A Probe Into Ezra Pound’s Translation Thoughts Reflected In His Versions

Dozens of studies have been carried out on whether Pound’s masterpieceCathay belongs to a re-creation set in his background or a translation beingfaithful to the original. The translation strategy and criterion in Cathay are in aheated discussion. In linguistic terms, most researches focus on Pound’smistranslation and misunderstanding of Chinese culture; while, in cultural terms,the appropriation of classical Chinese images and poems is in most casesdiscussed. However, few researches have been made on analyzing the underlyingelements shaping Pound’s translation thoughts and translation strategy from thecombination of linguistic and cultural perspectives. Studies on Pound in Westerncountries focus on his political tendency and economic thinking, the relationshipbetween Pound and American traditional culture, even the analysis of his literarycreation is based on his social background and thinking pattern; while studies onPound at home is just at its beginning stage, concentrating on the influences ofPound’s literary contributions to American Modernism and Imagism, and thesummary of Pound’s translation concepts.The author aims to probe into Pound’s translation thoughts reflected mainlyin Cathay. Different from the traditional writing method of applying translationtheory to translation practice, this thesis seeks to discuss Pound’s translationthoughts from his translation practice. To give a detailed and better explanation,the thesis conducts a survey of poems included in Cathay, and observes his uniquetranslation strategy through contrast and comparison. The analysis shows it isPound’s translation thoughts that determine his creative translation strategy andthere are various internal and external elements shaping Pound’s translationthoughts. It is hoped that the thesis may enlighten more translators to advancefurther studies on Pound’s translation thoughts.