What is intentional fallacy according to Wimsatt?

Intentional fallacy, term used in 20th-century literary criticism to describe the problem inherent in trying to judge a work of art by assuming the intent or purpose of the artist who created it. Related Topics: Philosophy of art Affective fallacy. Introduced by W.K. Wimsatt, Jr., and Monroe C.

What does Wimsatt and Beardsley external evidence mean?

External evidence is private or idiosyncratic: it is evidence gleaned from outside the poem, and may include diaries, journals, letters, and reported conversations.

What is intentional fallacy example?

First, a writer or artist’s intention cannot be the standard or criterion to judge the merit of the work. For example, if a 5-year old drew a picture of a cat, but I thought it looked more like a horse, I can’t judge the picture on the 5-year old’s intention for it to be a cat.

What is the example of affective fallacy?

And here’s why: In literary criticism, the affective fallacy refers to incorrectly judging a piece of writing by how it emotionally affects its reader. In other words, if you think a poem about a three-legged puppy is poignant because it makes you bawl your eyes out, you’re wrong.

What is the difference between affective fallacy and intentional fallacy?

Affective fallacy is the error of evaluating a text by its effect. Wimsatt and Brendsley criticize the tradition of expressive criticism as intentional fallacy and pragmatic criticism as affective fallacy. They believe that a work of literature or text has ontology of its own.

What was the author’s intention?

The author’s intention is what message they are trying to get across to the reader. For example, in George Orwell’s ‘Animal Farm’, the author’s intention is to criticise the realities of Communism, especially from the perspective of the workers. The reader, however, may not necessarily identify this intention.

Who were wimsatt Beardsley?

Abstract. William Kurtz Wimsatt (1907 – 75) and Monroe Curtis Beardsley (1915 – 85) are best known for their co-authorship of “The intentional fallacy” and “The affective fallacy,” essays that articulate what have come to be considered the fundamental tenets of the American New Criticism.

What do you mean by existential fallacy?

Summary. This chapter focuses on one of the common fallacies in Western philosophy, ‘existential fallacy’. This fallacy occurs when we erroneously suppose some class or group has members. In other words, statements may be true about classes or groups even if no members of the class or group exist.

Who conceived and established intentional fallacy?

The term was coined by W.K. Wimsatt and Monroe Beardsley in 1949 as a principle of New Criticism which is often paired with their study of The Intentional Fallacy.

What do you mean by affective fallacy?

Affective fallacy is a term from literary criticism used to refer to the supposed error of judging or evaluating a text on the basis of its emotional effects on a reader. Wimsatt and Monroe Beardsley in 1949 as a principle of New Criticism which is often paired with their study of The Intentional Fallacy.

What is fallacy literature?

A fallacy is an erroneous argument dependent upon an unsound or illogical contention.