules of water and then they

form a gaseous molecules of water vapor

which float the star races bubbles and

travel into thin air

that's how it's boiling another case in

perspective there is a boiling water

there because someone wishes to have a

coffee and since there is no hot water

available the person decided to boil the

water

i think that's all about structuralism

[Music]

do

[Music]

you