A Comparative Study On Two Chinese Versions Of Uncle Tom’s Cabin Based On Poetics In Manipulation Theory

Since the cultural turn in translation studies in late1980s, translation studies havebroken through traditional aesthetic or linguistic patterns and have been conducted under abroader social-cultural background. Translation scholars hold that the social-culturalbackground in the target language society will exert influence on translators. Lefevere, arepresentative of the Cultural School in translation studies, states that there are threeconstraints manipulating translation: ideology, poetics and patronage. Poetics consists oftwo parts: one is an inventory of literary devices, genres, motifs, prototypical characterand situations, and symbols; the other is the concept of what role literature plays in asociety. Manipulations of poetics on translation are reflected in manipulation on thetranslation language and in manipulation on translation purposes and methods.This thesis therefore makes a comparison on Lin Shu s and Huang Jizhong s Chineseversions of Uncle Toms Cabin based on the poetics in manipulation theory. The dominantpoetics in Lin Shu s and Huang Jizhong s times will be analyzed first, focusing oninventory and functional components. Analysis from the two manipulations of poetics ontranslation will be conducted: first, the thesis analyzes manipulation of inventorycomponents on translation languages of the two versions from lexical, syntactic andrhetorical levels; second, manipulation of functional components on translation purposeand methods will be studied.Study shows that in Lin Shu s time, main literary norms were Tongcheng School sYifa, Yajie and Yazheng with compact and elegant writing styles, and main function of histime were political and educational functions. While in Huang Jizhong s time, writersadopted vernacular Chinese and focused on social details. The translation of Westernliterature prevailed in his time with criteria of reproducing original style of ST; and artisticfunction was the main literary function. As a result, Lin adopts classical language stylewith short sentences, while Huang adopts the vernacular language style with long ones. Lin uses classical verse for hymns in ST, while Huang uses free verse. As to strategies, Linmainly adopts free translation and domestication while Huang uses literal translation andforeignization. Comparative analysis confirms different literary functions determine Lin sand Huang s different translation purposes. Lin s intention of saving the country andHuang s of introducing Western literature make them choose different translation methodsfor their readers. Lin adopts abridged translation, and Huang uses complete translation.The research indicates poetics varies as time goes by. To cater for the dominantpoetics, translators translation language styles, purposes and methods will be manipulatedby poetics of their times, which explains why so many differences exist in Heinu Yutian Luand Tangmu Dabo de Xiaowu. By putting the two versions in a wider social-culturalbackground, the manipulation of dominant poetics on literary translation will be exploredto broaden the research horizon of poetics and the two Chinese versions.