What is a myth, today? I shall give at the outset a first, very simple answer, which is perfectly consistent with etymology: myth is a type of speech.

—Roland Barthes, “Myth Today” (1957)

signifier signified

SIGN

Saussure’s model of semiology

Textsignifiersignifier signifiedsignified

SIGNSIGNsignifiersignifier signifiedsignified

SIGNSIGN

llaanngguuaaggeeMYMY

THTH

Barthes’ model of myth as a “metalanguage,” a “second-order

semiology”

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llaanngguuaaggee

MYMYTHTH

Semiotics of the Marlboro Ad:

Lone male figure, clothing, Lone male figure, clothing, cigarette, lasso, wood cabin, cigarette, lasso, wood cabin, harness/tackle, cigarette packs, harness/tackle, cigarette packs, “Come to where the flavor is.”“Come to where the flavor is.”““Marlboro Red or Longhorn 100sMarlboro Red or Longhorn 100s—you get a lot to like”—you get a lot to like” [Surgeon General’s warning][Surgeon General’s warning]

signifier(s) signifiedsignified::Cowboy,Cowboy,

solitude, strength, solitude, strength, frontier ruggedness, frontier ruggedness,

masculinitymasculinity

signifiedsignified: : Masculine prowess Masculine prowess

conferred conferred by consuming the by consuming the

cigarettecigaretteSIGN: Marlboro AdSIGN: Marlboro Adsignifiersignifier: Marlboro Ad: Marlboro Ad

AMERICAN FREEDOM/STRENGTHAMERICAN FREEDOM/STRENGTHSIGN:SIGN:

“Myth is depoliticized speech”

Textsignifiers:signifiers:

rectangle, cloth, stars, rectangle, cloth, stars, stripes,stripes,

signifiedsignified::original colonies, current original colonies, current

statesstates

SIGN: FLAGSIGN: FLAGsignifiersignifier: FLAG: FLAG

signified: signified: AMERICAAMERICA

(country)(country)

SIGN: AMERICA (nation)SIGN: AMERICA (nation)

llaanngguuaaggeeMYMY

THTH

Semiotics of the American Flag:

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are needed to see this picture.

Ad Council, “Freedom”

Barbara Kruger, Untitled (Questions), 1991

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