The Merchant of Venice English-Chinese Parallel Translation Edition

Author: Ying.
Publisher:
Publication Date: 2001-06-01
Features: Shakespeare is one of the most creative writers in Western literary history. Even today, his influence remains far-reaching and profound. His comedies are lively and, his tragedies are sincere and desperate, and the observations of life expressed in his dialogues indeed grasp the clarity and weakness of human nature. Shakespeare was a successful playwright who captivated his audience at the time, and his works became pearls, forming immortal literary treasures. "To talk about Shakespeare, perhaps we will never be able to do so correctly." In the history of world literature, there are four figures who dominate their era, surpass the ages, and stand out as masters of the word and crowns of poets: Homer of Greece, Dante of Italy, Shakespeare of England, and Goethe of Germany. These four men, in different times and environments, produced immortal songs. However, the heroes in Homer’s epics are too far removed from our daily lives; Dante’s paradise and hell do not resonate with modern thought; Goethe, closer to us, is indeed an outstanding representative of modern spirit. But in terms of transcending the limitations of space, Shakespeare’s achievements far surpass the other three. For the characters in Shakespeare’s works, though often from the aristocratic class of ancient times, what he reveals is the universal human nature shared by people of all classes, races, and eras. Therefore, even after three hundred years, not only are his books read by literary scholars worldwide, but his plays also remain popular on stages and screens across countries. This is because his works possess permanence and universality, allowing them to deeply touch the hearts of readers. Chinese readers have been familiar with Shakespeare’s name for a long time, and renowned literary figures have translated his works in various ways. However, when reviewing all the translations available, those that are rough and hasty are relatively rare, while those that are rigid and unnatural are abundant. The result of rigid adherence to word-for-word translation not only loses the original flavor but also makes the works obscure and difficult to read, as if they were written in a language from another world. This is the fault of the translators, not Shakespeare, who cannot be blamed for it. I am deeply fond of Shakespearean plays and have studied his complete works at least ten times from beginning to end, feeling that I have a profound understanding of the original spirit. In the spring of the fourth year, encouraged by my senior colleague Mr. Zhan, I began to attempt the translation of the complete works. The following year, war broke out, and the various editions of Shakespearean collections I had painstakingly collected over the years, as well as books on annotations, translations, commentaries, and criticisms, totaling over two hundred volumes, were all destroyed in the bombings. In a rush, I could only take an Oxford edition of the complete works and a few drafts with me. Afterward, I wandered and struggled for a living, with no time to continue my unfinished task. By the spring of the thirty-first year, seeing the world’s chaos intensifying, I shut myself at home, rejecting external affairs, and finally devoted myself with a single-minded heart to the translation. Despite poverty and illness pressing on me, I burrowed into my work, holding the pen without stopping. It took ten years to complete the entire manuscript. Given the arduous nature of translating Shakespeare, ten years is not long, but almost my entire life has been dedicated to this task. The purpose of my translation is to preserve as much as possible the spirit of the original in the greatest possible range; if that is not possible, it must be faithfully convey the meaning of the original in clear and straightforward language; and I do not endorse the rigid, word-for-word translation method. Whenever the original text does not conform to Chinese grammar, I often reread it and make full revisions to the structure to ensure the author’s intention is clearly revealed and not obscured by obscure wording. After translating each passage, I first imagine myself as a reader to check if there are any ambiguous parts. Then, I imagine myself as an actor on stage to determine if the tone is natural and the rhythm harmonious. A single unsatisfactory word often causes me days of deep thought. Yet, limited by my abilities, I have not fully achieved my ideals. Living in a remote village with no reference books and few teachers or peers to consult, I am aware that errors are inevitable. I sincerely hope that scholars will correct these mistakes and greatly appreciate it!
The original complete works are not well-organized in terms of arrangement. Here, I have divided them into four sections based on the nature of the plays: "Comedies," "Tragedies," "Romances," and "Histories," each forming its own system. Readers can follow this structure to easily grasp the full picture of Shakespeare’s works. Once, Carlyle said, "We would rather lose a hundred Indias than lose one Shakespeare." Shakespeare, as a world poet, cannot be claimed by any single country. If the publication of this collection allows the works of this great poet to reach Chinese readers, then the labor of the translator will not have been in vain. Whether you praise or blame me depends on the readers.