French critic, writer and university professor whose impact on
intellectual thought was as influential as that of
Jean-Paul Sartre. He
is internationally respected for what many term for his brilliant observations in
semiology (the study of signs or symbols) and how they may be applied
to literature. He wrote that language is a "system of signs" providing
insights into the attitudes and assumptions of the society one is
examining. He founded the Groupe Theatral Antique in Paris and the
magazine Theatre Populaire. He wrote many important books,
including 'S/Z' (pronounced "Ess Zed").
