Translation, rewriting, and control over literary fame

Author: Lefevere, A. (Editor)
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-07-01
Features: The author points out that translation is not merely a linguistic conversion but also a cultural rewriting of the original work by the translator. The book introduces the important concept of "rewriting," which broadly refers to various processes such as translation, adaptation, anthology compilation (anthology), criticism (criticism), and editing of literary originals. The author argues that under different historical conditions, rewriting is primarily constrained by ideology (ideology) and poetics (poetics). Rewriters often make certain adjustments to the original work to align it with the dominant ideology and poetics of their time, thereby aiming to maximize the acceptance of the rewritten work by as many readers as possible. Throughout the book, the author cites examples of translations of literary masterpieces from various countries and eras, analyzing and studying the processes of their rewriting by different people in different periods. These examples are rich in cultural color and represent the times, allowing readers to appreciate the wonders of world literature while familiarizing themselves with translation theory.