Literary Legacy Research Articles

A REVIEW OF THE HISTORY OF THE TRANSLATION OF EDGAR ALLAN POE’S WORKS INTO THE FRENCH LANGUAGE IN THE XIX CENTURY

The literary legacy of Edgar Allan Poe transcends borders, captivating readers worldwide with his haunting tales of mystery, macabre, and psychological depth. Among the numerous languages into which Poe’s works have been translated, the French language occupies a prominent place, reflecting the enduring fascination of French readers with his oeuvre. This paper undertakes a comprehensive examination of the history of French translations of Poe’s works made in the 19th century and the special passion French artists had for the American writer. Through a meticulous overview of archival materials, literary criticism, and translation studies, this research illuminates the evolution of French translations of Poe’s writings, shedding light on the cultural, linguistic, and editorial factors that have shaped their reception in France. It explores the pivotal role played by translators, such as Charles Baudelaire and Stephan Mallarmé, in introducing Poe to the French literary scene and examines the strategies employed to render his unique style and thematic preoccupations into French. In analyzing the translations, we have drawn on some archival material from the French press, literary criticism, and a body of existing research on the subject. This study considers the ways in which French translators have interpreted and reinterpreted Poe’s works in light of changing literary and cultural sensibilities. By tracing the trajectory of French translations of Poe’s works, this paper not only contributes to our understanding of the reception of one of America’s foremost literary figures in France but also offers insights into the dynamics of literary translation and cultural exchange. It underscores the enduring relevance and adaptability of Poe’s writings across linguistic and cultural boundaries, highlighting the ways in which they continue to resonate with readers in France and beyond.

Famine and ‘hongersnood’ as transnational memory: Literary legacies of the 1840s food crises in Ireland and the Netherlands

The potato blight in Ireland (1845–1849) and the dire effects of the Phytophthora infestans in the Netherlands (1845–1847) have been investigated primarily through a socioeconomical lens. The cultural practices that have shaped and transmitted the memories of these famine pasts, however, require further examination, especially in connection to the Dutch potato hunger. This article investigates the cultural legacies of these two concurrent famines as both transgenerational and transnational forms of famine memory. Focusing on literary texts, and in particular children’s and young adult novels, as carriers of famine recollections, this study demonstrates recurrent narrative scripts which go back to earliest cultural representations of these hunger crises. While tropes, plotlines and characterisations are thus a form of transgenerational prosthetic memory, the cultural repertoires used to convey famine memory also appear to be transnational, in that Dutch and Irish famine literatures are structured around similar narrative templates.

‘More Love Letters, Please!’: Portuguese Love and the Literary Legacy of Sincere Feeling

ABSTRACT: This essay traces the formation of the myth of Portuguese Love, and demonstrates both its transcultural reach and its importance for literary history. Sparked by the tragic love of Pedro and Inês de Castro, the notion of Portuguese Love was crystallized in seventeenth-century France by Lettres portugaises , influenced European letters for centuries, and became an enduring myth in Portuguese culture. Anchored by Roland Barthes’s critique of the contemporary disparagement of sentimental love, the essay argues that Portuguese Love’s continued affirmation, from nineteenth-century literary iterations to current manifestations, demonstrates the power of a discourse of genuine feeling to counter ideological appropriation.

Verses of Despair (Robert Bly’s Poetics between Idealism and Naturalism)

The Vietnam War generated a major outpouring of American antiwar poetry that served as a powerful medium of expressing dissent and disillusionment with the war. One of many American poets who extensively contributed to the antiwar poetry movement during the war is Robert Bly. While Bly’s poetics are often appreciated for their revolutionary fervor, there exists a subtle and concealed naturalist streak in his poetry that deserves further exploration. The scholarly marginalization of such an aspect of his literary legacy undermines the richness and complexity of Bly’s poetic vision. This paper seeks to identify moments of rupture that challenge Bly’s idealized poetics of antiwar stance, moments that strike a naturalistic chord that capitalizes on the pessimistic belief that the world and politics are outside of one’s own control. Through a naturalistic theoretical framework, the paper looks closely at two of Bly’s lesser-known poems: “The World is a Confusion of Three Worlds” (1960) and “The Approaching War” (2003), written respectively in reference to the Vietnam and Iraq Wars. The significance of this study lies in deepening our understanding of the breadth and width of Bly’s poetics and politics, illustrating the potential and limitation of his antiwar stance and rhetoric. It also helps rectify the prevailing misconception that naturalism is irrelevant in the late twentieth century’s evolving literary styles of expression.

From Black Magician to Proto-Feminist: The Reception of Cornelius Agrippa's Oeuvre Through the Centuries

The Renaissance humanist Cornelius Agrippa von Netesheim (1486–1533) left a rich body of works in philosophy, theology, biblical exegesis and occultism. The disparity and internal contradictions of this opus, as well as the ambivalent position of Agrippa on the intellectual map of the epoch, caused the reception of his work to branch out in the most diverse directions. Contemporaries from clerical and Protestant circles branded him as a heretic, whereas humanists recognized his great erudition and devotion to faith. While he considered himself a reformer of Christianity, his followers regarded him as an authority in Neoplatonic, Hermetic, and Esoteric studies. On the basis of tendentious interpretations of his writings, as well as the entire tradition of apocryphal stories that developed around his personality, the church and folk tradition of the 16th and 17th centuries constructed a representation of Agrippa as a servant of the devil. Therefore, he served as a model for the character of Faust, first to Christopher Marlowe and later to Goethe. With the strong development of science and its foundations being linked with occult teachings, in the 18th and 19th centuries the image of Agrippa as a proto-scientist appeared, e.g. in Mary Shelley’s novel Frankenstein. However, for the positivist science of the late 19th and early 20th centuries, Agrippa was, at best, a representative of a barren branch of Western philosophical thought, and at worst, a mere charlatan or mentally disturbed person. Such a perception prevailed until the mid-20th century, when scholars from Warburg Institute in London developed new interpretations of Renaissance humanism, including Agrippa's role in it. Today's science views Agrippa as a representative of the vital religious component of humanism and as a link between ancient, medieval and Renaissance currents of thought. At the same time, in certain segments of New Age, his writings acquire the status of the "bible" of the occultism, and Agrippa himself the status of a kind of New Age guru. Therefore, the literary legacy of Cornelius Agrippa is of significance for the history of ideas, reception studies, imagology, and anthropology of religion as an exceptionally rich case study, and in this paper, we aim to trace the intricate paths of his reception in different epochs and cultural contexts.

Exploring Death Through Life: A Deep Dive into Sylvia Plath’s Thematic Mastery

This article sheds perceptive light on the complex theme of death in Sylvia Plath’s poetry. She is considered one of the most significant literary voices of the twentieth century. The combination of Plath’s intense personal suffering with her unique stylistic skill makes her an esteemed poet in literature. She not only views death as the inevitable end of life, but embarks on a deeper quest, engaging with death as a dialectic to life, offering a new perspective on the meaning of death in her poetic paradigm. To truly grasp Plath’s poems, one must first enter the turbulent terrain of her personal life. Two cataclysmic events stand out: the untimely death of her father and her complicated breakup from her husband Ted Hughes. These traumatic life events not only provide context but become part of her poetic DNA. Through them, Plath unfolds a tapestry of emotions that conveys a deep sense of helplessness in the face of the idea of death as a possible path to redemption. This emotional complexity comes through clearly in her work as a whole. In “Daddy,” for example, she channels a potent mix of aggression and fear, a pull that is clearly directed at the main characters in her life. Through the lens of her poetry, death is transformed from a mere ending into a never-ending saga that embodies eternal pain, loss, and an insatiable longing for what was once tangible. This article underscores the intertwined relationship between Plath’s personal journey through the shadows of death and the manifestation of these experiences in her poems. Her profound reflections on death not only solidified her literary legacy, but also made a strong mark that resonated deeply with and influenced readers across time and space.

The University of Zimbabwe Department of English’s Dambudzo Marechera (2013–2018)

Abstract In this article, I discuss the personal (autobiographical), literary and political relationship between Dambudzo Marechera’s texts, the University of Zimbabwe’s then Department of English and my own development as an early career scholar. This relationship went beyond academia. Through a reflection on the various pedagogical approaches used by the department’s lecturing staff, I arrive at Marechera’s lasting literary legacy vis a vis the implications of ideological readings of literature in Zimbabwe. Marechera’s The House of Hunger, specifically, reveals the ideologies that are constantly employed in the reading of Zimbabwean Literature, which in turn, reveals the patriotism litmus test to which every aspect of Zimbabwean life is subject. The approaches impeded and facilitated critical readings to various degrees. I will argue that Marechera’s text’s stylistic and thematic concerns which traversed the literary, political, and autobiographical terrains complicated some of the readings and invited the microscopic scrutiny to which both the author and his work were subjected. Essentially, I discuss the identity and processes of identity making that revealed themselves in the reading of The House of Hunger and how all of these have impacted my own development as a young academic.

Contemplación, Mística y Espíritu Carmelitano en la Poesía de Rosa Cruchaga de Walker

A new line of study of Rosa Cruchaga de Walker's poetry is proposed, focusing on the contemplative and mystic component, in accordance with the literary legacy of Discalced Carmelite, from the theology of Saint Teresa of Jesus to the poetry of Saint John of the Cross. The question of this study emerges from the analysis of some poems selected from the book of poems Ramas sin fondo (1967) corresponding to the Hispanic American post-avant-garde period. This book and her work as a whole highlights the use of symbolic objects and the desire of the poetic self to transcend its human condition. Through a daily and biblical symbology, the reader can appreciate the intimate spirituality of the author, which impregnates her verses and generates a unique «overworld» in the Chilean poetry of the XX century.

Imagined Buddhisms and the Limits of Female Liberation in Qurratulain Hyder’s River of Fire

This study considers how Urdu Indian writer, Qurratulain Hyder historicizes the role of Buddhism in her magnum opus, River of Fire. Previous studies have approached the question of religion in River of Fire in relation to the radical nationalisms of Hinduism and Islam. Meanwhile, Buddhism—a religious philosophy often perceived as innocuous in the polemics of Partition—has received only a passing nod. This study demonstrates that Hyder’s imagination of Buddhism from the perspective of female domesticity, unravels a more complicated religious and literary legacy than what was generally understood among her contemporary intelligentsia. In the opening chapters of the novel, Hyder draws on classical Buddhist literatures such as the Therīgāthā, to challenge romanticized imaginations of Buddhism. This article teases out this intertextuality between the novel and the Buddhist canon as a moment that foregrounds the implications of liberation for generations of women silenced by hegemonic religious and national histories. Drawing on Saba Mahmood’s Politics of Piety, I argue that Hyder explores alternative conceptions of feminine self-realization and liberation which interrogate not only traditional monastic notions of freedom and liberation but also feminist and Buddhist discourses of equality in the nation.

Don DeLillo’s Falling Man as Cultural Trauma Fiction

Abstract The sociological concept of cultural trauma provides a useful lens for understanding large-scale traumatic events and their literary legacies because this concept recognizes the historical, social, and cultural aspects of trauma rather than limiting its scope to the experiences of individuals or small collectives. The terrorist attacks on 11 September 2001 initiated widespread trauma through the spectacle of the planes colliding with the World Trade Center and the Pentagon. Literature after 9/11 is both a product of cultural trauma and a means of exploring the profound effects of that trauma. Some 9/11 novels are part of a subgenre I call Cultural Trauma Fiction, which depicts and explores the effect of a large-scale traumatic event on a culture. Texts within this subgenre represent multiple identities and perspectives, engage with cultural concerns about memorializing the trauma, consider the ethics of representing that trauma through different media, and advance counternarratives that challenge dominant government or media narratives about the trauma. Don DeLillo’s Falling Man constitutes a work of Cultural Trauma Fiction in that its structure and narrative strategies move beyond the scope of the novel’s plot, offering insight into the cultural response to 9/11 and countering hegemonic narratives. Works of Cultural Trauma Fiction like Falling Man highlight the collective hidden transcript of traumatic events and challenge official narratives that oversimplify cultural traumas. Falling Man complicates and enriches the collective understanding of 9/11 by challenging, revising, and reconstructing its cultural narratives.

Literary tourism in the Canary Islands: the legacy of Sanmao

ABSTRACT The aim of this paper is to explore two recent initiatives in literary tourism, i.e. two literary trails in the Canary Islands, Spain, linked to the iconic Chinese writer Sanmao, who lived on the islands of Gran Canaria and La Palma in the 1970s and 80s, and who became a literary phenomenon, elevated to myth by many in China for the humanistic power of her narrative. After an overview of new trends in Chinese outbound tourism, the focus is set on Sanmao’s life and literary legacy, including aspects related to the recent publication in the West of the translations of some of her stories, opening her world to a new readership. An outline of theory concerning literary tourism is given, followed by the methodology used in this research. Next, the literary trails designed by the Tourism Boards of both islands are described. The readers’ connections with Sanmao are analyzed through a specific online survey, as well as additional primary data based on a series of interviews with key actors. The results provide a valuable contribution to a better understanding of Sanmao and of the motivations of literary pilgrims who travel to these distant lands in order to pay tribute to her.

Макробий в англоязычных исследованиях

The article examines the principal English-language studies of the last century focused on exploring the personality of Macrobius (5th century) and his works — Saturnalia (Saturnalia [ed. Willis, 1963]), Commentary on the 'Dream of Scipio' (Commentarii in Somnium Scipionis [ed. Willis, 1963]), and On the differences and similarities of Greek and Latin verbs (De verborum graeci et latini differentiis vel societatibus excerpta [ed. De Paolis, 1990]), written for educational purposes and representing a compendium of Greek knowledge. Interest in Macrobius's creative legacy notably intensified towards the end of the 19th century, a trend linked to the release of critical editions of Macrobian texts and their subsequent translations into French. In particular, the study analyzes the research of Thomas Whittaker (Macrobius; or philosophy, science and letters in the year 400; published in 1923), William Harris Stahl (Macrobius, Commentary on the ‘Dream of Scipio’, published in 1952), Alan Cameron (The date and identity of Macrobius [published in 1966] and Macrobius, Avienus, and Avianus [published in 1967]), Herman De Ley (Macrobius and Numenius. A study of Macrobius, ‘In Somn.’ I, c. 12; published in 1972), Stephen Gersh (Middle platonism and neoplatonism, the Latin tradition; published in 1986), Roger A. Pack (A medieval critic of Macrobius’ cosmometrics; published in 1981), Alison Peden (Science and philosophy in Wales at the time of the Norman conquest: a Macrobius manuscript from Llabadarn; published in 1981), among others. It highlights the primary issues that researchers have focused on when studying Macrobius's literary legacy, identifies the challenges in analyzing his works, and acknowledges the contribution of English-speaking scholars to the global historiography.

LITERARY LEGACY OF STEFAN ZYZANIY IN THE UKRAINIAN POLEMICAL TRADITION OF THE 16TH–17TH CENTURIES

The paper explores an integral component of the Ukrainian polemical tradition of the 16th–17th centuries – the literary legacy of the bourgeois-fraternal preacher-tribune, Stefan Zyzaniy, brother of the renowned lexicographer Lavrentiy Zyzaniy. Literary works considered a continuation of preaching activities became exceptionally significant prior to the Brest Church Union, during a period of escalating national and religious tensions. Rumors of Orthodox bishops' betrayal and the adoption of the union with the Vatican, particularly by Metropolitan M. Rohoza, contributed to the exacerbation of national and religious oppressions among the Ukrainian population. As a polemicist, Stefan Zyzaniy authored several books, including "Catechism," published in Vilnius in 1595, "Exposition on the Orthodox Faith," and "Sermon of St. Cyril, Patriarch of Jerusalem, on the Antichrist and His Signs with the Expansion of Doctrine against Various Heresies" (Vilnius, 1596). "Catechism," along with numerous sermons where he opposed Jesuits and Orthodox bishops inclined towards the Union, have not survived to this day. In the work "Sermon of St. Cyril, Patriarch of Jerusalem, on the Antichrist and His Signs with the Expansion of Doctrine against Various Heresies" (1596), Stefan Zyzaniy presents the literary image of the pope as the Antichrist. In this sermon, Zyzaniy lists eleven signs of the Antichrist's approach and connects them with the realities of contemporary life. The signs of the Antichrist's reign closely align with the events in Ukrainian society at the end of the 16th century. Therefore, this work is not merely a translation of Cyril of Jerusalem's work but an original and independent work by the polemicist writer. The paper attempts to determine the place and role of "Sermon of St. Cyril, Patriarch of Jerusalem, on the Antichrist and His Signs with the Expansion of Doctrine against Various Heresies" within the literary-religious image of the era and its impact on the societal discourse of the time through an analysis of its structure, style, and content. Analyzing this work in the context of contemporary realities contributes to a deeper understanding of the dynamics of religious and cultural processes within Ukrainian society.

OBSERVATIONS ON THE LIFE AND CREATIVITY OF MURODIY

In this article is discussed the bilingual poet Turamurod Sayid Muhammadhon's life and literary legacy during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It also examines Hasanmurod Laffasiy's “Tazkirayi shuaro” and Muhammad Yusuf Bayoni's works “Shajarayi Xorazmshohiy” and “Haft shuaro” providing insights into the poet's life and creativity from various sources, focusing on textual and literary-historical analysis. The sources are comparatively analyzed, and conclusions are drawn based on scholarly research.

“The Lispings of a Babe”? Anne Dutton’s Publishing History and Literary Legacy

ABSTRACT Despite her prolific publication history, Anne Dutton (1692–1765) has received little in-depth scholarly attention. Working with a select coterie of dissenting printers and booksellers in London from her home in Great Gransden, Huntingdonshire, Dutton published in nearly every genre popular with eighteenth-century women writers: diary, autobiography, hymns, poems, letters, formal religious discourse and polemical treatises. Her writings reveal a powerful voice that allowed Dutton to enter areas of pastoral ministry unknown to any other eighteenth-century Baptist woman. Her vivid and accessible prose made her one of the most popular religious writers during the Evangelical Revival of the late 1730s and early 1740s. Dutton exhibited a mature brand of authorial power as a woman writer across three decades and more than sixty volumes of printed letters and religious treatises on topics that few women of her day dared to approach, cleverly redefining the limits of public and private spheres for women writers in her two defences of the right of women to publish. Dutton’s writings laid the groundwork upon which dissenting women like Maria de Fleury and Mary Hays would build in the latter decades of the eighteenth century.

Tadeusz Różewicz and the Neighbors. Literature, Rememberingand the Production of Locality

The article discusses Tadeusz Różewicz’s role in shaping the locality of Wrocław. Localityis defi ned as a discourse that delineates interpersonal relations and the connections between socialgroups or individuals with places and objects in their immediate space. It encompasses beliefs,perceptions, emotions, or narratives accompanying these interactions. Drawing on the writer’s literaryworks and other statements as well as on his biography – considered as mediums of localidentity – the article describes Różewicz’s infl uence on the production of this discourse. It alsoexamines the practices of commemorating and remembering the poet, which utilize his personaor literary legacy. The key research questions are: Who and how shapes Różewicz’s locality discourse?Is it a product of city institutions and political-cultural elites, or does it have a neighborly,familial, or private character? Is the local collective memory of the communist era or the pre-wartime present in it, and if so, how?

Comparative Study of English Translations of Tang Poetry "Shu Xiang" from the Perspective of Eco-Translatology: Illustrated with the Versions by Xu Yuanchong and Stephen Owen

As one of the valuable literary legacies of China, Tang poetry contains rich linguistic and cultural knowledge. Translating it into English not only helps spread the excellent traditional culture of China to the outside world, but also promotes people to delve into and re-experience its profound meaning, thus making it last forever. This study explores the two English translations of "Shu Xiang" from the perspective of Eco-Translatology, evaluating the advantages and disadvantages of each translation in terms of "three-dimensional" transformation. Feeling the uniqueness of language through comparison and understanding the profoundness of culture through analysis, thereby enhancing cultural confidence. It provides reference for the translation of Chinese literary classics into English, and promotes the research on relevant models for the internationalization of Chinese literature and culture. The research results indicate that Xu Yuanchong's translation has the highest degree of integrated adaptive selection. The study also demonstrates that the theory of Eco-Translatology can be used to analyze English translations of poetry and provide a new perspective for the translation of poetry.

The spirit of freedom in the works of Mashkhur-Jusip Kopeyuly

Relevance. The works of Mashkhur-Zhusip Kopeyuly always differ in science in terms of their national content, style, and breadth of knowledge. Over time, the poet's legacy is being studied in detail, and its significance and relevance is growing. Purpose. The purpose of the study was to analyze the patriotic poems of Mashhur-Zhusip Kopeyuly and their impact on the modern youth of the sovereign country of Kazakhstan. In addition, to analyze the poet's personal statements, his poetic thoughts and philosophical views. Methodology. The research employs a qualitative approach, involving a comprehensive analysis of Mashkhur-Zhusip Kopeyuly's literary works. The study delves into the historical context, thematic elements, and symbolic representations within the poet's writings, drawing insights from literary criticism and historical accounts. Results. The article covers topical issues such as the national spirit, heroism and identity of the country, freedom and liberty, and their impact on the Kazakh spirituality, which are the basis of the poet's works. The historical events of the early 20th century, the violence of colonial policy and their consequences were widely reflected in the poet's legacy. In addition, the poet's own personal expressions, poetic thoughts and philosophical views were scientifically described and analyzed in detail. The poet's basic humanistic views on education and science, tradition and culture are depicted in the research. Conclusions. The study concludes that Mashkhur-Zhusip Kopeyuly's literary legacy holds enduring relevance in fostering a sense of patriotism and national pride among the youth of modern Kazakhstan. His works remain a testament to the indomitable spirit of the Kazakh people and their unwavering pursuit of independence and self-determination. The research underscores the need for further in-depth analysis and broader dissemination of the poet's works to inspire future generations and promote a deeper understanding of Kazakhstan's rich cultural heritage.

Exploring the Interplay of Faith and Experience: Religious Sensibility in Kamala Das’s Poetry

The key elements in the discussed text revolve around religious sensibility, faith, and experience, particularly within the context of Kamala Das's writings. The exploration into Das's works highlights the intricate interrelationship between faith and experience, portraying a dynamic journey where faith both emerges from and shapes the self. The nuanced depiction of religious sensibility underscores the complexity of this relationship. Kamala Das's narratives, spanning childhood encounters with deities to introspective moments of ecstasy, provide a multifaceted examination of these themes. The convergence of religious awareness, personal experiences, and transformative faith contributes to the richness of Das's literary legacy, offering readers profound insights into the complexities of spirituality and self-awareness.

The Lex Scantinia and the Public Response to Stuprum

The lex Scantinia was one of the earliest (and arguably one of the most infamous) laws criminalizing sexual misconduct in Roman society. Modern scholars know little about the specifics of the law itself, largely because all evidence for the law, the behaviors it prohibited, and any mechanisms for enforcement/punishment must be gleaned from a few scattered references appearing in a variety of literary sources. This paper examines the literary legacy of the lex Scantinia against the legislative context in which the law may have been created. It suggests that the consensus about what constituted sexual morality and the drive to assert state authority were not necessarily synonymous with a deep commitment to and prioritization of this standard in everyday life.