ON THE PLEASURES AND PERILS OF TRANSLATING POETRY

Abstract

Translation, from one language to another, whether of fiction, or commercial or journalistic items, but especially of poetry, is an integral part of all literary production and dissemination. Virtually all poets and other writers of originality have also sought to translate poems that have attracted their attention by virtue of being immaculately crafted, eloquent as well as exquisite, poems that may virtually be described as receptacles of beautiful thoughts and expression. Like other creative arts, translation is an important occupation and makes serious demands on the translator. There are pitfalls in translation that cannot be avoided merely because the translator is fluent in the languages with which he or she is working. In the present article, attempts are made to investigate, or at least to study, suitable examples of poetic translation in several languages. Poets from whom examples have been chosen for translation include those from Ireland, Great Britain, France, Germany, Turkey and the Indian subcontinent spread over the last few centuries.