A Probe Into The Artistic Characteirstics Of Ying Ruocheng’s Drama Translation From The Perspective Of Skopos Theory

Drama takes script as its carrier, script functions in two aspects: applies forreading as other literary forms or for stage performance. The relationship betweendramatic text and stage performance is intricate and confusing. In a period of overten years’ study in drama translation, Bassnett is still trapped in the “labyrinth”: atthe end of70s of last century, she thinks that drama translation should follow twoprinciples, say “performability” and “function of dramatic text”,“performability”would explain that the concept of dramatic text and performance are two differentaspects, dramatic text contains some “performable” characteristics, she states that“performability” is the first principle to follow. Around the middle of80s her point ofview starts to change, because she has realized that “performability” is almost amission impossible for drama translators, and “performability” is for a long time hasno clear definition. When time moves to the90s she starts proposing dramatranslation back to the field of literature, although she can not deny the dialecticalrelationship between dramatic text and performance.This paper will apply the point of view of Skopos theory. It states that the needand backgrounds of the target receiver would determine the process and means, theend determines the means. To a great extent drama is to be moved onto stage and face the audience, so that the audience is the receiver. The original intention of YingRuocheng’s translation is to introduce Western masterpieces back to Chinese people,and bring Chinese great works to global audience. He knows the need and taste ofWestern and Chinese audience, his translation conforms to their appreciation meettheir need, so that his works are highly acclaimed.This paper will try to study comprehensively Ying’s major works created forstage performance, hope to through introducing his reasons for choices of material,original intention and expectation of his translation, through analysing characteristicsand effect of his choice of language, and his translation strategy which are made forimmediate understanding and response of th e audience, to preliminarily induct someartistic characteris tics of his drama translation. And hope this effort will be beneficialto the future drama translation and study of drama translation.