Adventures in Translation

Abstract

(article forthcoming) Modern Romanian literature starts off at the end of 18th century in the Romanian Principalities with the assimilation of literary models offered by the contemporary phanariot (or “phanariotised”) élites, which acted also as an intermediary for Italian and French culture, and develops further from the mid-19th century under the auspices of the immediate contact with (mostly) French literature. The newfound enthusiasm for western European culture brought about in the Principalities a sharp increase in the publication of literary works, most of which were initially translations. For instance, the number of novels published in 1851-1860 was more than double of those published in 1831-1850, and of the 1.069 novels published in 1831-1918, 436 were by foreign authors. Of the latter, the most popular by far, with 49 titles and 17 editions to his name, was Alexandre Dumas pére. My intervention aims to outline the reception of Dumas’ work through translation in Romanian 19th century culture, with a special focus on the several translations of the Le Comte de Monte-Cristo.