Deleuze and the Authorial Function

This doctoral thesis by Niall Kennedy investigates Gilles Deleuze’s philosophical relationship with the concept of authorship. While many critics view Deleuze as a thinker who dismantled the idea of a unified self, Kennedy argues that Deleuze actually relied on a coherent authorial function to organize his analyses of art, cinema, and philosophy. The text examines how Deleuze identified the author as a creative consciousness that persists through time, developing specific projects and unique styles. Through close readings of Deleuze’s monographs, the author demonstrates that Deleuze prioritized authorial intention and historical context over the free play of reader interpretation. Ultimately, the source positions Deleuze as a thinker who used the proper names of great creators to impose unity and rigorous boundaries on complex intellectual fields.