Kristeva's Challenge to Authorial Discourse: The Influence of Prior Texts

Julia Kristeva sought to dismantle the conventional understanding that discourse is solely defined by the author. She proposed that all systems of signifiers are shaped by their transformation of previous signifier systems. This means that discourse is not simply a product of the author's intentions, but is also influenced by the interaction of preceding texts. In essence, Kristeva highlighted the concept of 'intertextuality,' where each text is not an isolated entity but rather a tapestry woven from the threads of previous texts.