The Operation of Language in Poetry Translation

Abstract

The translation of one literary work from its mother language to a target language is certainly a key area of research in literary studies and comparative literature. The translation of literary works, specifically poetry, is extremely flexible and requires intricate operations of language. Not only do translators have to take into account of the structural elements of a poem, but also more obscure elements such as imagery and theme. This paper will explore the key elements of poetry translation, and the indispensable constituents of a successful translation of poetry, and focus primarily on the comparison of English and Chinese poetry along with their translations. The poetry that will be examined are Sonnet 130 written by Shakespeare and its Chinese translations, The Raven by Edgar Allan Poe, and the famous Chinese poem Yellow Crane Tower. Through the examination and analysis of these poems, a clearer definition of poetry translation can be achieved.