各社会文化因素妥协的产物_《红楼梦》三种英译本比较研究.pdfVIP

Introduction 0.1 The purpose of the dissertation I choose three English translations of Hongloumeng as samples for comparison and analysis in the dissertation: Dream of the Red Chamber by Wang Chi-chen (1929; 1958), The Story of the Stone by David Hawkes (1973-86), and A Dream of Red Mansions by Yang Xianyi and Gladys Yang (1978; 1994). I will describe their similarities and differences at structural and textual levels. Then I will further explore what specific socio-cultural factors are involved in the translation of the novel, and how they come into play in the process of translating. 0.2 Rationale Since “literary translation doesn’t take place in a vacuum” (Bassnett, 1998: 93), I will attempt to take the socio-cultural backgrounds into consideration rather than analyze the translations in a static and isolated way. The translation history of Hongloumeng roughly coincides with the modern history of China. The three translations of the novel vary drastically according to their historical backgrounds since they all bear the brands of their times. Wang’s version was finished in the 1920s when China had been a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society for eight decades. Hawkes’ and the Yangs’ versions were completed in the 1970s and the 1980s respectively when China was gradually restoring its international status as a great country. It is noteworthy how the different historical backgrounds exerted ideological influences on the English translation of the great classic novel. Besides, as the translators of the three translations have different cultural backgrounds, it is also worth exploring how their different cultural standpoints influence their translations. Moreover, as each translation is a specific one under