A Report On The English-Chinese Translation Of Melmoth The Wanderer (Chapter 4 And Selected Chapter 5)

This translation report is based on the translation practice of the fourth and part of the fifth chapters of a gothic novel — Melmoth the Wanderer.This novel was first published in 1820 and authored by the Irish writer and dramatist Charles Robert Maturin.It was considered the last piece of the classic English Gothic romances which prospered from the later part of the 18 th century to the early 19 th century.It has 39 chapters in total with six randomly arranged yet interweaving stories that are composed with distinct gothic features.The fourth chapter links the first and second stories,and the fifth chapter ushers in the second story.The importance of translating these two chapters lies in that it may help Chinese readers understand and probe into this Gothic masterpiece.This report consists of five parts,which are introduction,process description,theoretical basis,case analysis and conclusion.The first part includes background information,features of the source text and the significance of the translation.The process description involves preparation,implementation of the translation,and translation quality control.In the third part,faithfulness,smoothness and beauty —three principles put forward by Lin Yutang — are meticulously introduced and their compatibility with this practice is illustrated.The fourth part applies the theory in detecting problems and for further improvement.In the last part,the translator summarizes inspirations as well as his deficiencies.After the translation,the translator acquires a better understanding of the theory as well as the gothic novel and his translation ability is remarkably developed.More significantly,he becomes more conscious of the responsibility a translator must shoulder.