Author function
The author function is a concept related to deconstructionist literary theory. It was developed by Michel Foucault in his 1969 essay "What is the Author?"
Theory
Foucault posits that the legal system was central in the rise of the author, as an author was needed (in order to be punished) for making transgressive statements. This is made evident through the rise of the printing press during the time of the Reformation, when religious texts that circulated challenged the authority of the Catholic Church.
The author function does not effect all texts in the same way. For example, the author of a science text books is not clear or definable as the author of a well known novel. It is not a spontaneous creation or entity, but a carefully constructed social position.
See also
References
- Archaeology of knowledge, by Michel Foucault, Alan Sheridan