“Between Author And Text” By Umberto Eco: Summary and Critique

Introduction: “Between Author And Text” By Umberto Eco

“Between Author and Text” by Umberto Eco first appeared in 1990 as part of a series of lectures delivered at Cambridge University and was subsequently included in his collection Interpretation and Overinterpretation. In this seminal essay, Eco explores the nuanced relationship between the author’s intention, the text itself, and the reader’s interpretation. He critically engages with post-structuralist theories, particularly those of Jacques Derrida, while advocating for a balance between respecting the historical and cultural context of a text and acknowledging the role of the reader’s interpretative freedom. Eco introduces concepts such as the “Model Author” and the “Liminal Author,” emphasizing that while the empirical author’s intention may be inaccessible or irrelevant, the text’s internal structure and strategy guide interpretation. He warns against overinterpretation, highlighting the importance of “economy” in reading, whereby plausible interpretations align with the textual evidence. The essay is significant in literary theory as it bridges structuralist rigor and reader-response theory, offering a pragmatic approach to understanding texts as dynamic yet bounded entities. Eco’s work remains a crucial contribution to debates about textual meaning, interpretation, and the interplay between authorial intent and reader response.

Summary of “Between Author And Text” By Umberto Eco

1. Empirical Author vs. Textual Intentions
   • Eco questions the relevance of the empirical author—the actual person who wrote the text—arguing that meaning is constructed through the text itself and its interaction with readers (Eco, 2010, p. 67). He references Derrida’s deconstructionist approach, which downplays the author’s intended meaning in favor of the text’s independence.
2. The “Bottle Message” and Social Treasury
   • Eco compares texts to messages placed in a bottle, emphasizing that once written, texts are open to diverse interpretations. Readers decode texts not solely by the author’s intention but through shared cultural conventions and the “social treasury” of language and history (Eco, 2010, p. 67-68).
3. Model Author and Liminal Author
   • Eco introduces the concept of the Model Author as the textual strategy that guides the reader’s interpretation. Additionally, he discusses the Liminal Author, a “ghostly” figure that bridges the empirical author’s subconscious influences and the text’s intentionality (Eco, 2010, p. 69-70).
4. Interpretation vs. Use of Texts
   • Eco differentiates between interpreting and using texts. Interpretation respects the text’s historical and cultural background, while use adapts texts for parody or personal purposes (Eco, 2010, p. 68).
5. Economic Interpretation and Overinterpretation
   • Eco argues for economy in interpretation, where plausible meanings are derived from textual evidence without unnecessary overreading. He warns against “grasshopper-criticism”, where readers impose hidden meanings disconnected from the text’s logic (Eco, 2010, p. 71).
6. Historical and Cultural Context
   • The reader’s role is to engage with the text’s cultural and historical context, ensuring interpretations are consistent with linguistic norms at the time of writing. Eco cites Wordsworth’s use of the word “gay” as an example of how modern misreadings can arise without this awareness (Eco, 2010, p. 68-69).
7. The Text’s Transparent Intention
   • Eco discusses instances where textual meaning is clear and independent of the author’s intent. For example, the line “happiness lies in having what you have” gains meaning from its textual context rather than Eco’s conscious input (Eco, 2010, p. 78).
8. Empirical Author’s Limits in Interpretation
   • The empirical author, Eco argues, cannot control all interpretations of their work. While some interpretations align with the text’s strategy, others (e.g., overinterpretations) lack textual economy and coherence (Eco, 2010, p. 79-83).
9. Creative Process and Serendipity
   • Eco acknowledges the role of serendipity and unconscious processes in textual creation. He shares personal anecdotes, such as discovering a book that unconsciously inspired his description of a poisoned manuscript in The Name of the Rose (Eco, 2010, p. 86-88).
10. The Rights of the Text
    • Eco concludes by affirming the “rights of the text” over the empirical author, emphasizing that texts exist independently and generate meaning through their structure and interaction with readers (Eco, 2010, p. 88).

Theoretical Terms/Concepts in “Between Author And Text” By Umberto Eco

Concept	Definition	Example/Reference
Empirical Author	The real, historical individual who wrote the text, often irrelevant to textual meaning.	Eco dismisses the importance of the author’s personal intent in understanding meaning.
Model Author	The author implied by the text, guiding readers to interpret the work through textual strategy.	Readers recognize strategies embedded in Wordsworth’s text, not his personal intent (p. 68).
Liminal Author	The ‘ghostly’ figure between the empirical author and the Model Author, influenced unconsciously.	Eco introduces Mauro Ferraresi’s idea of the Liminal Author as a threshold figure (p. 69).
Social Treasury	A shared cultural and linguistic background that enables interpretation of texts.	The word ‘gay’ in Wordsworth’s time had no sexual connotation due to shared lexical norms (p. 68).
Interpretation vs. Use	Interpretation seeks to respect the text’s cultural and linguistic background; use adapts the text for other purposes.	Using Wordsworth’s text for parody contrasts with interpreting it in its historical context (p. 68).
Overinterpretation	Reading too much into a text, finding hidden meanings that lack textual support.	Grasshopper-criticism seeks irrelevant, hidden meanings such as acrostics in Leopardi’s poetry (p. 71).
Textual Strategy	The deliberate structure and intention of a text, guiding reader understanding.	Eco shows how readers identify meaningful connections within the structure of the text.
Economic Interpretation	The principle that interpretation should align with textual evidence and avoid unnecessary complexity.	Readers should focus on plausible meanings, avoiding overly convoluted interpretations (p. 71).
Transparent Intention	The clear, independent meaning of a text, discernible without reference to the author’s intention.	Happiness lies in ‘having what you have’ is clear in context, regardless of Eco’s intent (p. 78).
Message in a Bottle	A metaphor describing how texts, once written, are interpreted independently of the author’s intent.	A text intended for a community of readers will not align with the author’s exact intention (p. 67).

Contribution of “Between Author And Text” By Umberto Eco to Literary Theory/Theories

1. Reader-Response Theory
   • Eco acknowledges the role of the reader in constructing meaning, aligning with reader-response theory. He argues that readers interact with the text based on their “competence in language” and shared cultural norms, emphasizing that the text is a dialogue between itself and the reader (Eco, 2010, p. 67).
   • Reference: The metaphor of the “message in a bottle” highlights that the author cannot dictate the text’s meaning for a community of readers.
2. Post-Structuralism
   • Eco engages with post-structuralist ideas, particularly those of Jacques Derrida, by challenging the notion of stable meaning. He critiques overinterpretation but concedes that meaning emerges from the interplay of the reader, text, and cultural conventions, not the empirical author (Eco, 2010, p. 67-70).
   • Reference: Eco critiques Derrida’s jeu de massacre on John Searle’s text while acknowledging the importance of textual independence from the author (p. 67).
3. Intentional Fallacy
   • Eco supports the intentional fallacy, arguing that the empirical author’s intentions are irrelevant to textual interpretation. He asserts that meaning is derived from the Model Author, which represents the textual strategy embedded in the work (Eco, 2010, p. 69-70).
   • Reference: Eco’s example of Wordsworth’s use of “gay” emphasizes the need to respect linguistic norms rather than speculate on authorial intent.
4. Structuralism
   • Eco aligns with structuralism through his focus on textual strategies, which provide a framework for interpretation. He suggests that meaning is inherent in the structure and language of the text, enabling readers to identify plausible interpretations (Eco, 2010, p. 71-78).
   • Reference: Eco’s critique of Leopardi’s “Silvia” poem highlights the importance of textual structure and economy in meaning-making (p. 71).
5. Semiotics
   • Eco, as a semiotician, contributes to semiotic theory by exploring how texts operate as systems of signs. He introduces the concepts of the “Model Author” and the “Liminal Author,” demonstrating how texts generate meaning through their internal strategies and connections (Eco, 2010, p. 69-70).
   • Reference: Eco’s analysis of Leopardi’s anagrams and Petrarch’s poetry illustrates how readers uncover patterns in texts (p. 70-72).
6. Hermeneutics
   • Eco’s exploration of the relationship between text and reader aligns with hermeneutics, the theory of interpretation. He emphasizes that understanding requires engagement with the text’s cultural and historical background, not subjective speculation (Eco, 2010, p. 68-69).
   • Reference: Eco’s discussion of Lorenzo Valla’s philological analysis of Constitutum Constantini exemplifies responsible hermeneutic practices (p. 69).
7. Deconstruction
   • While Eco critiques radical deconstruction, he acknowledges the unconscious and multiple layers of meaning within a text. The “Liminal Author” reflects a deconstructionist view that meaning may escape the empirical author’s control (Eco, 2010, p. 69-70).
   • Reference: Eco’s reflections on unintended meanings in his novels (The Name of the Rose and Foucault’s Pendulum) illustrate how texts can produce unforeseen effects (p. 78-83).
8. Textual Autonomy
   • Eco emphasizes the autonomy of the text, asserting that the text exists independently of the author and produces its own meanings. Readers must interact with the text on its terms rather than rely on the author’s personal life or intent (Eco, 2010, p. 78).
   • Reference: Eco’s anecdote about the unintended connection between William and Bernard’s “haste” dialogue demonstrates how the text generates meaning on its own (p. 73-74).
9. Economy of Interpretation
   • Eco introduces the concept of “economic interpretation”, encouraging readers to avoid excessive or implausible interpretations. He warns against “grasshopper-criticism” that imposes hidden, irrelevant meanings on texts (Eco, 2010, p. 71).
   • Reference: Eco critiques students’ attempts to find improbable acrostics in Leopardi’s poetry as uneconomical and unproductive (p. 71-72).

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Examples of Critiques Through “Between Author And Text” By Umberto Eco

Literary Work	Critique Through Eco’s Framework	Key Concept Referenced
Wordsworth’s “I Wandered Lonely as a Cloud”	Eco critiques overinterpretation by discussing the word “gay,” showing how meanings must respect the historical and lexical context of the text.	Social Treasury, Model Author (Eco, 2010, p. 68-69).
Leopardi’s “A Silvia”	Eco argues that searching for excessive anagrams and hidden meanings, like “melancholy,” in Leopardi’s poem is uneconomical and unnecessary.	Economic Interpretation, Overinterpretation (p. 71).
The Name of the Rose	Eco examines unintended meanings created through textual strategies, such as the juxtaposition of “haste” in different dialogues.	Textual Autonomy, Transparent Intention (p. 73-74).
Lorenzo Valla’s Constitutum Constantini	Eco highlights responsible interpretation through Valla’s textual analysis, which disproved the Donation of Constantine based on linguistic anachronisms.	Hermeneutics, Textual Strategy (p. 69).

Criticism Against “Between Author And Text” By Umberto Eco

1. Limited Role of the Author
   • Critics argue that Eco excessively diminishes the role of the empirical author in determining meaning, which may disregard the author’s creative intent and context.
   • The dismissal of the author’s voice may undervalue their role in shaping textual meaning.
2. Overemphasis on Textual Strategy
   • Eco’s focus on the Model Author and textual strategy can be criticized for being overly formalistic and structuralist, neglecting the emotional, personal, or historical aspects of authorship.
   • Some scholars argue this approach prioritizes the text’s structure over the creative process.
3. Ambiguity of the “Liminal Author”
   • The introduction of the Liminal Author—a ghostly figure bridging authorial intent and textual strategy—has been criticized for being conceptually vague and lacking clear boundaries.
   • This complicates Eco’s framework and may blur the line between text and author.
4. Conflict with Reader-Response Theory
   • While Eco acknowledges the role of the reader, critics claim he limits interpretive freedom by emphasizing economic interpretation.
   • This conflicts with reader-response theory, which supports a broader spectrum of subjective readings.
5. Dismissal of Deconstructionist Potential
   • Eco criticizes overinterpretation and aligns with economic interpretations but dismisses deconstructionist readings that explore multiple layers of meaning.
   • Some critics argue this stance restricts interpretive possibilities and ignores valuable insights into language’s instability.
6. Selective Engagement with Historical Context
   • Eco stresses the importance of historical and cultural background but does not provide clear guidelines for its application, leading to inconsistencies in interpretation.
   • Critics argue this can oversimplify the hermeneutic process.
7. Practicality of “Economic Interpretation”
   • The notion of “economic interpretation”—avoiding unnecessary complexity—has been criticized as subjective and difficult to quantify.
   • What is considered “plausible” or “uneconomical” may vary greatly among readers and critics.
8. Potential for Authorial Bias
   • Eco’s examples often draw from his own novels, leading critics to argue that his framework may reflect biases or self-validation rather than universally applicable principles.
9. Undermining Creative Reading
   • By cautioning against overinterpretation, Eco’s theories risk discouraging innovative, imaginative, or unconventional readings of texts that can offer new insights.

Representative Quotations from “Between Author And Text” By Umberto Eco with Explanation

Quotation	Explanation
“Can we still be concerned with the empirical author of a text?”	Eco raises the central question of authorial intention versus textual interpretation, challenging its relevance.
“A sensitive and responsible reader… has the duty to take into account the state of the lexical system at the time of Wordsworth.”	Eco emphasizes the importance of historical and cultural context in interpreting texts, avoiding anachronistic errors.
“Every act of reading is a difficult transaction between the competence of the reader… and the kind of competence that a given text postulates.”	The act of reading, according to Eco, is a negotiation between the reader’s knowledge and the text’s expectations.
“Between the empirical author and the Model Author… there is a third, rather ghostly, figure… the Liminal Author.”	Eco introduces the concept of the Liminal Author as a threshold figure between the author’s intention and textual strategy.
“To interpret Wordsworth’s text I must respect his cultural and linguistic background.”	Eco differentiates between using and interpreting texts, arguing that true interpretation requires contextual fidelity.
“The text is there, and it produces its own effects. Whether I wanted it this way or not, we are now faced with a question.”	The text’s autonomy creates meanings independent of the author’s intention, supporting the primacy of textual effects.
“The rose is a figure so rich in meanings that by now it hasn’t any meaning.”	Eco highlights the polysemy of symbols like the rose, which accumulate layers of meaning to the point of ambiguity.
“There is the transparent intention of the text, which disproves an untenable interpretation.”	Eco argues that the text has its own inherent logic, which can counter extreme misreadings or overinterpretations.
“It is not economical to think that Leopardi acted as a character of John Le Carré when he could say what he said in a better way.”	Eco critiques excessive overinterpretation, urging readers to balance interpretative freedom with textual economy.
“The text qua text still represents a comfortable presence, the point to which we can stick.”	Eco underscores the stability of the text itself amid debates over authorial intent and reader-driven meanings.

Suggested Readings: “Between Author And Text” By Umberto Eco

1. Capozzi, Rocco. “Umberto Eco: Acute Observer of Our Social and Cultural History.” Italica, vol. 93, no. 1, 2016, pp. 5–22. JSTOR, http://www.jstor.org/stable/43896080. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.
2. Eco, Umberto. “Reading My Readers.” MLN, vol. 107, no. 5, 1992, pp. 819–27. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/2904818. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.
3. Eco, Umberto. “Two Problems in Textual Interpretation.” Poetics Today, vol. 2, no. 1a, 1980, pp. 145–61. JSTOR, https://doi.org/10.2307/1772358. Accessed 17 Dec. 2024.
4. Eco, Umberto. Six walks in the fictional woods. Harvard University Press, 1994.
5. Eco, U. (2010). Between Author and Text. In Interpretation and Overinterpretation (pp. 67-88). Cambridge University Press.