Roland Barthes was a renowned French literary theorist, essayist, philosopher, critic, and semiotician. Born on 12 November 1915, he made significant contributions to the fields of literary theory, semiotics, and post-structuralism.

Barthes is best known for his 1957 essay collection Mythologies, which offered reflections on popular culture, and his 1967/1968 essay The Death of the Author, which critiqued traditional literary criticism approaches. His work spanned various sign systems, largely influenced by Western popular culture.

Throughout his academic career, Barthes was associated primarily with the École des Hautes Études en Sciences Sociales (EHESS) and the Collège de France. His ideas influenced multiple theoretical schools, including structuralism and anthropology.

Roland Barthes passed away on 26 March 1980.