Algirdas Julius Greimas was an influential linguist, semiotician, and explorer of mythology whose experiences during World War II profoundly shaped his intellectual path. This period of turmoil prompted his deep inquiry into the meaning and absurdity of human existence, serving as a crucial backdrop for his theoretical work. He developed a comprehensive theory of semantic structure and narrative syntax, aiming to unravel the fundamental mechanisms of meaning across diverse forms of communication. Greimas's legacy extends beyond linguistics, impacting philosophy, literary theory, and anthropology by offering new frameworks for understanding the creation and interpretation of meaning.
Deciphers the symbolic world of Lithuanian mythology. This book discusses the concepts of life and death, fate and fortune. It describes the codes used by farmers to organize systems of mutual obligations and implicit contracts. It examines pranks and games that are associated with agrarian seasonal changes.
A translation of the major Greimas texts on narrative semiotics as they relate to narrative in various social science disciplines. It incorporates a survey of recent developments in semiotic theory and is intended as a companion to "On Meaning".