What does it mean to understand a text? Is interpretation a method, a dialogue, or a fundamental condition of human existence?

In this episode of Literary Rides, we trace the intellectual evolution of hermeneutics—from its roots in Biblical exegesis to its transformation into one of the most influential philosophical movements of the twentieth century. Beginning with Schleiermacher and Dilthey’s efforts to ground the human sciences in empathy and historical reconstruction, we move through Heidegger’s ontological turn and Gadamer’s powerful idea of the “fusion of horizons.”

The episode also explores the tension between a hermeneutics of faith and a hermeneutics of suspicion, examining how thinkers such as Marx, Nietzsche, and Freud reshaped interpretive practice through critique and demystification.

Designed as a complete study guide for postgraduate students, researchers, and UGC NET aspirants, this masterclass clarifies major concepts, debates, and contemporary applications in literary theory, law, feminist studies, and beyond.

A foundational exploration of meaning, understanding, and the art of interpretation.