Validity in Interpretation

E.D. Hirsch, Jr.'s work, particularly Validity in Interpretation (1967), argues that understanding an author's intention is crucial for accurate literary interpretation. This perspective contrasts with the New Criticism movement, which largely rejected authorial intent as a valid criterion for analyzing texts. Hirsch contended that without knowledge of the author's original purpose, it's impossible to determine if a work successfully achieves that purpose. His ideas emphasize the importance of the author's cultural context in shaping the meaning of a literary work.12