Text: The Confrontaion between Philosophical Hermeneutics and Modern Literary Theory

There is an inevitable relation between philosophical hermeneutics and Literary theory, especially Reader-Response theories. It springs from phenomenological approach in philosophical hermeneutics and phenomenological predecessor of these theories. Indeed, in this point of view, philosophical hermeneutics is an Existential philosophy on the interpretation of the text. Philosophical aspect of philosophical hermeneutics is based on the Existentiality of it. Furthermore the Existence that Gadamer and Ricouer consider, is an interpreted Existence; as a result, the interpretation of text, is in the center of hermeneutical views of Gadamer and Ricouer. The difference between their sights is a subsidiary difference pertaining to the main difference which is their ways towards Existence. The most important difference is related to Ricouer's epistemological model and Gadamer’s ontological view in the process of interpretation. The main difference is in fact the base of the other subsidiary differences: temporality; linguistic; dialectical and objectivity. In this article Im going to discuss the relation between philosophical hermeneutics and literary theory and then describe the views of Gadamer and Ricoeur on text I will compare the interpretation models in Gadamer’s and Ricoeur’s point of views on text in accordance with the four differences mentioned. Finally I will draw a total conclusion form all the discussed matters.