A Comparative Study Of Three Chinese Versions Of Stray Birds—From The Perspective Of Translator's Subjectivity

Literature translation is an original subjective activity at the center of a complex network of social and cultural practices. Literature translators work on imaginative, intellectual and intuitive writing. Poetry ranks as an advanced category in literature. It has highly concise language with rhythm and rhyme. It requires the translator to take more subjective initiative to understand what was expressed. Translators need to use their literary attainment and artistic empathy to understand the works.The thesis analyses three Chinese versions of Stray Birds from the perspective of translator's subjectivity:one is the most popular version from Zheng Zhenduo, one is from bilingual Bai Kaiyuan, and another is from Feng Tang, who attracted lots of attention and debates. The thesis studies how the translators take the initiative to comprehend and render translation, and briefly introduces how the translation is affected by translator's objectivity including through social environment, translator's personal characters, translation purpose, publisher and public opinions.There is no universal standard for translation, the translator can take the initiative to render what he thinks is the best version. However, it doesn't mean the translator can translate at will. Compared with Zheng Zhenduo and Bai Kaiyuan, Feng Tang is more "self-centered" because he distorts some parts of the source text. He crosses the boundary of translation, which brings his translation under controversy.The translator should take his initiative rationally. He should respect original text and the author, to feel how the author feels. He shouldn't overlook the original text and translate at will...