§16§Hermeneutics, defined as the theory of understanding and interpretation, has become a major concern for literary criticism in recent years. This study attempts to illustrate the natural connection of hermeneutics to literature through the interpretations of selected 19th century literary texts. Although hermeneutics has been presented traditionally in the context of the German philosophical tradition from Schleiermacher to Gadamer, these works show a sophisticated awareness of the categories of language and understanding which parallels and even supercedes concurrent trends in philosophical hermeneutics. §04§Contents: The Crisis of Contemporary Criticism - Hermeneutics in America - The Hermeneutic Tradition: Literature versus Philosophy - 19th Century Language Philosophy - 19th Century Hermeneutic Philosophy - 19th Century Hermeneutic Literature (Kleist, Grillparzer, Fontane) - Realism and Hermeneutics - Hermeneutics of Comparative Literature - Bibliography.
