A Study On Xu Zhimo As Literary Translator

Xu Zhimo(1897—1931), a famour figure in the 20th century, is remembered mainly as a gifted poet. As with his endeavors and achievements in translation, people seem to be marginally concerned and only have the time and patience to sporadically touch upon them. However, we cannot hesitate to cast a nod towards the conviction that Xu indisputably merits the title of literary translator whatever yardstick is appealed to. During the period of only ten years, he has advanced progressive translation ideas and theories, ardently devoted himself to translation as well as literary creation and achieved a wealth of attainment.Xu Zhimo engaged in his translation activities between 1920s and 1930s, which is a crucial period in Chinese cultural history and performs a major role in the development of Modern Chinese Literature. During the period, a large number of Chinese scholars, most of whom were translators as well as writers, made important contributions to the introduction of Western literature and culture and to the development of Modern Chinese Literature. And Xu Zhimo is one of them.In Western countries as well as in China, the studies of the target being have been ignored for a long time. The author here, with choosing Xu Zhimo as a case study, hopes to bring forth the true colors of Xu as literary translator as they are and help to evaluate, against the historical background, the ideas and practice of the translator more objectively, and expects that the systematic discussion will be of some avail to the integral studies of the target being researched.In the opening chapter, the background studies of translators, both domestically and abroad, are combed through, and Xu's translation and literary creation are reviewed to make proper assessment of Xu Zhimo's qualification as translator. Besides, the author probes into the present situation of the studies on Xu Zhimo, and then analyzes the achievements and the problems of the studies on Xu Zhimo. Moreover, the topic designation basis, the research motive and the goal are stated in the chapter.In the literary history of Modern China, Xu Zhimo is a writer with bright individuality, prominent achievements, and is paid much attention to. During a period of less than twenty years, he has obtained some amazing achievements both in creation and translation. His works have exercised enormous influence on readers, especially on literature creators, and poetry creators in particular.Since the accidental death of Xu Zhimo, the scholars who focus on the study of him, both in China and overseas, have been multitudinous, ranging from early researchers who are friends of Xu to contemporary scholars. They have published many treatises and essays on Xu Zhimo's creation, but few of which are on Xu's translation, and especially the treatises on his translation are extremely rare. As a matter of fact, the study on Xu's translation still receives little attention nowadays and remains a difficult issue.In fact, Xu Zhimo has indeed made quite many contributions in the translation domain; therefore, reasonably saying, his translated works should hold a status in the translation history of Modern China. Regrettably, although Xu Zhimo had once proposed some original translation theories, poetry translation theory in particular, and his translated works are quite abundant, which involves such literary genres as poetry, fiction, drama, prose, the content of his translated works is colorful, and meanwhile, there are plenty of scholars were and are studying Xu Zhimo, these researchers actually rarely mention Xu's translation, let alone to do thorough study on Xu as translator. This phenomenon is not only beyond comprehension but also makes a big regrettable matter in the translation research area.In this chapter, the author has related the known and widely quoted appraisals and critiques by those scholars on Xu's creation and translation since 1920s ------ mostly on Xu's creation, and on the basis of the data, the author has listed five reasons for the ignorance of the studies on Xu Zhimo as translator.Furthermore, the present dissertation adopts a systematic thinking mode, relies on detailed materials and compares many references, to make the inspection and the research of Xu Zhimo as translator macroscopically and microscopically. By means of the objective analysis of Xu as translator, the author hopes to assess Xu as translator fairly and justly, and also hopes to obtain a breakthrough on the study of Xu as translator.Besides what has mentioned above, in this initial chapter, the author has also enunciated the purpose and orientation in research, the approaches and processes to be adopted as well as the scope of coverage.In the second chapter, the author first introduces Xu Zhimo's early life, his ten-year practice of translation and creation after his return from Britain, the ideas and works of the main writers whom Xu Zhimo has translated and their influence on him, and then analyzes the making of Xu Zhimo as translator.The period, when Xu Zhimo did his practice in translation and creation, is precisely the time when traditional Chinese culture and literature were experiencing big transformation. In this period of time, absorption of so-called "Western Culture" and the external influence has nearly become the epochal fashion. All the ambitious literary people take the input of the foreign literature and arts as their most important task. The May Fourth New-vernacular Literature pioneers, practically without any exception, start their own literaturary profession from introduction or translation of foreign literature. They all have widely accepted the influence of foreign literature and only differed in the acceptance of different foreign writers. For example, such foreign writers as Byron, Shelly, Whitman Tagor all have once affected the writers at that time, among whom, Xu Zhimo is a typical representative.Xu Zhimo's translations involve such literary genres as poetry, fiction, prose, drama. Besides, he has even translated political, economical and scientific works. In the process of translation, Xu Zhimo is not only a pure translator, but also a writer who unremittingly obtains the experience and gets creative inspiration. His activities in translation have enormous promotion to his literary creation.In Chapter Three, the author concisely reviews the development of translation theories and activities both in China and western countries before the time when Xu Zhimo lives. And then the author introduces the cultural environment and atmosphere during the May Fourth Movement. Then the author introduces the sprout, development of Xu Zhimo's theories on translation, and gives a thorough analysis on the theories. This chapter functions as a foundation for the following chapters.On the basis of the full understanding of the Chinese society and the Western one, Xu Zhimo's first choice of translation is realistic works. He aims at mapping the degenerating secular Chinese community as well as presenting and introducing the western society. In the process of his translation practice, most works are rendered as a choice, and there is a purpose. Besides the literary merit of foreign works, he pays much attention to the ideological significance or educational role of the works as well as the introduction of Western civilization and enlightenment.On the other hand, Xu Zhimo is fond of translating Western romantic works, for he has a romantic nature, loves freedom and advocates the emancipation of man's individuality.Through careful analysis of Xu's translations, it is not difficult to discover that he has rendered a number of literary masterpieces. Meanwhile, during the period of ten years, besides the publication of large quantities of translations, he proposes some profound translation theories. The nub of discussion in Chapter Four is centered on Xu's translation and creation of poems. This chapter first reviews translation history of English poetry in China, the situation then and the influence on Xu Zhimo. The author analyzes the theories of Xu's poetry translation and introduces his translation achievements in the field. Some important foreign poets and the influence of their works on Xu Zhimo are elaborated. After these introductions and analyses, the author truthfully appraises Xu's contributions of translation and creation to the poetry domain. Xu Zhimo, the renowned poet in the literary history of Modern China, has carried on the valuable attempt and exploration in the poetry translation theory and the practice, and his translations of some poetry have made unique contributions in this domain.Theoretically speaking, Xu Zhimo may be thought as the most ideal candidate engaged in the poetry translation. First, he is a widely-recognized talented poet, and many translators or translation theorists once claimed that only poets were suitable to translate poems. This kind of condition, perhaps, is slightly harsh, but Xu Zhimo can actually satisfy this request. Next, when Xu Zhimo was young, he received systematic education on Chinese literature and culture, and he also went off to study in America and Britain for years and read English masterpieces in large quantities; finally, after his return from abroad, he taught English Literature in Beijing University. Undoubtedly, he has a good command of both English and Chinese.Through a comprehensive survey of Xu's translations of poetry, it is discovered that, among the poems he translates, he pays special attention to Hardy's. In terms of quality or quantity, his translations of Hardy's poems are noticeable. Xu Zhimo has once translated some eighty poems which belong to more than twenty poets respectively, but among which, Hardy's poems account for one quarter, and Hardy's poems have exercised enormous influence on Xu's creation of poetry as well. Besides Hardy, the works of such poets as Wordsworth, Byron, Shelley, Keats, Blake are also influential on his creation.As to Xu Zhimo, the translation of English poems has brought many profits to him: in the first place, the activity gives him the opportunity to understand the way of poetry creation; secondly, he has a more profound understanding of the importance of language to a poem; finally, Xu has learned a number of techniques from English poems which would enrich his poetry creation skills.The pivotal concern of Chapter Five is with Xu's translation of novels and short stories. After the brief review of the translation history of English fiction in China, the situation then and the influence on Xu Zhimo, the author mainly analyzes Xu's achievements in fiction translation and the influence of Mansfield on Xu's creation. Through these researches, the author objectively assesses Xu's achievements in the domain of fiction translation.In Xu Zhimo's translations, the fiction translation accounts for a very great proportion. In the process of fiction translation, Xu Zhimo receives deep influence and we can always get a glimpse of the features of those English works in Xu's fiction creations.The comprehensive survey Xu Zhimo's fiction translation shows that he has mainly translated three novels and Mansfield's eight short stories. Furthermore, what is worth mentioning is that he is the first person who translates Mansfield's short stories into Chinese.Xu Zhimo extremely appreciates Mansfield's personality and her works. He not only renders her stories into Chinese but also practices many of her techniques in his own short stories.The topical interest of Chapter Six lies in Xu's translation of Western dramas and his drama creation. The author reviews the development of dramas as well as the translation of dramas in China, and then, Xu's theories on drama and drama translation are elaborated. Besides, the dramatist Xu has translated and is influenced greatly is introduced. Meanwhile, Xu's practice in drama translation and creation is analyzed, and the contributions Xu has made to the development of Chinese dramas are researched. Finally, the reliable assessment of Xu's contributions towards the New Drama of China is given.In the 20's of the 20th century, Xu started to pay attention to the Modern Chinese Drama and the model significance of drama translations to the traditional Chinese Drama. He worked as a drama critic, a drama creator, a drama actor as well as a drama translator. He translated five drama works; meanwhile, he also proposed a series of outstanding and far-seeing theories, which all penetrated into the drama essence. In addition, he created a drama, with Lu Xiaoman, named "Bian Kungang", and after careful rehearsal, he himself performed on the stage. It's fair to say, Xu Zhimo has contributed much to the development of the Chinese Drama. As to Western dramas, Xu Zhimo pays special attention to the Italiandrama, the reason of which lies in his poetic disposition. He finds agreement of Italian dramas and his nature. The influence of the Italian drama on Xu is manifested through the aesthetics-oriented writer Gabriele d'Annuazio. Xu Zhimo once wrote a lengthy article to introduce him and his creations. Xu has translated Gabriele d'Annuazio's drama The Dead City, which, exercises enormous influence on Xu's only drama creation"Bian Kungang".Xu Zhimo has successively translated five dramas. Due to this or that reason, some of them are not completed translations, but through the inspection of those he has rendered, it is not difficult to find that he lays emphasis on esthetic value as well as ideological value of the original.Although from a macroscopic outlook, the three main translated dramas of Xu reflect three kinds of themes, however, each of which has its special function in the society then and helps to impel the innovation of the society as well as the New Chinese Drama.Although in people's memory Xu Zhimo is more of a famous poet, a distinguished essayist, he is indeed a warm-hearted drama viewer, a pioneer and explorer of Modern Chinese Dramas. He has written some significant drama reviews and put forward a number of profound views on dramas.Apart from poetry, fiction and drama, Xu Zhimo has introduced or rendered a number of works in other fields. In chapter seven, the author summarizes and analyzes Xu'such translations and the profound influence of Russell and Tagore on him. Through the detailed analysis, the translation practice of Xu in these fields is objectively evaluated.Xu's translations in other fields include works in such domains as politics, economics, science and technology, and he has also translated some speeches and prose. Xu Zhimo is the first person who introduces the Relative Theory of Einstein to China.Xu Zhimo once said that his translation activities were all done at will with the translation of Mansfield's short stories the exception. However, through careful study and analyses, we may find Xu Zhimo's translated works are always the works with rebellious spirit and inspiration, the works full of humanitarian and democratic ideas, the works with"blood and tear", and the works in accordance with the ideal of"love, freedom, aesthetics". These themes are found in other fields of his translation as well as in his translations of poetry, fiction and dramas. He places emphasis on the impact of his translations on Modern China.Chapter Eight is the conclusion, which summaries the main content of the present dissertation. On the basis of above chapters'research, the conclusion is drawn, and the remaining weak points of the dissertation are also mentioned. At the same time, the author points out the prospect of the later research on the study of Xu Zhimo as well.In the process of translation practice, Xu Zhimo also pays attention to the translation theory, and his views on poetry translation are instructive in particular.As to his translated works, some writers are first translated by him into China, and some themes are quite bold and original against the background of the 20's of the 20th century China. Xu's experiments in the creation of poetry under the influence of foreign poems have done great contributions to the development of the New Poetry of China.Nevertheless, owing to the limitation of the time when Xu Zhimo lives, there exists in Xu some weak points as a translator. Compared to his massive translation activities, what he has done in translation theories is not sufficient, let alone comprehensive and systematic. In terms of this aspect, the author thinks that we should have a dialectical outlook: on the one hand, Xu indeed lacks comprehensive and systematic research in translation theories; On the other hand, we must recognize the fact that almost all the translators at that time are writers, essayists, or dramatists as well, and there doesn't exist a profession named translator. Many such translators as Mao Dun, Lu Xun, and Hu Shi don't propose comprehensive and systematic translation theories either, which is the limitation of the time. If we assess the achievements of a translator in theory on the basis of today's criteria, without taking the time background into consideration, then the conclusion we draw would not be fair, just, objective and convincing.Therefore, objectively speaking, Xu Zhimo is indeed not only an outstanding poet and writer who holds an important status in the literary history of China, but also an excellent translator who should be respected in the translation history of China.However, because of the lack of relative data on the study of Xu Zhimo as translator and some limitations of the author, the dissertation still leaves much room to be perfected. From now on, the author will do further study on Xu as translator, and tries her best to present an all-round demonstration of translator Xu Zhimo to the public.