Structuralism and Semiotics

by Terence Hawkes

Published in 1977 as the first volume in the New Accents series, Structuralism and Semiotics made crucial debates in critical theory accessible to those with no prior knowledge of the field. Since then a generation of readers has used the book as an entry not only into structuralism and semiotics, but into the wide range of cultural and critical theories underpinned by these approaches.
It remains the clearest introduction to some of the most important topics in modern critical theory. A new afterword and fresh suggestions for further reading complete this new edition.

Genres: Philosophy, Nonfiction, Linguistics, Theory, Criticism, Semiotics, Language

192 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1977

Reviews

[Alex]

Good intro (1977) to where it seemed literary studies would go for a while. Doxa? Sometimes it's fun to see the Hawkes weave the strands (Vico, Saussure, Sapir, Lévi-Strauss, Russian Formalists) together; it'd be more useful to me to see him pull them apart. Pretty good on the 'so what?' - now we can read 'classics' better. Hits all the high notes that a fervent convert would, in the way that a fervent convert should... This version includes a note from the future (2003) wherein Hawkes reminisces about his Midlands accent, his philosophical adventures through France and America, and his stationing at Cardiff, from which to play gadfly to the Brit Lit critical establishment. Shakespeare appears at the end to award Hawkes the Legion of Honour.

[Jose Neira Délano]

I am a modest designer and a very modest reader (totally ignorant) so more than a review, here are my impressions on Structuralism and Semiotics: EXTRAORDINARY! LUCID ANALYSIS! Easy to read! Terence Hawkes is a BRILLIANT SCHOLAR.

I bought the book way back in 1992 and only read it thoroughly in 2010 (!)

See, I have been hoping to get the guts to start making works of art. When I read Structuralism & Semiotics I realized that my ideas resonated with many of Hawkes’ analysis and assertions on the subject and helped me get started.

Please read the book

JND

[Ned Binnie]

Clear and concise, expect as much from an English professor. Never going to read Jakobson.

[Isaac Song]

It is quite fascinating to have a look into how intellectuals of the 20th century turned their perspective from structuralism to something beyond it. Some would coin the term “post-structuralism” or “deconstructions”. And semiotics, as the sibling of these new-born schools, found itself really valuable in researching into post-modernism texts and phenomena. I highly recommend this book to those who wants to have a glimpse at the world of semiotics, and it also works as an index for the beginners(like me) to know what to read then. But it seems that the writer did not fully grasp some of the points from some scholars(it is really hard I understand). So it is quite necessary to read further if you are to study on it. All in all it is suitable for a start. As a compass, I believe that it can help me go further.

[Fiona]

Provides great basis for Structuralism and Semiotics. Delves into the genesis of Structurualism, linguistic and anthropology and intro to semiotics. Provides intro to Ferdinand de Saussure, Levi- Strauss, and Roland Barthes.

[Charlotte Lampe]

bought this in an oxfam because i liked the cover and now my entire relationship towards language and literature has suffered an incredible re-contextualisation (many "ahh" moments)... a great introduction to semiotics and i hope to explore more !

[Diptesh Augustine Sarkar]

Absolute mind turner.

[Jonathan]

Does a great job of laying out the question: why structuralism? And answering it with clarity and detail that makes a case that it is a necessary part of the inquiry of the social sciences.

[蓝 幻]

对结构主义的一个概览。结构主义作为二十世纪最大的显学之一，是理解二战后至今思想和文艺作品不可能绕开的，就以本书作为了解这个学说的开端吧

[Oskar Wielgosz]

Trochę sobie pominąłem pare rzeczy…

[Derek Jacoby]

Great intro to material

[Dan]

Acquired 1997
Cheap Thrills, Montreal, Quebec

[Noelle]

A good summary of structuralist theory. I could have done without the entire middle section though.

[Veera]

Hideously boring. Fascinating topic, but reading about it is like being sucked into a vortex of confusion and gibberish.

[Penny]

Not terribly engaging...and a tad dull. Still, it has some interesting points to make about semiotics

[Abdullah Başaran]

Disappointing. Nothing is worth reading for semiotics. Hawkes cannot even summarize Derrida's and Barthes's arguments. The worse is its bibliography is utterly bullshit.

[Areej]

Piaget <3 de Saussure <3 Lévi-Strauss <3 Jakobson <3 Shekloviski ... very well written book

[Luke Echo]

An adequate introduction to the subject.