Literature Review on Translation in Plays
The literature review contains two research studies on literary translation. In the first research study, the author has studied the impact of cultural translation. In the second article, the focus is on the play Scheherazade and the 1001 nights. The depiction of a literary work in different cultural contexts leads to differences from the original text.
Nagashima (2012) has conducted a study and studied the translation strategies or techniques adopted by Mori Ogai. He is one of the prominent authors and translators in Japan. In the translation of four plays written by Henrik Ibsen into Japanese, the author has noted omission and manipulation. In this manner, the original theme or idea of the original text gets behind, and the cultural translation comes forward. It happens to the translation of a literary text made in another language from the original language. The research has taken four works of Ibsen translated by Ogai. These plays are Brand, translated in 1903, John Gabriel Borkman in 1909, Ghosts in 1911, and A Doll’s House in 1913. The translation of these plays has found that the translation of plays follows some issues. A translator has some issues in mind that have cultural roots and reasons. However, it may ignore the original text in literary works (Nagashima, 2012).
Nagashima (2012) has been straightforward in the approach indicating how Ogai has ignored ideas from the original text. The researcher has stated that in translating Brand, Ogai distorted and manipulated the essence of the original text. The researcher has pointed to the second act of the play, where Ogai has omitted perspectives of Christianity. It changed the play and its content entirely. In the translation of John Gabriel Borkman, Ogai followed a different approach and did not manipulate or distort the original text. However, he used the context that was outside of the original version. However, Ogai did not omit or manipulate the original text in matters that seemed to be neutral. For instance, he adopted the strategy of narrowing down the translation of Ghosts. Nagashima (2012) has concluded from these translations that translators tend to move towards cultural translation while translating literary works.
Bahrawi (2016) has focused on the cultural turn on the translation of the play Scheherazade and the 1001 nights. He has focused on the interpretation of the play in light of contemporary trends. The researcher has found attempts where this classical work has observed modern sensibilities. The researcher has included three versions of the play and commented on whether these versions act as translations. Included versions of the play include The Thousand and Second Tale of Scheherazade in 1845, Arabian Nights and Days in 1979, and One Thousand and One Nights in 2011. These three works depict three different perspectives. The Thousand and Second Tale of Scheherazade take the standpoint of science. Arabian Nights and Days capture the political aspect. While One Thousand and One Nights take the view of feminism and human rights, these perspectives are modern, and they only take the scenes and plot from the original text in the play (Bahrawi, 2016).
The researcher has made a detailed discussion about whether these versions depict translations of the original text. In his words, these versions come up with the expectations of a translation. They have used the plot and perspective of the original play. The role of Scheherazade and her relationship with the king denotes these perspectives. One is free to take these aspects of the original work, and there should not be any limitation to doing so. Bahrawi (2012) has pointed to the words of David Damrosch, who advised caution in translation. However, the article has confirmed these three versions as good translations. It depicts the reality that the play might be old and historical, but its relevance to modern perspectives should be there (Bahrawi, 2016).
Bahrawi (2012) and Nagashima (2012) have pointed out useful works with evidence that the translation of literary works and plays can be a sensitive job. Nagashima (2012) has been more critical as he has found some translations lacking original text and meanings. He has described them as cultural translations. Bahrawi (2012) has taken three translations as good ones because they come up with the definition of a translation.
References
Bahrawi, N. (2016). A Thousand and One Rewrites Translating Modernity in the Arabian Nights. Journal of World Literature, 1(3), 357–370.
Nagashima, Y. (2012). From “Literary Translation” to “Cultural Translation”: Mori Õgai and the Plays of Henrik Ibsen. Japan Review, 24(1), 85-104.
