This MA thesis examines the usage of the theories of intertextuality and intratextuality in reference to Stephen King’s "The Dark Tower" series. The author presents the concepts of intertextuality and intratextuality, their history and applications. The thesis examines various books, movies and other sources of intertextual references that can be found in the series. The thesis also gives examples of intratextual references in King’s own literary output.
Table of Contents
Introduction
Chapter One The Theories of Intertextuality and Intratextuality
1.1 Intertextuality
1.2 Intertextuality in History
1.3 De Saussure’s Influence on the Theory of Intertextuality
1.4 Mikhail Bakhtin and the Development of the Term Intertextuality
1.5 Intertextuality and Roland Barthes’s “The Death of the Author”
1.6 Julia Kristeva and the Coining of the Term
1.7 Gerard Genette and the Concept of Intratextuality
Chapter Two Intertextuality in Stephen King’s The Dark Tower
2.1 Intertextual references to the Epic tradition: Gilgamesh and The Odyssey
2.2 Intertextual references to Chanson de Roland
2.3 Intertextual references to Arthurian Legends
2.4 Intertextual reference’s to Robert Browning’s “Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came”
2.5 Intertextual References to The Lord of the Rings
2.6 Intertextual References to the Genre of Western
2.7 Intertextual References to the Gothic
2.8 Intertextual References to the Post-Apocalyptic Subgenre
Chapter Three Intratextuality in Stephen King’s The Dark Tower
3.1 The Stand (1978) and The Eyes of The Dragon (1987)
3.2 ‘Salem’s Lot (1975)
3.3 Insomnia (1994)
3.4 Rose Madder (1995)
3.5 Desperation and The Regulators (1996)
3.6 “The Little Sisters of Eluria” (1998)
3.7 Hearts in Atlantis (1998) and Everything’s Eventual (1997, 2002)
3.8 The Talisman (1984) and Black House (2001)
3.9 Minor Influences
3.10 The Art of Re-Reading: The Shining (1977), The Dead Zone (1979), Pet Sematary (1983)
Objectives and Themes
This master's thesis aims to examine the concepts of intertextuality and its subgenre, intratextuality, by applying these theoretical frameworks to Stephen King's magnum opus, The Dark Tower series. The study explores how King's fictional multiverse is constructed through a complex network of literary, cinematic, and cultural references, demonstrating that his works are deeply interconnected.
- Exploration of literary theories concerning intertextuality and intratextuality.
- Analysis of major intertextual influences on The Dark Tower, including epic traditions, Westerns, and Gothic literature.
- Investigation of intratextual connections where King's secondary works inform and are informed by The Dark Tower.
- Discussion on how character, setting, and plot crossover between independent novels creates a singular, cohesive cosmology.
Excerpt from the Book
1.1 Intertextuality
In traditional literary theory it was assumed that when a reader interprets a literary text he or she is trying to derive a meaning only from that particular literary work. Moreover, the uniqueness of texts and authors were strongly emphasized by modern ideologies of authorial individualism, originality, creativity and expressiveness. However, in contemporary literary theory, one may observe a radical change in such ideas. It is now believed that works of literature are created from systems and codes constituted by previous works. The literary texts, and their authors, are no longer viewed as unique and autonomous entities but as products of pre-existing codes, discourses and texts. Meaning is therefore a product that can never be contained and constrained in a single text. This way of understanding literature, often referred to as “the linguistic turn” in humanities, was responsible for the creation of a number of literary theories focused on the interactions between texts (Juvan 33). One of the most important concepts in this area is the notion of intertextuality.
Intertextuality is a difficult term to explain. Julia Kristeva, a Bulgarian-French literary critic who coined the term, presents intertextuality as a reference or evocation between texts (Kristeva 69). But to fully understand a literary term one should study its “structuration” (how the structure came into being) (ibid.). The English word comes from French “intertextualité”. In English the term consists of two segments: “inter”, meaning between, from one to another; and “text”, any form of a written material. Although the term comes from French, the name is, in fact, a neologism of Latin word “intertexto”, meaning “to intermingle”. The relation with the Latin word is extremely important not only for understanding the origins of the name, but also the meaning of intertextuality.
Summary of Chapters
Introduction: Provides the theoretical motivation for the thesis, establishing the necessity of viewing literary works as products of pre-existing systems rather than autonomous creations.
Chapter One The Theories of Intertextuality and Intratextuality: Examines the historical development and academic definitions of intertextuality and intratextuality, grounded in the works of Saussure, Bakhtin, Barthes, Kristeva, and Genette.
Chapter Two Intertextuality in Stephen King’s The Dark Tower: Investigates the external literary and cinematic influences on the series, focusing on how King integrates tropes from epic literature, Westerns, the Gothic, and post-apocalyptic fiction.
Chapter Three Intratextuality in Stephen King’s The Dark Tower: Analyzes the internal consistency of King’s multiverse, focusing on specific novels that feed into the series' central narrative and character arcs.
Keywords
intratextuality, intertextuality, The Dark Tower, Stephen King, postmodernism, literary theory, epic, Western, Gothic, narrative, multiverse, literary influence, textual analysis, Roland Deschain, Crimson King.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core subject of this thesis?
The work focuses on the literary concepts of intertextuality and intratextuality and how Stephen King uses these methods to build a complex, interconnected narrative world in The Dark Tower series.
Which theoretical concepts are primarily used?
The thesis utilizes structuralist and post-structuralist theories, specifically the definitions coined by Julia Kristeva and the transtextuality framework developed by Gerard Genette.
What is the primary goal of the author?
The goal is to demonstrate that The Dark Tower functions as an "axle" for King’s entire literary output, proving that his books are not isolated works but part of a fully realized cosmology.
How is the term intratextuality defined in this work?
Intratextuality refers to the meaning or significance of a text that originates not within the work itself, but from related works within the same author's collection.
What genres influence The Dark Tower?
The series is described as a hybrid that blends epic traditions, Western tropes, Gothic horror motifs, and post-apocalyptic science fiction elements.
What is the methodology of this thesis?
The research relies on a literature-based analysis, examining existing literary criticism, King's own texts, and secondary sources like The Dark Tower: A Concordance to map out connections.
How does the character Randall Flagg function within the multiverse?
Randall Flagg serves as a primary intratextual link, appearing as the archenemy in various guises across multiple novels to connect disparate narratives into the overarching Dark Tower saga.
Why is the poem "Childe Roland to the Dark Tower Came" significant to the series?
It is the primary source of inspiration for King; he not only directly references it but also adapts its bleak, doom-laden atmosphere as a fundamental emotional pillar for the series' ending.
- Quote paper
- Michał Siwkowski (Author), 2012, Intertextuality and Intratextuality in Stephen King's "The Dark Tower" Series, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/305875
