Interpretation theory in aesthetics

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Interpretation theory in aesthetics
OP - October 03, 2011, 04:18 PM

While interpretation theory within aesthetics is a wide topic I wanted to focus on one particular problem.

JK Rowling has stated that she wrote Dumbledore as a gay character. Upon this announcement, the philosopher John Reynolds made the following statement: "there is just no way to know this “fact” about Dumbledore from the books. It is not there, it is not relevant, and Rowling’s opinions about her characters are now only of historical interest".

Would you agree with this statement? Does the intention of the author, after the fact, matter in one's interpretation of the work itself? Or should we interpret the work as what we individually feel to be the most coherent way without recourse to what the author may have intended?

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Re: Interpretation theory in aesthetics
Reply #1 - October 03, 2011, 04:42 PM

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Would you agree with this statement?

Yes. Nuance is one thing; hiding the nuance so well that only an authorial note might reveal it can at best be evidence of a lack of clarity, and at worst the author inventing motivations after the fact.

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Does the intention of the author, after the fact, matter in one's interpretation of the work itself? Or should we interpret the work as what we individually feel to be the most coherent way without recourse to what the author may have intended?

If one were to substitute subjects - 'the Qur'an' for 'the Harry Potter series' - would it change the nature of these questions?

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Re: Interpretation theory in aesthetics
Reply #2 - October 03, 2011, 06:56 PM

Little Fly, Thy summer's play
My thoughtless hand has brushed away.

I too dance and drink, and sing,
Till some blind hand shall brush my wing.

Therefore I am a happy fly,
If I live or if I die.
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Re: Interpretation theory in aesthetics
Reply #3 - October 03, 2011, 07:18 PM

Quote from: toor on October 03, 2011, 04:42 PM
Yes. Nuance is one thing; hiding the nuance so well that only an authorial note might reveal it can at best be evidence of a lack of clarity, and at worst the author inventing motivations after the fact.
If one were to substitute subjects - 'the Qur'an' for 'the Harry Potter series' - would it change the nature of these questions?

No, I don't think changing subject matter should have any bearing on the question itself.

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Ambiguous undulations as they sink,
Downward to darkness, on extended wings. - Stevens
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Re: Interpretation theory in aesthetics
Reply #4 - October 03, 2011, 07:32 PM

I'm afraid I'm going to have to be frightfully simplistic and just come out and say that indeed the most important thing about interpreting a book is doing so subjectively, regardless of what others think about it. Now obviously, some interpretations will be more readily drawn from the text, but the whole value of the book, poem, song, etc., is its worth to the individual when they contemplate or experience it themselves. Art is like a mirror, and it simply reflects you back to yourself, and when you think about it, you realise it can't really be any other way. As Orwell wrote, 'the best books are the ones that tell you what you already know,' and that may not be too far from the truth. Even Allah, subhanahu wa ta'ala, says in the Qur'an, 'this is but a reminder to the people.' Man already knows who he is, he just forgets, and art simply helps him to remember.
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Re: Interpretation theory in aesthetics
Reply #5 - October 03, 2011, 10:06 PM

Quote from: Gladfly on October 03, 2011, 06:56 PM

Quote from: toor on October 03, 2011, 04:42 PM
Yes. Nuance is one thing; hiding the nuance so well that only an authorial note might reveal it can at best be evidence of a lack of clarity, and at worst the author inventing motivations after the fact.

I agree with this. I recall when Torchwood: Miracle Day was on (everyone in the whole world barring one person becomes immortal, even though they can be hurt), one of the writers said on Twitter that burning people unequivocally killed them because it completely destroyed them at a cellular level. But this was never ever mentioned nor made clear throughout the series, so I simply took it as her interpretation of things, and not the grand actuality of fact.
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Re: Interpretation theory in aesthetics
Reply #6 - October 03, 2011, 11:21 PM

Quote from: z10 on October 03, 2011, 04:18 PM
Would you agree with this statement?

Yes.

Quote from: z10 on October 03, 2011, 04:18 PM
Does the intention of the author, after the fact, matter in one's interpretation of the work itself? Or should we interpret the work as what we individually feel to be the most coherent way without recourse to what the author may have intended?

If my interpretation is not in line with the creator, I accept I misunderstood the work and thus adapt to the authors viewpoint. The way I see it, the creator is god. Having said that I wholeheartedly agree with toor in saying:

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hiding the nuance so well that only an authorial note might reveal it can at best be evidence of a lack of clarity, and at worst the author inventing motivations after the fact

n = 0 : n + [1,1,1...]
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Re: Interpretation theory in aesthetics
Reply #7 - October 04, 2011, 06:09 AM

I like to interpret books in ways that condone mass murder.

Hmm, got to relate this to thread topic...

because mass murder is beautiful!!1

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