A theory of literary production
By: Pierre Macherey ; translated from the French by Geoffrey Wall.
Publisher: Routledge & Kegan Paul
Published: 1978
Place of publication: London; Boston
Language: eng; fre
Number of pages: 326
Subjects: Literature -- Philosophy.; Literature -- History and criticism -- Theory, etc.
Description: Who is more important: the reader, or the writer? Originally published in French in 1966, Pierre Macherey's first and most famous work, "A Theory of Literary Production" dared to challenge perceived wisdom, and quickly established him as a pivotal figure in literary theory. In this provocative work, Macherey puts the focus as much on the reader as the writer, stating that the very act of reading is a form of production in its own right, generating interpretation and meanings which are beyond the control of the author. Part of the birth of a whole new branch of post-structuralist theory, Macherey's work also influenced a new generation of critics among them Jacques Derrida, his contemporary, and Terry Eagleton. His ideas have also led some observers to claim that he announced the death of the author fully two years before Roland Barthes' famous essay.
Notes: Translation of Pour une théorie de la production littéraire.
Includes index.