A Comparative Study Of Two Chinese Versions Of Jane Eyre

Translator, the subject of translation, is both the active reader and the creative producer of the source text. It's the translator who builds the bridge connecting two cultures and ensures the afterlife of the source text. However, the subjectivity of translator has not been paid proper attention to. Translator is regarded as "servant", female translator is even treated as "servant's servant". In the 1980s, with the "cultural turn" in translation studies, more and more scholars at home and abroad have begun to show concern for the translator's subjectivity, and they adopt different approaches to their studies. Feminism brings the aspect of "gender" into translation theories including the aim of theory, basis of research, theory strategy and practice approach, broadening the studies of translator's subjectivity. Feminist translators emphasized that translation was a political activity to strive for a due position for women and translators in society. It deserves great attention in which it enhances the subjectivity of the translator, especially of the feminist translator.Jane Eyre, the female novelist Charlotte Bronte's best literary production, is full of feminine features. From the perspective of feminist translation theories, this thesis makes a systematic and detailed comparison of the two Chinese versions of Jane Eyre, which are translated by Huang Yuanshen (male) and Zhu Qingying (female) respectively. This paper discloses the features of translators of different sexes on translation strategy and practice, especially the feminine features of female translator so that it can advocate the introduction of feminist translation studies in China.The thesis is composed of five chapters. Chapter One is the introduction that describes the aim and structure of the thesis. Literature review constitutes Chapter Two, in which studies on the notion of feminist translation and its relationships with translator's subjectivity are expounded to serve as a framework for the following discussion. Chapter Three will sum up translation strategies and methods of enhancing the female discourses in Zhu's version, and it will point out the factors affecting the choice of approaches, and the present author attempts to analyze and apply feminist translation studies into practice. In Chapter Four, it carries out a comprehensively comparative study of the two Chinese versions of Jane Eyre from the perspective of feminist translation studies, and the present author tries to indicate the feminine features in the source text through translating in the light of feminist translation studies. Based on the previous feminist translation theories and the above analysis, Chapter five, which will point out the author's findings, the significance of feminist translation theories and some points to be further researched, makes a conclusion.