On Fu Lei's Translative Subjectivity

Translator is an important subject in translation activity. Being both the aesthetic and creative subject in the translation process, translator's position should never be neglected. Studies on translator have been for a long time contradictory:the role of translator is significant for it requires a superb ability to reproduce the original; the role is insignificant for this ability is regarded like a parrot to repeat, but nothing about creation. But conscious translators themselves have been long time struggled for their self-awareness and actualization. They take translation as a creative process. As an individual with independent though, cultural position and value concepts, his/her subjectivity reflects on the whole translation process.The "cultural turn" in the 1970s gave rise to studies on translator's subjectivity, translators'significant contributions to human cultural development and construction are finally recognized by the public. The study on translator's subjectivity has been developing quickly. The current studies mainly focus on its translation theories and strategies, with few comprehensive and specific researches on subjective factors as character, attainment, motivation and ideology. This dissertation is just in an attempt to study these factors on basis of Fu Lei's translation theories and practices.Fu Lei is a master in translation in modern China, his translation principles and experiences are both highly unique and original. In the twentieth century, Fu Lei has left translators the most precious spiritual wealth with his first-class translation versions and profound spirits. It is definitely worthwhile to study his subjectivity by penetrating into his spirit and experience. On one hand, through collecting, sorting, inducing and analyzing Fu Lei's translation principles and practice, his art views and his life experiences, this dissertation tries to arrive at a conclusion:Fu Lei's subjectivity tentatively involves in his translation activity, and has significant influence on his success. On the other hand, this thesis takes his translation of Life of Beethoven as an example, so to further illustrate the above mentioned point.This dissertation consists of five chapters. In the first chapter, the paper reviews the current studies on translator's subjectivity, and introducing Fu Lei as the object to research on translative subjectivity. In the Chapter Two, translator's characters are analyzed to find out their influences on translation process. Fu Lei's earnestness and passion for work are examined from every aspect to support this idea. Chapter Three is on translator's competence. Since literary translation calls for rich life experience, highly attainment in literature, art and many other fields, translator's competence influences greatly the quality of translation version. The fourth chapter investigates into different stages in Fu Lei's life, his motivations affect his choice of original text. Chapter Five is a brief analysis on Fu Lei's translation strategies. The Chapter Two, Chapter Three, Chapter Four and Chapter Five are all provided with Fu Lei's translation of Life of Beethoven as an example to further explain the respective point.Literary translation activity is a kind of cognitive process, which needs translators fully arouse their subjectivities to cognize linguistic, aesthetic and cultural elements in the original text. This requires translators working patiently, gathering and studying materials, caring for each word and revising untiringly, so to grasp the original meaning and style.Literary translation is also a kind of aesthetic process, in which translators first conduct aesthetic activity, formulate their aesthetic understanding and appreciating, reproduce their feeling into another language, so to help people experience aesthetic feeling under another cultural condition. It deals with all the discoveries and assumptions of human beings on their inside and outside worlds. This calls for high attainment in art, literature and all the other fields in human civilization.Lastly, literary translation is an experiencing process, in which translators experience the original both physically and emotionally, this requires translators harbor a sensitive mind, warm sympathetic, adequate appreciating ability, rich social experience and enough common sense and superb insight into human feeling.No matter what kind of process we consider the translation activity is, translator's subjectivity is always there. Though translator's subjectivity is influenced by many restrictions, the ideology, political factors, or patrons would always interfere with translator's work. We should view translator's subjectivity dialectically. On the one side, as "a dancer in shackles", translator's subjectivity should not be exaggerated, the recreation work are restrained and translators must respect the original text, cultural context of target culture and ideological development of people and society. On the other side, translator's character, competence, motivation and strategies continuously influence on his/her work. A translator should fully arouse his/her subjectivity, for it actively participates in the creation process, and influences significantly the quality of translation version.This dissertation takes Fu Lei's translation practice and theories as research object, experiences his experience, penetrates into his thought, "follows humbly the footsteps of master mind", the purpose is to reinforce the importance of translator's subjectivity, and in the meantime, set the pioneering model for current translators and scholars.