Translator's Subjectivity Reflected In Zhang Guruo's Translation Of The Return Of The Native

Traditional translation theories hold that seeking for semantic correspondence between two different languages is the criteria for translation, that is to say, the translation should be"faithful"to the original text. As to a translator, reproducing the original text faithfully and objectively is his/her ultimate goal. The translator must be"invisible"in the translated works. Any sign of personal characteristics is unacceptable. In such a case, in the translating process, the translator's role is hardly disclosed. In the late 1970s, cultural turn in translation studies comes out. In this social, historical and cultural background, translation is regarded as a cross-cultural communicative process, instead of a final product. Meanwhile, the translator with obvious personal features has appeared in translation. His/her identities and roles transform from obscurity to clarity, which get more and more important, and attract great attention from scholars in translation field.Zhang Guruo is one of the most famous translators in China, having a perfect mastery of both Chinese and English on the one hand, and both Chinese culture and English culture on the other. He has translated many works of the English author Thomas Hardy, and The Return of the Native being one of them. Zhang Guruo is entitled"Expert on Hardy". His Chinese version of The Return of the Native is popular among readers, which draws attention in the translation field, and deserves studying.This paper introduces Zhang Guruo and his translation, as well as his thoughts on translation, delves into the transition of the translator's status since the cultural turn, and discusses about the translator's subjectivity from the perspective of translation theories. Skopos Theory, Lefevere's Rewriting Theory, and Reception Theory are taken into consideration. The display and restraints of the translator's subjectivity given by the translation theories are expounded. Zhang Guruo's translated work of The Return of the Native reveals his subjectivity. The manifestation of the translator's subjectivity is analyzed in the following aspects: the translator's choice of the original text, translation strategies, translation methods, as well as his language style.In conclusion of the whole thesis, the paper states that the translator plays an indispensable part in translation activities. The translator's subjectivity is brought into full play in translation process. At the same time, the translator's subjectivity is influenced and constrained by various factors, including personal, external, and objective factors. The content of the translator's subjectivity is rich and colorful. This thesis regards that only when the translator's subjectivity is recognized and focused, could the translation process be well afoot under the guidance of translator's subjectivity.