Structuralism

Structuralism critical theory focuses on individual text that it points to larger

structures. Structuralism tries to identify the “underlying principles that
govern their structure. The theorist aim to identify the structure and “conceptual
framework”. The structuralism theorist focus on how the individual work reflects a
larger structure that pervades literature or human experience. They believe that
structures originate in the human brain. Structuralism critical theorist believe that
the structure we have is a reflection of the way we think. The purpose of
structuralism is to find “index” of those structures into basic categories.
Structuralist critical theorist focus on the sign and the signifier. They believe that
the relationship between signifier and signified is arbitrary. Because of this,
the meaning is assigned to the sign and the signifier through difference. One of the
main assumptions language mediates and therefore creates our world. One of the
structuralist critical theory is Claude Levi Strauss. Strauss looked at signs as rituals
and myths. Strauss believed that signs and structural systems are govern by human
interaction. In regards to structuralism within literature, critics are most concerned
with narrative. The stories take on larger cultural meanings. Another theorist
is Vladimir Propp, Propp argued that narratives can be reduced down to a few
essential stories that we tell over and over and over again.

Structuralism is a significant theoretical framework in critical theory,

particularly influential across disciplines like literature, anthropology, sociology,
and philosophy. At the MPhil level, a deep understanding of structuralism involves
tracing its origins, core concepts, and applications, as well as examining the
critiques and evolution of structuralist thought within broader critical theory.

1. Origins and Key Thinkers

Structuralism developed as a method of understanding human culture,

society, and language by analyzing structures that underlie and shape observable
phenomena. Key figures in the development of structuralist thought include:

Ferdinand de Saussure: Saussure’s work in linguistics, especially the

concepts of langue (the system of language) and parole (individual speech acts),
laid the groundwork for structuralism. His notion of language as a system of signs
(signifier and signified) where meaning is relational rather than referential became
central to structuralist thought.

Claude Lévi-Strauss: Lévi-Strauss applied structuralist principles to

anthropology, exploring how myths, kinship, and cultural practices reflect
universal structures of the human mind. He argued that human cultures exhibit
underlying patterns and oppositional structures, often structured in binary terms.
 Roland Barthes: Barthes expanded structuralism to the field of literary
criticism and semiotics, viewing cultural texts as complex systems of signs that can
be "read" to uncover deeper social meanings. His works reveal how structures
underlie popular culture and ideology.

Jacques Lacan: In psychoanalysis, Lacan reinterpreted Freud through a

structuralist lens, seeing the unconscious as structured like language and governed
by the symbolic order, which influences human identity and desire.

2. Core Concepts

Several core concepts define structuralism and distinguish it from other

critical theories:

Binary Oppositions: Structuralists often explore binary oppositions (e.g.,

nature/culture, male/female, good/evil) as fundamental to human thought and as
the basis for structuring meaning in language, myth, and culture.

The Structure of Language and Sign Systems: Meaning is not inherent in

signs but is generated through the relationships between them. This idea extends to
various cultural systems, suggesting that all cultural artifacts can be "decoded"
through the structures they form.

Systemic Approach: Structuralism emphasizes analyzing systems rather than

isolated elements, assuming that understanding a system’s structure can reveal
underlying universal laws or patterns.

The Role of the Subject: Structuralism minimizes the individual’s role,

treating individual behavior as products of larger, often unconscious structures that
shape thoughts and actions.

3. Applications in Critical Theory

In critical theory, structuralism has been applied to explore:

Literature and Art: Analyzing texts or artworks as systems of signs, seeking

to uncover underlying structures that produce meaning. Literary structuralism, for
instance, examines genres, narrative structures, and symbols that reveal ideological
or social structures.

Psychoanalysis and Human Behavior: Lacanian psychoanalysis interprets

unconscious desires and identity formation as structured by language and social
symbols.
 Sociology and Anthropology: Structuralist approaches in these fields
examine myths, rituals, and kinship as systems of oppositional relationships that
reflect cultural values and human cognition.

4. Structuralism and Poststructuralism

Poststructuralism emerged as a critique of structuralism’s rigidity and

determinism. Thinkers like Michel Foucault, Jacques Derrida, and Julia Kristeva
questioned structuralism’s assumptions, arguing for a more dynamic view of
language, power, and subjectivity. Key critiques include:

The Instability of Meaning: Derrida’s deconstruction argues that language

and meaning are inherently unstable, as every sign is defined by its differences
from other signs in an endless chain (the idea of différance).

Power and Discourse: Foucault argued that structures are intertwined with
power relations, and social structures shape not only meaning but also social
hierarchies and control mechanisms.

The Decentered Subject: Poststructuralists argue for a view of subjectivity

that is not entirely structured by fixed social or linguistic structures, emphasizing
the fluidity and multiplicity of identity.

5. Current Relevance and Critique

While structuralism’s deterministic view has been challenged, its legacy

persists. Contemporary critical theory often draws on structuralist tools, especially
in analyzing texts, symbols, and ideology. However, it is often integrated with
poststructuralist insights, emphasizing context, fluidity, and power.

In an MPhil-level study, exploring structuralism would involve not only

understanding its foundational theories but also critically engaging with its
limitations and ongoing influence within critical theory. This may include applying
structuralist methods to contemporary texts or cultural phenomena, examining how
structuralist ideas are contested or adapted today, and situating structuralism within
the broader development of 20th and 21st-century thought.