The visual way to language and literature in Heidegger's 'Work of Art' essay

Abstract

In his 'Way to Language' essay as well as in his other later work Heidegger argues for a self-referential and non-subjective understanding of language. I argue that Heidegger sketches a different way to understanding language in one of his earlier works which is his 'Work of Art' essay. In a reversal of sorts I argue that language and not the work of art constitutes the underlying subject matter throughout the essay and from its very beginning. The essay may be construed as the exposition of a theory of language in which Heidegger employs various interpretations of works of art as analogies that exemplify his thoughts on language. In my rhetorical analysis of Heidegger's references to the Van Gogh 'shoes' painting I show that Heidegger is engaging with literature and a literary kind of writing which have a direct bearing on his understanding of both language and the philosophical truth. Heidegger's writing on the truth may then be thought to reflect an intricate interplay between literature the philosophy of language and the interpretation of visual artworks. © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.