Original scientific paper
https://doi.org/10.52685/cjp.24.70.1
Literary Interpretation is Not Just About Meaning
Peter Lamarque
; University of York, York, United Kingdom
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* Corresponding author.
Abstract
The paper proposes a radical change of focus for understanding the fundamental purpose and value of literary interpretation. It criticises an orthodox view in analytical philosophy of literature, according to which theories of meaning in the philosophy of language, in particular Gricean or speech act or other pragmatic theories, offer the most illuminating way to grasp the relevant principles of interpretation. The argument here is that the application of such theories in this context is not just wrong in detail (this or that theory needs revising) but wrong in principle. The focus is wrong. The importation of philosophy of language distorts the essential character of interpretation, which should be seen as involving not so much meaning as value, not individual sentences but whole works, not obsessed with authorial intention but focused on the protocols of reading.
Keywords
Interpretation; “meaning of a work”; Derek Attridge; Noël Carroll; Robert Stecker; Kathleen Stock; Linguistic Fallacy; textual explication; subject; theme; literary value.
Hrčak ID:
314541
URI
Publication date:
22.2.2024.
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