The Author in a Pattern of Metaphorical Connections

Abstract

Since the second half of the 20th century, the author issue has been among the key ones in philosophical and humanitarian knowledge. However, not all aspects of this problem are visible in modern academic publications. The metaphorical content of the author's figure needs additional study, clarifying the idea of his or her place in the value-semantic landscape of cultural reality. In the article, a metaphorical connection is understood as a transfer of meanings in which one phenomenon acquires a figurative correlation with another. The “divine” and genealogical metaphors are the two most important types that define the author’s figure. Both types of metaphors have been used in European literature since ancient times. The traditional, mutual metaphor connecting the earthly and heavenly Creator legitimizes the idea of the divine nature of outstanding creative achievements. Genealogical metaphors indicate the configuration of the activity-paternalistic relationship between the author and the text and force us to think of creativity as a personally intimate process. Both types of metaphors can act as markers of changes in the conventions of understanding the author's figure in cultural and historical dynamics