The applicability of Umberto Eco’s theory of textual interpretation in the analysis of literary texts

Abstract

This study deals with the applicability of Eco's theory of textual interpretation, taking his famous work The Name of the Rose as a model. Though his theory has captivated the attention of many scholars, it has been criticised by many because of the discrepancy between his conception of the Open Work and that of the Model Reader. Therefore, the aim is to highlight Eco's contribution to the canon of literary theory by shedding light on the aspects of his theory of textual interpretation and the extent to which it may be applicable to literary texts. The researcher seeks answers to the following questions: What kind of openness is required in the literary text? Is the reader fully free or constrained in his journey of interpretation? How does Eco conceive of the literary work and of its interpretation? For these, it is hypothesize: first, Eco would hold an intermediate position between a structuralist thinker and a deconstructivist one in matter of literary creativity and criticism. Second, though Eco advocates the presence of infinite interpretations within a literary text, he would adopt new concepts to regulate and prevent interpretations from falling into aberration. Third and last, Eco would advocate the open work because it better represents the postmodern position. Due to the presence of many levels of analysis, Eco’s theory is flexible. It can be used by both scholars and learners depending on the perspective they would take. This is a qualitative research that analysed Eco's novel The Name of the Rose in the light of his hermeneutics. The results hopefully have allowed further clearing of some misconceptions about his theory, by unfolding the writer's textual strategies and, subsequently, his world vision and his various matters of thought.