In the study of art, an interpretation is a way to explain the meaning of a work of art. An aesthetic interpretation describes how a piece of art makes someone feel or what it makes them think about. This type of understanding is often used when talking about poems or stories, but it can also be used for paintings, sculptures, or performances.
Aims of interpretation
People may read for different reasons. A student who must analyze a poem in class reads differently from someone who reads a novel for fun at the beach. "Interpretation" means trying to understand a text that might not be clear at first or that becomes more meaningful with closer reading. The beach reader likely does not need to interpret the text, but the student does. Professor Louise Rosenblatt, an expert on reading, described two types of reading that are opposite ends of a scale. Aesthetic reading focuses on enjoying the words themselves, such as their sounds, images, or meanings. Efferent reading, however, is about reading to gain knowledge, find information, or learn how to do something, like following a recipe. Efferent means "leading away from," as in taking information from a text. According to this view, poems and stories do not give readers a message to take away, but instead offer a chance to experience pleasure through active participation.
One or many
There are many different ways to understand and explain art. Some people believe that any piece of art can have many different meanings, and all of these meanings can be correct. Others think that only one meaning is correct for any piece of art. The idea that people can have different but equally valid ways to understand art is called "pluralism." However, some interpretations try to say whether something is true or false.
A type of idea that is between "all interpretations are equally good" and "only one interpretation is correct" suggests that interpretations that connect more parts of the text and are approved by experienced readers are better. One type of this idea is called "formal," which looks at the structure or patterns in the words of a text, especially in poems or songs. For example, noticing rhyming words at the end of lines in a poem is an objective way to see patterns. When reading Edgar Allan Poe's "The Raven," readers can't help but notice the repeated word "nevermore," which is a formal part of the poem.
In the early 20th Century, the German philosopher Martin Heidegger studied how analyzing the structure of a work of art compares to personal interpretations of art. He believed that directly experiencing a piece of art was important for understanding its meaning.
A modern theory that considers how the internet has made it easier for people to access many different ideas is called Multi Factorial Apperception (MFA). This theory tries to include many cultural factors to help people understand how art is created and how people experience it. It focuses on how cultural influences shape the creation of art at a specific time and explains that the meaning of a piece of art can change over time.
Intended interpretation
Some people who study how reading works believe that readers should try to understand what the artist wanted to achieve and judge if the artist reached their goal. Professor E. D. Hirsch wrote two books saying that the author's intention is the most important factor in understanding the meaning. This view is controversial because it suggests there is only one correct way to interpret an artwork, and that way must match the artist's intention.