Etymology of Authorial Intent
The etymology of “authorial intent” can be traced to the late Middle English period, where “authorial” derives from the Latin word “auctor” meaning “originator” or “promoter,” while “intent” stems from the Latin “intentus,” signifying “purpose” or “aim.”
Together, “authorial intent” refers to the purpose or intended meaning of the originator, typically applied in literary and artistic contexts to understand an author’s intended message or interpretation.
Meanings of Authorial Intent
| Authorial Intent in Literature | Authorial Intent in Literary Theory |
| – Interpretive Framework: It pertains to the concept that understanding an author’s original intentions can provide valuable insights into the meaning and interpretation of a literary work. | – Hermeneutics: In literary theory, it is a central aspect of hermeneutics, the study of interpretation, where it plays a role in deciphering meaning. |
| – Narrative Analysis: It involves examining an author’s conscious choices in terms of plot, characters, and themes to discern the intended message or thematic exploration. | – New Criticism: This critical approach emphasizes close reading of the text and often focuses on authorial intent as a primary means of analysis. |
| – Character Motivations: It can help readers analyze why characters behave a certain way and how their actions contribute to the overall message. | – Death of the Author: Some postmodern and structuralist theorists have challenged the significance of authorial intent, arguing that the text’s meaning should be divorced from the author’s intentions. |
| – Literary Criticism: Literary theorists and critics often debate the relevance and limitations of considering authorial intent in the interpretation of texts. | – Reader-Response Theory: This theory suggests that a reader’s interpretation, rather than authorial intent, is of primary importance in understanding a text. |
Definition of Authorial Intent as a Theoretical Term
Authorial intent, as a theoretical term in literary analysis, refers to the presumed intentions or purposes of an author in creating a literary work. It involves the study and interpretation of a text with the aim of uncovering the meaning or messages intended by the author through elements such as plot, characters, and themes.
It serves as a framework for understanding the relationship between the author’s creative choices and the resulting textual content.
Authorial Intent: Theorists, Works and Arguments
- William K. Wimsatt and Monroe C. Beardsley: Notable proponents of the New Criticism movement who emphasized the significance of authorial intent in literary analysis.
Works on Authorial Intent:
- “The Intentional Fallacy” (1946): An influential essay by Wimsatt and Beardsley, critiquing the reliance on the author’s intentions in interpreting a text and advocating for a focus on the text itself.
- “The Death of the Author” (1967): A seminal essay by Roland Barthes, which challenges the idea of authorial intent and suggests that readers’ interpretations are paramount.
Arguments Surrounding Authorial Intent:
- Relevance in Interpretation: Some argue that authorial intent is crucial for understanding a text’s true meaning and context, providing valuable insights into an author’s purpose.
- Reader-Centered Perspectives: Contrarily, proponents of reader-response theories contend that authorial intent should be secondary to how readers engage with and interpret a text, emphasizing the active role of the reader.
- Interpretive Freedom: Critics of a strict reliance on authorial intent argue that it can limit diverse interpretations and overlook the richness of multiple readings a text can offer.
Authorial Intent and Literary Theories
- New Criticism:
- Relevance: New Critics, such as William K. Wimsatt and Monroe C. Beardsley, considered it as essential in interpreting a text. They believed that understanding an author’s intended meaning was crucial for a comprehensive analysis of literature.
- Reader-Response Theory:
- Relevance: Reader-response theorists, like Wolfgang Iser and Stanley Fish, often downplay its significance . They argue that a text’s meaning is co-created through the interaction between the reader and the text, making the reader’s response central while it becomes less important.
- Historical Criticism:
- Relevance: In historical criticism, it is valuable for contextualizing a work within the historical and cultural milieu of its creation. It helps in understanding how an author’s intentions were shaped by the era in which they wrote.
- Biographical Criticism:
- Relevance: This approach places a strong emphasis on an author’s life and experiences as influencing their works. Authorial intent plays a significant role in biographical criticism by connecting an author’s personal history to the themes and content of their writing.
- Intentional Fallacy Critique:
- Relevance: Critics who subscribe to the intentional fallacy critique, influenced by the works of Wimsatt and Beardsley, argue against relying solely on it. They suggest that interpreting a text solely through the author’s intent can lead to misinterpretations and should be avoided.
- Poststructuralism and Deconstruction:
- Relevance: Poststructuralist thinkers like Jacques Derrida and Roland Barthes questioned this concept, positing that it is impossible to fully access or discern the author’s intentions. They argued that meaning in a text is multifaceted and dynamic, undermining the authority of authorial intent.
- Psychoanalytic Criticism:
- Relevance: Psychoanalytic critics, such as Sigmund Freud and Jacques Lacan, explore how an author’s subconscious desires and conflicts may manifest in their writing. Understanding authorial intent in this context can illuminate the psychological dimensions of literary works.
- Feminist Criticism:
- Relevance: In feminist literary theory, it could be relevant when analyzing how gender issues and societal norms are portrayed in literature. It helps in assessing whether authors intended to challenge or perpetuate gender stereotypes.
In summary, its relevance in literary theories varies widely, with some theories prioritizing it as a crucial element of interpretation, while others challenge its significance in favor of reader engagement or alternative approaches to understanding texts.
Authorial Intent in Literary Criticism
| Work | Critique |
| The Testaments by Margaret Atwood (2019) | Margaret Atwood is known for her feminist themes and dystopian narratives. In The Testaments, she revisits the world of her acclaimed novel The Handmaid’s Tale with the intention of expanding and concluding the story. Critique: Analyzing Atwood in this context is valuable, as it helps readers appreciate her commentary on the role of women in society and the dangers of authoritarian regimes. However, some critics argue that readers should also consider how the book’s interpretation may evolve in the changing socio-political landscape. |
| Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (2018) | Perspective: Delia Owens, a wildlife scientist, wrote this novel with the intent of blending a murder mystery with vivid descriptions of nature and a coming-of-age story. Critique: Examining Owens’ authorial intent allows readers to appreciate the importance of the natural world in the story and the protagonist’s relationship with it. However, some argue that readers should also be free to interpret the novel’s themes of isolation, resilience, and love without being constrained by the author’s intent. |
| The Vanishing Half by Brit Bennett (2020) | Perspective: Brit Bennett explores themes of identity, race, and family in her novel, intending to shed light on the complexities of passing as another race and the consequences of such decisions. Critique: Acknowledging Bennett’s authorial intent is essential to grasp the novel’s core themes and social commentary. However, some critics contend that interpreting the characters and their choices from multiple perspectives, including those outside the author’s intent, enriches the reader’s experience and deepens the discussion of racial identity. |
| The Nickel Boys by Colson Whitehead (2019) | Perspective: Colson Whitehead’s novel is inspired by real events and intends to expose the injustices faced by Black youths in a brutal reform school in the 1960s. Critique: Considering Whitehead’s authorial intent is crucial to understanding the historical and social context of the story. However, some argue that the novel’s power lies in its ability to prompt readers to reflect on broader issues of systemic racism, rather than solely adhering to the author’s specific intentions. |
Suggested Readings
- Barthes, Roland. “The Death of the Author.” Image, Music, Text, edited by Stephen Heath, Hill and Wang, 1977, pp. 142-148.
- Booth, Wayne C. The Rhetoric of Fiction. University of Chicago Press, 1961.
- Eco, Umberto. The Role of the Reader: Explorations in the Semiotics of Texts. Indiana University Press, 1979.
- Fish, Stanley. Is There a Text in This Class? The Authority of Interpretive Communities. Harvard University Press, 1980.
- Iser, Wolfgang. The Act of Reading: A Theory of Aesthetic Response. The Johns Hopkins University Press, 1978.
- Jauss, Hans Robert. Toward an Aesthetic of Reception. University of Minnesota Press, 1982.
- Rimmon-Kenan, Shlomith. Narrative Fiction: Contemporary Poetics. Routledge, 2002.
- Ryan, Marie-Laure. Possible Worlds, Artificial Intelligence, and Narrative Theory. Indiana University Press, 1991.
- Said, Edward W. The World, the Text, and the Critic. Harvard University Press, 1983.
- Wimsatt, William K., and Monroe C. Beardsley. “The Intentional Fallacy.” The Sewanee Review, vol. 54, no. 3, 1946, pp. 468-488.