Hermes' Dilemma and Hamlet's Desire: On the Epistemology of Interpretation

The book "Interpretation and Cultural Representation" by Vincent Crapanzano is a groundbreaking work that delves into the inner workings of interpretation in human sciences and literary study.

Through a series of essays, Crapanzano critically examines the ways in which we attempt to interpret and communicate the nature of other cultures, highlighting the crippling crisis of representation that arises when modern Western culture's attempts to understand "exotic" and "primitive" people are confused with an unexamined need for self-definition. Crapanzano argues that what is missing from contemporary theories of interpretation is a crucial understanding of the role context plays in any act of communication or its representation.

He demonstrates how the quest for knowledge of "other" cultures often leads to a suppression of awareness of the play of power and desire in such an approach, resulting in interpretive paradoxes. This book is a must-read for anyone interested in understanding the complexities of interpretation and cultural representation.

With its nuanced and insightful analysis, "Interpretation and Cultural Representation" offers a fresh perspective on the ways in which we understand and represent other cultures, and challenges readers to rethink their assumptions about the nature of interpretation itself.