Intentional fallacy
A critical principle (formulated by Wimsatt and Beardsley) arguing that texts may mean things beyond or contrary to authors' intentions. Textual meaning isn't limited to authorial intent; context, form, and reader interpretation create additional meanings.
Real World
Mary Shelley claimed 'Frankenstein' was simply a ghost-story competition entry, but feminist critics argue the novel's exploration of painful creation and abandonment encodes anxieties about childbirth and motherhood that Shelley may not have consciously intended.
Exam Focus
Invoke the intentional fallacy to justify readings that go beyond biography; show how textual evidence supports meanings the author need not have planned.
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