Intertextuality

 

A process of shaping of a text’s meaning by another text, or rather it is the interconnection between similar or related works of literature that reflect and influence to interpret another text.

It is a literary device which establishes the interrelationship between texts.

The famous poet John Donne once wrote that ‘No Man is an Island’ similarly for some  writers no text is an island.

E.G  the novel The French lieutenant's Woman by John Fowles  begins with the epigraph , which is the poem riddle by Thomas Hardy. Each chapter begins with the epigraph by different writers from the Victorian age.

 

These references are made to influence the reader and add layers of depth to a text, based on the readers' prior knowledge and understanding. Intertextuality is a literary discourse strategy utilized by writers in novels, poetry, theatre and even in non-written texts (such as performances and digital media).