For Interpretation

Abstract

Of course, I don’t mean interpretation in the broadest sense, the sense in which Nietzsche (rightly) says, “Th ere are no facts, only interpretations.” By interpretation, I mean here a conscious act of the mind which illustrates a certain code, certain “rules” of interpretation. Directed to art, interpretation means plucking a set of elements (the X, the Y, the Z, and so forth) from the whole work. Th e task of interpretation is virtually one of translation. Th e interpreter says, Look, don’t you see that X is really— or, really means— A? (Sontag 1966: 5; emphasis added)