Study On Lin Shu's Hei Nu Yu Tian Lu

Abstract:Lin Shu, the first person who translated Occidental literary works, is considered as one of the most famous translator in late Qing Dynasty. He translated literary works from many countries such as UK, France, USA, Germany and Japan, and introduced new literary ideas and theories from the West, which has exerted significant influence on literature, translation and literary translation of modern China.This thesis, focusing on Hei Nu Yu Tian Lu, which is one of Lin Shu's early translation, makes a multi-dimensional study on this work. The thesis first gives a brief introduction on the translator Lin Shu and the author of the original novel, Mrs Stowe. Based on Hei Nu Yu Tian Lu, the thesis then analyses the work's translation methods, contextual characteristics, cultural differences, literary influence and significance. Due to the particular historical background and the fact that Lin Shu was blind to foreign languages and had to cooperate with someone who could understand the original novel, his translation clearly brings features of his times and traces of his re-writing. With the study, people can on one hand sense how Lin Shu combined translation, literary creation and "warning people with literature" together, and expand research scope on his translation works; and on the other hand facilitates further researches on the diverse and complex literary translation and cultural involvement in modern China.The thesis is divided into five chapters. Chapter one gives a brief introduction on Mrs Stowe, the author of the original novel and Lin Shu, the translator, and the publishing condition of Lin Shu's translated version. Chapter two discusses Lin Shu's translating strategy, including literal translation, free translation and modifying. Chapter three, based on the different contextual characteristic between the two works, analyses how Lin Shu followed and changed the narrative and descriptive pattern of the original novel, and exemplifies how he naturalized characters of the original work. Chapter four is a brief cultural analysis of the translated version, including Lin Shu's understanding about American customs, and his localization of the original novel. Finally, chapter five states the literary value of the two works and their significances on the real society.By systematically analyzing Hei Nu Yu Tian Lu and comparing it with the original work, the purpose of this thesis is to discover Hei Nu Yu Tian Lu's value in translation, literature and culture, making it possible to further understand Lin Shu's life, literary style, thoughts and his means of translation.