INTERTEXTUALITY ACROSS TIME: FROM ARCHETYPES TO POST-STRUCTURALIST THEORY

Abstract

Intertextuality, since its formal articulation in the 1960s, has become a foundational framework for analyzing literature and culture. This article traces its evolution from implicit practices in ancient and classical texts, through archetypal motifs, mythic repetition, and dialogic engagement, to contemporary post-structuralist theory. Integrating perspectives from archetypal criticism, Bakhtinian dialogism, semiotics, and poststructuralist thought, it demonstrates intertextuality’s dual function as a literary device and analytical lens. Close readings of texts such as Ulysses and Wide Sargasso Sea illustrate how intertextual strategies reshape interpretation, mediate cultural memory, and foster readerly engagement. The study further explores intertextuality’s extension into digital media and interdisciplinary contexts, highlighting its role in bridging historical, cultural, and technological registers. By situating texts within dynamic networks of influence and dialogue, this work underscores intertextuality as both a conceptual and methodological tool for understanding literature’s continuity, transformation, and socio-cultural resonance.