Why history matters for Barthes:

1-because cultures seek to pass as natural what in fact is only the history of a
certain era. By studying history we begin to demystify the ideologies of a certain
culture.
2-He finds history interesting simply because of its otherness.
3-because studying history is a way of understanding how the present came about.
A myth is passing as natural something that is in fact cultural.
-In generating mythical meaning, cultures seek to present their own values and
norms as the natural order. A myth is not exactly a delusion.
A myth has:
1- A first-order meaning, as a linguistic sign
2- A second-order meaning, that is, the specific social significance.
Ex. An obscenity is understood as 1- a linguistic sign, 2- a sign of revolution.
The mythologist is concerned with the second meaning.
For Sartre in his article What is Literature: Poetry is playing with language, while
prose is using language to discuss the world. On the other hand, for Barthes, Prose
plays with language, while poetry tries to transcend it.