Mythologies

In 'Mythologies', Roland Barthes examines the myths that permeate everyday French culture in the 1950s.

The book is divided into two parts: the first part consists of 53 short essays that Barthes wrote for the literary magazine 'Les Lettres Nouvelles', analyzing various cultural phenomena such as wrestling, wine, the Tour de France, and fashion trends.

These essays reveal how myths are used to shape public opinion and reinforce middle-class or 'bourgeois' views.

The second part provides a theoretical discussion of myth, building on the work of Ferdinand de Saussure, and argues that myth is a 'second-order' system that imposes new meanings on existing signs, thereby serving as a powerful tool for promoting social and political agendas.