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Single Idea 7266
[filed under theme 21. Aesthetics / C. Artistic Issues / 1. Artistic Intentions
]
Full Idea
The design or intention of the author is neither available nor desirable as a standard for judging the success of a work of literary art.
Gist of Idea
The author's intentions are irrelevant to the judgement of a work's success
Source
W Wimsatt/W Beardsley (The Intentional Fallacy [1946], §I)
Book Ref
'Philosophy Looks at the Arts', ed/tr. Margolis,Joseph [Charles Scribner 1962], p.92
A Reaction
This famous proposal may have been misunderstood. Note that it is a comment about judging the work, not about understanding it. The idea allows for a work being much more successful than the author's humble intentions (e.g. Pepys).
The
15 ideas
with the same theme
[status of an artist's intentions in aesthetics]:
7270
|
Historical interpretation aims to recapture the author's view of the work
[Croce]
|
20432
|
When viewing art, rather than flowers, we are aware of purpose, and sympathy with its creator
[Fry]
|
24198
|
Perfect works of art seem to be essentially anonymous
[Weil]
|
23903
|
When we admire a work, we see ourselves as its creator
[Weil]
|
20400
|
Intentions either succeed or fail, so external evidence for them is always irrelevant
[Wimsatt/Beardsley, by Davies,S]
|
7266
|
The author's intentions are irrelevant to the judgement of a work's success
[Wimsatt/Beardsley]
|
7267
|
Poetry, unlike messages, can be successful without communicating intentions
[Wimsatt/Beardsley]
|
7268
|
The thoughts of a poem should be imputed to the dramatic speaker, and hardly at all to the poet
[Wimsatt/Beardsley]
|
7269
|
The intentional fallacy is a romantic one
[Wimsatt/Beardsley]
|
7271
|
Biography can reveal meanings and dramatic character, as well as possible intentions
[Wimsatt/Beardsley]
|
12159
|
Without intentions we can't perceive sculpture, but that is not the whole story
[Scruton]
|
20395
|
The title of a painting can be vital, and the artist decrees who the portrait represents
[Davies,S]
|
20396
|
We must know what the work is meant to be, to evaluate the artist's achievement
[Davies,S]
|
20399
|
Intentionalism says either meaning just is intention, or ('moderate') meaning is successful intention
[Davies,S]
|
20401
|
The meaning is given by the audience's best guess at the author's intentions
[Davies,S]
|