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Chapter 1 An Introduction to the Concept of Intertextuality

1.1 Origins of Intertextuality
With the rapid development of science and technology (especially the invention and application of the computer), western society stepped into the postindustrial stage at the end of 1 !"#s. The entire western cultures developed from the classical stage into the modern stage, and then the so$ called %post$modern& stage. 'n the a(ove (ac)ground, the western literary theory (egan to gradually transit from *tructuralism to +ost$*tructuralism. 1 ,"#s saw the transition e-tensively entering the whole areas of the humanities. As a trend of theoretical thought or a way of thin)ing, +ost$ *tructuralism has so far profoundly influenced and changed the appearance of the western academy and thought. 'nterte-tuality is the theory of the te-t originating from the western *tructuralism and +ost$*tructuralism ideological trend. 't holds that sym(ols in any wor)s are all related with other sym(ols not appearing in the present wor)s, any te-t interweaves with other te-ts, every te-t is the refraction of other te-ts. 't is the a(sorption and transformation of other te-ts. They consult each other and involve each other, forming an opening networ) with limitless potentiality, which forms (oth an enormous radiating system of the te-t in the past, at present and in the future and an evolving process of literary sym(ols. Literary wor)s are constructed (y codes, forms and systems deposited (y previous wor)s. The codes, forms and systems of culture as well as of other art forms function as guidance to the meaning of a literary wor). Te-ts, whether they are literary or non$literary, are viewed (y modern theorists as lac)ing in any )ind of independent meaning. They are practically what
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theorists called interte-tual. The act of reading, theorists claim, leads the readers to e-plore an enormous networ) of te-tual relations. To interpret a te-t, to .uest its meaning is to trace those relationships. *o reading (ecomes a process of traveling (etween te-ts. Meaning turns out to (e something that e-ists (etween a te-t and all the other te-ts to which it refers and relates. Te-t thus falls into interte-t. *ince it came into (eing, many western literature critics have (een concentrating on it and e-plaining it from different angles, which has enlarged its connotation greatly. 't has touched many areas of modern western literature theory such as *tructuralism, *emiotics, +ost$ *tructuralism and Western Mar-ism. When it is involved in two )inds of different languages and cultures, this )ind of interte-tual relation is seldom understood (y people in other culture systems due to lac) of mutual understanding (etween cultural circles and (ecomes o(stacles in cross$language communication. The interte-tual reference is /ust li)e the director who not only hides deeply (ehind the curtain of culture (ut also manipulates the language signs acting on the stage. 0nly recogni1ing the actors and neglecting the director will lead to mistranslation. 2irstly, we will trace (ac) the history of interte-tuality and give a relatively (rief introduction to the theory. 3enerally spea)ing, the theory of interte-tuality can (e said to originate from the disciplines of 2erdinand de *aussure, Mi)hail 4a)htin and T.*. 5liot. *o we will e-plore its origins respectively.

1.1.1 Ferdinand de Saussure: Structural-Linguistic Source

Modern literary and cultural theory is universally viewed to stem from modern linguistics. 'nterte-tuality is without e-ception. As the father of
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modern linguistics, *aussure emphasi1es the systematic features of language. 'n his Course in General Linguistics, *aussure divides the sign into two parts and puts forward a definition in which a sign is regarded as a two$sided coin com(ining a signified (concept) and a signifier (sound$image). The notion of the linguistic sign emphasi1es that its meaning is non$referential7 a sign is not a word#s reference to some o(/ect in the world (ut the com(ination, conveniently sanctioned, (etween a signifier and a signified. *igns are ar(itrary. They possess meaning not (ecause of a referential function (ut (ecause of their function within a linguistic system, as it e-ists at any moment of time. 2or *aussure, any piece of language (parole) is produced (y processes of

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Notes
1. *)opos7 %*)opos& is a 3ree) word for %purpose&. 'n terms of 9ermeer or his *)opostheorie, the word %*)opos& is a technical term for the aim or purpose of a translation.(:hristiane ;ord, 6""176,) 2or convenience, this thesis also follows this pattern. 6. <

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i!liography
>avis, ?athleen. @Signature in Translation#. 'n >ir) >ela(astita

(ed.)Traductio: Essays on Punning and Translation. A?7 *t. Berome +u(lishing, 1 ,

3ent1ler, 5dwin. Contemporary Translation Theories (Re ised Second Edition!. *hanghai7 *hanghai 2oreign Language 5ducation press, 6""=(6""1) Cermans, Theo. Translation "et#een Poetics and $deology. Translation and Literature, 1 = (8)7 18D$1=E

. . 6""" . % the last straw FF & , 6""6, (6)