Literary Translation: Aesthetic-Psychological Approach

A lot of research work has been done in the field of translation studies. Different translation theories have been applied in different categories, which are at once interrelated and interdependent. On the whole, we can say that the most important contributions to translation studies have been made in the field of translation theory. However, the links between different branches of translation studies and that between translation studies and other disciplines are still well worth noticing and exploring. In this thesis, our main concern is literary translation and aesthetic psychology. Aesthetics, we know, is the science of the beauty and the feeling it creates in human beings, while aesthetic psychology studies the process of aesthetic activities. Accordingly it would be meaningful for the present thesis to apply aesthetic psychological theories to translation studies.The translator is the real operator or dominator of the whole translation process, who adopts certain translation strategy, selects translation method and finally creates the translated text. That is to say, it is the translator himself that really works in translation. However, the previous translation research work has given too much attention to the periphery of translation, neglecting the translator—the real subject of translation activity. Psychological perspective provides us with a most important approach to study the subjectivity of the translator. However, the translator's psychological activities are of various kinds, including his mentality in understanding, value, aesthetics and creation, etc. And the exploration of the translator's various psychological activities is a complicated systematic project. Due to the limitation of the scope of the thesis and the ability of its writer, it is impossible to make an overall exploration of all kinds of translator's psychological activities. And it would be plausible to confine the thesis within the boundary of literary translation.The target readers tend to be attracted by more beautiful versions on condition that they are faithful to the source text. Therefore, it is the translator's very duty to make aestheticization in his translation activity, especially in literary translation. There is not only linguistic information but also factors concerning artistic style, image and mood in literary works. So the translator has to have a proper aesthetic attitude and excellent aesthetic capability. Besides, during the translation process, the translator has to empathize—projecting his sensibilities to the original literary work and makes a vicarious participation in order to understand the source text thoroughly. The purpose of the thesis is to explore the psychological activities of translator when he is translating a literary work. By way of analyzing different translated versions of the same original text, this thesis is to discuss the aesthetic value, experience and capability of different translators.