Hermeneutics initially came to be associated with the interpretation of biblical scripture, becoming a dominant movement within Protestant theology. But with the development of its principles and theory by, particularly, Heidegger and Gadamer, it became a distinctive philosophical movement in its own right and has come to be influential within the field of Literary Criticism. Very broadly speaking, philosophical hermeneutics is concerned with the process through which understanding may occur between/among two or more 'alien' others--whether alien due to religion, historical period, geography, language, generation, or any other cultural difference that imposes challenges to peaceful communication and mutual understanding. Thus, hermeneutics is of particular relevance for us in our global world where, at times, the clash of cultural misunderstanding devastates human communities with 'resounding gong(s).'