Ideology and Translation: A Case Study of the Chinese Translation of the Gadfly |
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Author | RuanJing |
Tutor | JiYuHua |
School | Xiamen University |
Course | English Language and Literature |
Keywords | ideology translation canonization |
CLC | H315.9 |
Type | Master's thesis |
Year | 2008 |
Downloads | 202 |
Quotes | 0 |
Translation is closely related to ideology. However, systematic studies of the relationship between ideology and translation are rare and few in the literature on translation research. Traditional approaches to translation research tend to be source-oriented, concentrating on the faithfulness of translation through textual comparisons. Since the "cultural turn" in translation studies in the 1980s, some scholars have begun to incorporate socio-cultural contexts into translation studies. AndréLefevere was the first to point out the decisive role of ideology in translation in his theory of "rewriting." Since then, scholars of translation studies have been paying special attention to the interaction between ideology and translation from different perspectives.Based on previous studies of the relationship between ideology and translation, especially Lefevere’s theory of rewriting, this thesis attempts to interpret and verify the ideological manipulation in translation through a case study of the translation and reception of The Gadfly in China in the 1950s. First published in 1897, The Gadfly by Voynich is almost forgotten in the field of Anglo-American literature. However, when it was first translated into Chinese in 1953 by Li Liangmin [李俍民], it was instantly listed among the revolutionary canons and was regarded as a political textbook for the Chinese young people who were encouraged to learn the values of heroism, patriotism, and anti-imperialism. Different rewriters, including the translator, the publisher, and critics, rewrote the original novel in various ways to keep it in line with the ideological requirements in the 1950s and to ensure Chinese young people’s correct reading of this novel. The canonical status of The Gadfly was reinforced by the popularity of various adaptations of this novel in the 1950s. The canonization of The Gadfly in China, including its translation, reception and adaptation, is closely related to ideology beyond literary norms. This thesis adopts a descriptive method to focus on how translation, criticism, adaptation and other forms of rewriting work together to establish and reinforce the canonical status of The Gadfly in China, thereby bringing to light the manipulative force of ideology concealed in the process of its translation.