Intertextuality: What Is It Exactly?

What is Intertextuality?

Have you ever noticed a cross-reference in a movie, TV show, song or book? We refer to this phenomenon as Intertextuality—the relationship between texts, especially literary ones. One of my favorite movies growing up is the 1999 movie 10 Thing I Hate About You, which is based on William Shakespeare’s The Taming of the Shrew. In fact, it is common to see Shakespeare’s work reimagined into other films. For instance, Disney’s The Lion King also takes inspiration from Shakespeare’s Hamlet.  

The Role of Intertextuality in Understanding

The context of Intertextual references in offline mediums may confuse the reader because of their lack of understanding. Doug Eyman quotes Barbara Warnick in his article Defining and Locating Digital Rhetoric stating: 

“Contemporary users of Web-based discourse have at their fingertips resources that enable them to seek out information in the moment in order to more fully understand and appreciate an Intertextual reference.”

Understanding Intertextual references provides the reader with a richer reading experience as it allows for them to connect deeper to the text. In addition, understanding the rhetoric of a literary text is crucial to understanding the message the author is trying to convey. According to Bizzell and Herzberg (2000), rhetoric has several overlapping meanings, but one aspect that stands out to me is “the classification and use of tropes and figures.” This has always been something that I’ve thought about but never really analyzed. Are ideas truly original, or have people already done everything before? 

Repetition of Tropes in Literature

 As a frequent reader of romance novels, I’ve read dozens of tropes whether it be enemies to lovers, friends to lovers, fake relationships, the list goes on. While I (perhaps controversially) love a good cliché, I can’t help but think I’m reading the same book over and over again. Yet, there’s something about the familiarity of Intertextuality that allows for the audience to feel more connected to the text. It is sort of like we’re in on a secret that no one else knows. 

The Value of Recognizing Intertextuality

Recognizing references to familiar works lets us compare, contrast, and gain a deeper understanding of the cultural context. Incorporating intertextuality into writing can also reach a broader audience, creating layers of meaning that resonate on different levels. 

Check out my previous blog post, Digital Privacy, which explores privacy and digital agency in today’s online world!