Poetry Translation In Two English Versions Of Hong Lou Meng:a Case Study Of Rewriting Theory

As the classics of Chinese classical novels, Hong Lou Meng, with its extensive and profound cultural connotations and superb artistic value, enjoys an extensive popularity at home and abroad since its publication. As a pursuit of the entire career, countless scholars devote themselves to the study and translation of Hong Lou Meng According to incomplete statistics, at present, Hong Lou Meng has been published overseas in twenty languages and there are more than sixty versions. As for English versions, twelve English versions have been formally published so far. Among them, there are two versions which are most popular. One is The Story of the Stone translated by David Hawkes and John Minford; the other one is A Dream of Red Mansions translated by Yang Xianyi and his wife Gladys Yang. Many researches and criticism on these two versions with distinctive styles have been done by numerous translation researchers. Based on Lefevere’s Rewriting Theory, this thesis makes a comparative study on these two versions at a macro level.Based on Polysystem Theory, Rewriting Theory is proposed by Belgian American translation theorist, Andre Lefevere. It advocates that translation is a sub-system of the whole literary system, which is manipulated by polysystem of literature. Translation activity is, in fact, a rewriting manipulated by many factors in socio-cultural system. This thesis selects the poetry translation in these two versions as a case study. Based on the theoretical framework of Rewriting Theory, the author carries out a comparative study of the poetry translation in these two versions from the perspectives of the three manipulating factors, i.e., patronage, ideology and poetics.In respect of patronage factor, the manipulation mainly focuses on the selection of translation and translator which manipulate translator’s translation activity from the aspects of ideology, economy and social status. In respect of ideology factor, the dominant ideology (including social ideology and political ideology) along with translator’s individual ideology have significant impact on translation strategies. In respect of poetics factor, the manipulation comes from the function and status of translation in a given society as well as the literary system, which is embodied in the dominant poetics and individual poetics.Through comparative analysis of poetry translation in these two versions, this thesis finds that the manipulations of patronage, ideology and poetics on the translator’s strategy really exist in translation more or less. The manipulation is embodied in not only the explanation of theme but also lexical selection as well as the rhythm and form in a single poem, even exerts great influence on the overall style. Meanwhile, this thesis breaks through the constricted discussion of the merits and demerits of a translation or different versions. This thesis emphasizes the reasonability of translation and the manipulation factors in a given socio-cultural background. As for translation researchers, it is necessary to take socio-cultural factors into account when they give an evaluation for different versions.