On Character Image Reproduction In Howard Goldblatt's Translation From The Perspective Of Narratology

Chen Zhong De Chi Bang,Chen Ai Luo Ding and Tui Na are the second,fifth and eighth Mao Dun Literary Prize works respectively.Their English versions were translated by Howard Goldblatt in 1989,2002 and 2015.It is practically significant to study the translations of Mao Dun Literary Prize works on account of their high quality in Chinese contemporary literature and the good reputation of Howard Golblatt as a sinologist.Based on Chinese-English parallel corpora consisting of Chen Zhong De Chi Bang,Chen Ai Luo Ding and Tui Na,with three characters Zheng Ziyun,the Idiot and Jin Yan as study objects,from the perspective of Narratology,this thesis tries to discuss Howard Goldblatt's patterns of choosing translation methods in the process of character image reproduction,with character speech,character thought and narrative perspective as observation points.The thesis finds that three character images in the three English versions have been changed in different degrees.In general,compared with their originals,all the three character images have been weakened in the translations.In Howard Goldblatt's translations of different decades,there are both the “nonuniform” and “uniform” translation methods used during the reproduction process of character image.Revision(on the contents)is the uniform method used by Howard Goldblatt in all his works.The nonuniform method refers to the fact that only one translation method was used the most in each work.In Heavy Wings,omission was used the most;in Red Poppies,change of narrative perspective(revision on forms)was used the most;and in Massage,change of speech structure,especially that of quote structures(revision on forms)was used the most.Based on these findings,the thesis tries to give an explanation about the uniform and nonuniform translation methods used by Howard Goldblatt in reproducing character images from three perspectives: the inherent differences between Chinese and English languages,the translation ideas of Howard Goldblatt,and the need to cater to target readers.