摘 要

作为中国古典文学最宝贵的财富之一，唐诗在一千多年后的今天依旧有着极大的影响力。本研究以李白诗歌为例，研究译者主体性对于中国古典诗歌英译策略及方法的影响。作为中国最负盛名的诗人之一，李白一生中创作了超过九百首诗歌。自十八世纪开始，一直有学者尝试把李白诗歌翻译成英文，译者作为翻译活动中的行为主体，使得这些英译本在不同方面、不同程度上都体现出一定差异。本研究重点关注许渊冲和唐一鹤两位译家的译作，通过对翻译实例的考察，分析两位译家的翻译策略和方法，探讨译者主体性因素对李白诗歌英译的影响。

关键词：译者主体性；李白诗歌；英译对比

Abstract

Being regarded as one the most valuable treasures of Chinese classical literature, the poems in Tang Dynasty are still influential after more than one thousand years today. This paper aims at studying the impact of translator’s subjectivity on the strategies and methods of the English translations of Chinese classical poetry and selects Li Bai’s poems as the case. Li Bai’s poems have been translated into English by a lot of scholars since 18^th century. As the subject in translating activities, the translators result in the differences of these English translation versions in different aspects and degrees. This paper focuses on the two different versions translated by Xu Yuanchong and Tang Yihe and analyzes their translation strategies and methods through studying the specific examples, discussing the impact brought by translator’s subjectivity on the English translations of Li Bai’s poems.

Key Words: translator’s subjectivity; Li Bai’s poems; comparison of English translation

Contents

1 Introduction.................................................................................................................1

1.1 Tang poems...........................................................................................................1

1.2 Li Bai and his poems............................................................................................2

2 Literature Review........................................................................................................4

2.1 English translation versions of Li Bai’s poems....................................................4

2.2 Translation-related research of Li Bai’s poems....................................................6

3 Theoretical Foundation — Translator’s Subjectivity................................................7

3.1 Features of translator’s subjectivity......................................................................7

3.2 Application of translator’s subjectivity into the translations of Li Bai’s poetry...9

4 A Comparative Study on Xu’s and Tang’s Translations of Li Bai’s Poems from the Perspective of Translator’s Subjectivity.......................................................................11

4.1 Rhyming.............................................................................................................11

4.2 Analysis of translation strategies........................................................................13

4.3 Discussion on translation strategies...................................................................16

5 Conclusion.................................................................................................................18

References....................................................................................................................19

Acknowledgements......................................................................................................20

On Translator's Subjectivity in the English Translations of Chinese Classical Poetry — A Case Study of Li Bai's Poems

1 Introduction

In this part, it briefly introduces the development of Chinese classical poetry in Tang Dynasty and the representative poet Li Bai as well as his poems.

1.1 Tang poems

Poetry is one of the most important forms of literary in Chinese history. It first appeared in about three thousand years ago. In various types of poems, people used some simple words to describe the things they saw, they heard in their daily lives or to express their feelings about everything they experienced. Because of its unique rhymes and forms, poetry was very popular among all the litterateurs in ancient China and almost every famous scholar had written some poems to show their ability in composing. Therefore, poetry has been greatly developed as more and more people participated in composing it and in Tang Dynasty the development reached the peak.

Usually Tang Dynasty is regarded as the Golden Age of Chinese poetry. The poems created in Tang Dynasty are called Tang poems, which are always considered as one of the most fabulous cultural heritage in our country. There are various styles of Tang poems and the classical one is called pre-Tang poetry, with five or seven characters in a line and without strict tonal patterns or rhyme schemes. The other one is the innovation during this period, defined as the “modern style” poetry, consisting of two different forms called jueju and lüshi, marked by strict tonal patterns and rhyme schemes.

The evolvement of Tang poems is based on the developmental stages of the whole dynasty. It can be divided into four parts according to the chronological divisions: Early Tang, High Tang, Middle Tang and Late Tang. Poems in different periods have varied features, but all of them were greatly influenced by the poems in former dynasties. It not only inherited the Yuefu folk songs in Han Dynasty, but also developed the Gexing style and the “modern style”. The themes of the poetry in Tang Dynasty can be approximately divided into four groups. The first is the Fields and Gardens Poets Group, mainly describing the beauties of nature and expressing the enjoyment about the peaceful life. The second is the Borders and Frontier Fortress Poets Group, usually describing the battlefield and the war, showing the cruelty of the warfare and the values of the peace. The third is the Romantic Poets Group and these poems are usually bold, unrestrained, imaginative and magnificent, in order to express the desire and pursuit of freedom. The last is the Realistic Poets Group, whose style is often depressed and gloomy, showing the worry about the society and the feelings of compassion.

1.2 Li Bai and his poems

Li Bai (701 - 762), also translated as Li Bo, his courtesy name was Taibai and his pseudonym was Qinglian Jushi. He is the most outstanding poet in High Tang, known as the "Immortal Poet", and is also the greatest romantic poet in Chinese literary history after Qu Yuan. He had a rough life with complicated thoughts. He is a talented poet, ranger, assassin, Taoist, counselor and hermit, with the thoughts of Confucianism, Taoism, and rangers. His major plan about his life was to retire after making an achievement.