Between Politics And Poetics

As a pioneer of modern Chinese poetry,Mu Dan has received much recognition for his keen metaphysical thoughts and mournful yet ardent style in his writing.Amidst the ups and downs after the 1950 s,the poet Mu Dan transformed himself into the translator Zha Liangzheng who left many immortal pieces later on.Historical disturbance and the poet identity thus constitute the most distinctive elements of Zha Liangzheng’s poetry translation activities.Based on André Lefevere’s “rewriting” theory,this thesis mainly examines from the perspectives of “ideology” and “poetics” Zha Liangzheng’s translation of Byron’s lyrics in the 1950 s and his later re-translation of it in the 1970 s.Centering on changes of Zha’s relationship with ideology and dominant poetics over the two decades,literature research,comparative analysis,induction,and case study are combined to approach the corresponding influences on his translation activities.It is been identified that in the 1950 s Zha Liangzheng intended to keep abreast with ideology and dominant poetics.Zha’s translation selection and writing of peritexts are a willing compromise in nature.While his attributes as a strong and independent modernist poet constitute the immediate and crucial factor that dictates his essence-oriented principles and creative compensation strategy.Zha’s re-translation of Byron’s lyrics in the 1970 s is mostly driven by his poetics ambition and it is essentially a “covert” activity.The replacement and removal of certain peritexts see his intentional estrangement from political ideology and the dominant poetics after two decades of unjust suffering.Formal improvements,the enhanced transparency and the regained classicality observed at the textual level are found in accordance with Zha’s later stylistic changes in poetry creation.This thesis may shed some light on the tensions among Zha’s poetics,ideological,and poetological factors and their specific consequences in his translation practices.It may deepen the understanding of Zha Liangzheng’s poetry translation.