| UNIT 422-10: SOCIAL CONTEXT OF LITERARY TRANSLATION
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| 422.10.6.2 : THE TEXT THAT BELONG TO THE PAST |
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| The literary texts that belong to ancient or medieval times are the products of the societies of those times. Their translations are usually done for academic reasons either by the individual translators on their own inspiration or commissioned by the organizations for their classical or popular value. Most of these are the works of literature that have surpassed the time either for their literary excellence or universality of appeal. |
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| In the translation of such texts the author's world and the translator's world are not the same. The socio-cultural, political, economic conditions that framed the author's mind were different from those which framed the translator's mind. Personalities of both the products of different environments. Their sensibilities are framed in different conditions of thoughts and ideas. In the translation of these texts the translator bridges the gap of the time. While translating it he analyses and interprets with sensibility framed in his own time. He looks at the past with his mind made up in present. So the translation is bound to have translator's world present in it. While the author wrote with his contemporary reader in the mind the translator has his contemporary reader in his mind. Both try to establish meaningful relationship with the societies and the time they live in. |
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| In the choice of a particular text for translation the translator thinks of his relevance to his reader i.e. TL society. Apart from the literary excellence or classic value this relevance is seen in the context of the socio-political conditions of the translator's time. In the previous section, we refer that Shridhar Pathak's translations of Oliver Goldsmith's works were inspired by the pre-romantic liberalism. During the late 19th century lots of Sanskrit classics were translated by various people in all major Indian languages. Kalidas, bhawabhooti, Vishakhadatta were translated for literary reasons as well as socio-political needs. For example we can take Raja Laxman Singh's translation in Kalidas "Abhijnana Shakuntalam" Bharatendu's translation of Vishakha's "Mudra Rakshasa" or Satya Narayana Kaviratna translation of Bhawabhooti's "Uttar Ramcharita" into Hindi. They are inspired by the classic value of these works as well as the desire of the search into the roots - the cultural identity - of renaissance mind. "Abhijnana Shakuntalam" was the work that had already inspired European scholars and author in various ways by the end of 18th century and during the early 19th century. Sir William Jones translated it into English, when this translation reached Europe it changed European people's attitude towards India. Famous German poet Goethe wrote a poem in the appreciation of Shakuntala. Study of Sanskrit literature in Europe made an impact on European romantic movement. The appreciation and rendering of this literature by German scholars - Rukert, Goethe, Schelgel who were almost enchanted by the sense of wonder and newness they found in Sanskrit literature - was a great event of romantic era. "Mudra Rakshasa" is a political play depicting Chanakya, Nanda and Chandra Gupta Maurya's time. It represents the heights of the development of the political thought in India. The scientific temper of Indian political system is seen in its complexities of these. Similarly, the theme of "Uttar Ramacharita" was very relevant to the era woman's awakening during Indian renaissance. |
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| Behind the translation of Shakespeare's works in Indian language also lie the same reasons. It is the humanism in Shakespeare's plays that has attracted most of these translators. In their rendering of these plays is seen their these personality also. The treatment of these humanism which has been so meaningful to the modern Indian society struggling for freedom colonial and imperial bondage. In the pre-independence era it was relevant in the context political economic slavery. In the post-independence era it is relevant in the context of socio-cultural crisis for identity. |
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| THE LINGUISTIC ASPECT |
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| The linguistic aspect, in the translation of the texts that belong to the previous ages is formed in context of the translator's society. He interprets the text in context of the SL idiom and semantics of the author's time, but he recreates it in the idiom of contemporary TL for the contemporary reader. Thus he bridges the gap of time in the language also. When Raghuvir Sahay translated "Macbeth" or Amrit Rai translated "Hamlet" their primary object was to try to achieve the essence of those plays which virtually lies in Shakespeare's language which has variety of levels - poetic, and graceful, elegant and lyrical, contemplative and colloquial, courteous and vulgar, playful, modest and deep. |
