TRANSLATING POETRY In search of beauty and harmony within limited borders

1. TRANSLATING POETRY In search of beauty and harmony within limited borders Hamlet Isaxanli Khazar University Baku, Azerbaijan

2. Translation and Language • Translation is a means of interaction both between geographical areas, countries, people and between past and present. • Different fine cultures and people cannot build active interaction directly with each other. These unnoticeable fences can be eliminated with the help of human’s translation activities. • We will have short journeys both throughout time and earth, various geographies and history. • The language of original, that translation is made from, is called a “source language“. But the language, into which translation is happening, is called “target” or “receptor” language.

3. Translation and translators. A journey to the Ancient Time • Along the history of civilization the art of translation existed as a bridge that joined different cultures. This art ensured establishment of the next culture on the achievements of the former culture. • In Ancient Greece, translation activity had not been widespread. • Translation was widely spread in Rome. To translate is to conquer the original by means of own language. • Discovery of alphabets, compiling of dictionaries, spreading of religion, introducing and popularizing of foreign cultures, unprecedented service in development of enlightenment and intellectual life, and bringing new forms and content into national literature – all these are the translators’ successes. • In the 9th – 10th centuries a great translation institute named “Beytul-Hikmeh” (House of Wisdom) was functioning in Baghdad.

4. Moslems began to appropriate, interpret and develop what they had heard, felt, and were partly aware of – the intellectual heritage that mankind had gained for about a thousand years – with the help of intensive translations. • Al-Jahiz wrote: “Poems don’t stand for the translations; they don’t have to be translated. • Europe, communicating with the Islamic world both peacefully and through wars, was vastly backward from in terms of science, education, technology, philosophy, literature and culture. The interaction with this world played an important role in revitalization and rise of Europe. • In the 12-13th centuries, in Toledo, achievements of Islamic science and culture began to be translated firstly into Latin, afterwards, into Spanish.This was a great school which laid basis for rebirth of Europe. • the European identity and European self-conscience were determined in the process of rivalry and competition with the Moslem East…

5. Translation, religion and holy books • Looking at the issue of translation of Qur’an into other languages not as a simple translation of religious-philosophical text, but also, possibly, as an issue of poetic translation, first of all. • Translations of Bibleinfluenced the development of national languages in Europe. • Qur’andidn’t lead to the development of national languages and national education.

6. What was said in the West and North on literal and poetical translation? • the translations of “Eugene Onegin” into European languages, in the former socialist bloc countries,by Azerbaijani poet Samad Vurgun. • translations into Eastern and Asian languages • the translation workin the Soviet period, started to play a great role in rapid development and revival of scholarship and culture • The examples of world literature were translated into Azerbaijani from Russian • Translations of samples of Azerbaijani literature into non-Russian languages in good state were possible by translating from Russian or by translating into that foreign language from word for word version. • Bernard Lewis into English, H. Achmed Schmiede into German, Alla Axundova into Russian

7. The well-known poet and master of translation: Samad Vurghun • “Leyli and Majnun” by Nizami (1940), “Eugene Onegin” by Pushkin (1935 –1936), “A wrestler in tiger’s skin” by Georgian classic Shota Rustaveli • these three classical poems differ from each other in terms of language, poetical style and structure, and the atmosphere in which they were created. • 16 syllable quatrains • quatrain rhymes (aaaa) • in the genre of mesnevi, consisting of distiches with double rhymes (aa, bb…). • The main text of “Eugene Onegin” was formed by stanzas (strophes) in the form of sonnets, each consisting of 14 hemistiches. The rhyme system of these stanzas is not simple: ababccddeffegg

8. Who? What? How? The thoughts about translations have no end • Why are there very few acceptable, satisfactory translations? • the aim of poetry and the aim of translation • There is no life without sacrifices and the art of translation is not an exception • sacrifices are quite hard • Which poets are translatable? Arab writer Amin Ar-Reyhani… • to “become author or co-author”

9. Responsibility,freedom in translation. In “Odyssey”s translation Jukovski acted not his way; this time he was inside of a fixed framework and tried to be conservative regarding the original content and spirit. “While translating Homer, it is necessary to refuse of all kinds of affectation, decoration, playfulness and being keen on any kind of artificial effect” • Rhyming and special poetic forms limit poet’s freedom of action too. • search for beauty even within bordered frameworks. • Johann Wolfgang Goethe words again: “Whatever they say about translation work’s being unsatisfactory, it is one of the most important and most honorable activities uniting the universe together

10. Thanks for attention! HAMLET ISAXANLI Khazar University11 Mahsati Street Baku, AZ1096, Azerbaijan Tel.: (+994 12) 421-7927 Fax: (+994 12) 498-9379www.khazar.orgwww.hisaxanli.org