Translation Methods In Paradise Lost By Zhu Weizhi From The Perspective Of Hermeneutics

Milton’s Paradise Lost has been well-received ever since its first publication in 1667 and its Chinese version by Zhu Weizhi has also enjoyed wide fame here in China. In the field of literature translation, there hasn’t been much study in the translated version from the perspective of hermeneutics since most of the attention are drawn to the exploration of its humanism spirit. This paper intends to use descriptive research to analyze the translation methods in the translated version of Paradise Lost by Zhu Weizhi from the perspective of hermeneutics, mostly referring to George Steiner’s four-beat model of hermeneutic translation.This paper analyses the theoretical references of George Steiner’s four-beat model, which was constructed under the guidance of several scholars, like Heidegger, Gadamer and Benjamin. The four-beat model is made up of four steps, namely trust, aggression, incorporation and reciprocity. And to meet different ends, different translation methods are employed. To achieve the understanding of the original poem, including that of original form and style of language, the translator used foreignization to maintain the consistency in language style. And to fulfill incorporation and reciprocity steps, which involves specific translation methods, the translator used domestication strategy supported by other techniques such as substitution, using four-character phrases and annotation.In conclusion, the translator predominantly combines the translation Strategy of domestication and foreignization under hermeneutic principle as his guidance, to achieve the incorporation and compensation of the original poem. Also, the translator used various techniques to be in accordance with the majestic style of the epic, and the unique blending of narrative and lyric poetry in Paradise Lost.