Literature, Interpretation and Ethics

Literature, Interpretation, Ethics argues for the centrality of hermeneutics in the context of ongoing debates about the value of literature, and about the role and ethics of literary study. Hermeneutics as a branch of literary theory has been widely neglected and misunderstood, yet this study shows it is fundamental to all work in literary studies.

Colin Davis outlines the contribution of hermeneutics to literary study through detailed accounts of role of interpretation in the work of key thinkers such as Martin Heidegger, Hans-Georg Gadamer, Paul Ricoeur, Umberto Eco, Jacques Derrida and Emmanuel Levinas. He also illustrates problems of interpretation posed by specific literary texts and films, emphasising how our interpretive acts also entail ethical engagements. The book develops a 'hermeneutics of (guarded) trust', which calls for attention to the agency of art without surrendering critical vigilance.

By considering theoretical texts, literary works and films, Literature, Interpretation, and Ethics contributes to contemporary debates about critical practice and the cultural value. It shows that while interpretation is always fallible, it is also essential to our place in the world and to the importance of the humanities. This interdisciplinary study will be invaluable for students and scholars interested in literary theory, comparative literature, narrative studies, poststructuralism and philosophy.