“If hypertext situates texts in a field of other texts, can any individual work that has been addressed by another still speak so forcefully?”

“… [hypertext] destroys one of the most basic characteristics of the printed text – its separation and univocality.”

“Whenever one places a text within a network of other texts, one forces it to exist as part of a complex dialogue.”

“Hypertext linking… changes the limits of the individual text.”

 

I found this paragraph of the reading particularly interesting. It highlights the interconnected nature of hypertext and its effect on individual texts.

Where once texts were written in isolation from one another, texts are now becoming increasingly connected. Authors must consider this new textual landscape and keep in mind that their articles will be read within a context created by a host of other texts.

Landow poses the question: “If hypertext situates texts in a field of other texts, can any individual work that has been addressed by another still speak so forcefully?” I believe that while the author must write a text while being aware of the interconnected nature of the web, a single text can still embody its own force. Perhaps the hyperlink can even strengthen the force of a text? It can allow an argumentative piece to provide the reader with more evidence than a single, standalone essay could ever contain itself, for example.