An Interpretation Of Creative Treason In Literary Translation In Light Of Rewriting Theory

"Creative Treason"is a sensitive and prominent topic in literary translation for many complicated reasons. However, scholars in translation circles haunted by"faithfulness"always condemn it and are indifferent to the manipulative forces and the translators'intentions.With the"cultural turn"in the translation studies since the 1970's, a variety of new translation theories have begun to emerge, among which the Rewriting Theory put forward by the Manipulative school forerunner AndréLefevere is very influential. Lefevere holds that translation is a rewriting of the original text and that it challenges the sacred authority of it. Moreover, this theory places the translated text within a widely social and cultural milieu in the target culture, examining the translator's activities from a dynamic perspective. It probes into the manipulative forces behind the translators and the cultural influence of the translated text on the target culture. Lefevere's theory of rewriting opens up a new horizon for translation studies and provides us a forceful perspective to reevaluate creative treason in literary translation.With the Rewriting Theory as a cornerstone and Ezra Pound's Cathay as a case study, the present thesis aims to interpret the intrinsic and extrinsic constraints governing Ezra Pound's manipulation to do deliberate mistranslation, individualized translation, addition and omission, and rewritings. By means of categorization description and contrasting analysis, the author carries out the research in terms of content and form to find a new understanding. Finally, the thesis objectively elaborates on the values and shortcomings of creative treason in literary translation.Through this research, creative treason received a new interpretation in light of the theory of rewriting, and Ezra Pound's Cathay is justifiably recognized. Also, this research widens the scope of translation studies and provides a brand-new perspective for us to understanding translation, particularly the essence and task of literary translation.The research starts with the introduction, giving a brief account of the research background, the achievements done by previous scholars and the purpose of the present study, then brings out the main body of the thesis. Chapter One begins with reviewing the traditional translation concept of faithfulness, then goes on to explore the nature of literary translation. This deconstructs the translator's faithfulness complex in the literary translation process. Then the author traces the origin of the term"creative treason"and shows the ideas given by domestic scholars, and states the definition and research object in this thesis. Chapter Two is devoted to the theoretical cornerstone: the rewriting theory and gives it a systematic interpretation. By use of specific cases, the author illustrates how the translator's literary concept and the ideological and poetical constraints characteristic of the society at a given time exert influence on the translator's translation process. In Chapter Three, based upon the comparisons made among the original, Fenollosa's notes and Pound's translation, the author investigates deeply into both the external and internal factors affecting Pound's rewritings. Aimed at the questions posed by some scholars concerning this term, Chapter Four dialectically exposes the values and influences of creative treason in literary translation combining the historical and cultural significance of Cathay. This broadens and deepens the understanding towards this phenomenon. The final part ends with conclusions in relation to the previous chapters and shows the significance of the present research and proposals for further study.