A Comparative Study On Translator’s Subjectivity In The Two English Versions Of Du Fu’s Poems From The Perspective Of Reception Aesthetics

This thesis makes a comparative study on translator’s subjectivity in the two English versions of Du Fu’s poems from the two angles of Reception Aesthetics theory: horizon of expectation and fusion of horizon.Translator’s subjectivity refers to the subjective initiative of the translator as the translation subject display in translation activities to achieve the translation purpose,which is specifically characterized in the selection of the source text,the translator’s cultural awareness and his or her aesthetic creativity.It plays an important role in the selection of the source text and the use of translation strategies and techniques in the translation process.The Reception Aesthetics theory puts forward the two major concepts of horizon of expectation and fusion of horizon,shifting the study focus from the texts to readers,which is very enlightening for translation studies,especially the study of translator’s subjectivity.On one hand,as the first reader of the source text,the translator’s horizon of expectation influences his or her choice of the source text;on the other hand,as the creator of the target text,the translator has to fully consider the horizon of expectation of the target readers in the translation process,so as to realize the fusion of horizon of the text and the target readers.And the translator’s subjectivity is manifested in these two aspects.Based on a review of previous studies on translator’s subjectivity,it is found that the current research on translator’s subjectivity is still insufficient.The study on translator’s subjectivity also needs to be studied further.Therefore,this thesis combines Reception Aesthetics theory with translator’s subjectivity,analyzes how the translator’s subjectivity is manifested in the translation through different translation methods and techniques,and explores the similarities and differences between the translator’s subjectivity of the two translators and the main factors influencing their translator’s subjectivity,hoping to provide new enlightenment and new visions for translation research.Du Fu’s poems are full of different styles.He is adept at polishing words.His poems contain numerous use of rhetorical devices and orderly rhythm,which makes translation a more challenging task for translators who need not only strong language skills but also cultural awareness.It is found that from the two research angles of Reception Aesthetics theory,both translators took into account the differences in language and cultural to different degrees and gave full play to the translators’ subjectivity.Among the selected examples,Stephen Owen prefers a simple literal translation method,which tends to present the style and characteristics of the original language more intuitively and faithfully.Xu Yuanchong adopts free translation method more often,which is more flexible and vivid.