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Unit 38 Translating Drama

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Unit 38 Translating Drama - UNIT 38 TRANSLATING DRAMA Structure Objectives Introduction Drama : Complex and Multi-dimensional Genre Translating Drama Process of Translating Drama 38.4.1 Search lor the Appropriate Word 38.4.2 Translating Dialogues Let Us Sum Up Suggested Reading Answers to Exercises 38.0 OBJECTIVES If you read this Unit carefuly, you will be abie to : describe how drama is different from other genres; define the relation between drama and theatre: outline the problems of translating drama; learn some techniques of translating 38.1 INTRODUCTION In the first Unit of this Block, we discussed some general problems of translating literary texts. In the previous Unit we took up the specific case of translating fiction. ' Now let us turn to another literary genre : drama. First of all, we shall discuss how drama is different from other literary genres and briefly analyse the relationship between drama and theatre. This will give us an idea of the different problems that may arise while translating drama. We shall also briefly outline the need for translating drama. This is the background against which we will take up the actual process of translating drama. With the help of exercises, we hope to give you some practice in drama translation. As you know, it is only with practice that we are able to gain proficiency in translation. As we have already told you in the previous Unit. we cannot take up the translation of a passage out of its overall context. To be aware of that, we must read the whole text first. However, due to lack of time and space,we are unable to give you any complete play and have only selected excerpts. In any case, we hope you will read these plays in their complete form subsequently. 38.2 DRAMA : COMPLEX AND MULTI- DIMENSIONAL GENRE Drama, poetry and the novel are the different genres or kinds of literature. Drama can be said to be the most complex and multidimensional of these genres. Why? Drama is a complex form because it is not simply meant to be read like poetry or the novel but is written for production in the theatre. Do we simply try to translate the written text? Or do we try to translate the text keeping in mind its playability? Can we separate these two aspects? It is these questions that make a translator's task so complex. It is multi-dimensional because it incorporates other literary genres such as poetry and forms of the fine arts like music. But when we talk about the inclusion of these forms. we are talking of drama in its complete form-from its script to the theatre production. A story, poem or novel is written for a readership and the poet or novelist is free to give rein to his/her imagination. taking liberties with time and space. But a dramatist has to write for an audience and has to keep in mind the basic principles of stagecraft; the use of time and place, the creation of characters, use of dialogue, tone of voice, facial expressions costumes, scenery and so on. In short, dialogue is delivered in a particular time and place and highlights the situation u>r modifies it. It also reveals the dynamics of the relationships between characters. But dialogue itself derives its full significance within ihe total contexts of the play. Therefore, in a play, it is not just the linguistic element that is important but also the extra-linguistic situation. The complexity of the problem can be gauged from the fact that the same play with the same actors and the same director can be applauded on one day and criticized the next. However, we would like to point out that our concern in this unit is not with theatre or theatrical production. By highlighting this dimension of drama we Could like you to be aware that the 'written word' in drama is different from the Cithen word a novel or poem. And if we keep this aspect in mind, we will more become sensitive to translating drama. I $8.3 TRANSLATING DRAMA We have already discussed the translation of drama from English to Hindi in Unit 26. In this Unit, we will further reinforce what you learnt in the earlier but here our focus will be on translating from Hindi to English. In this section, let us briefly discuss the eleqents of a drama script and the need for translating drama. What ue the elements of a drama-script? As we know, a drama script is the written form of a play. It consists of certain dements-theme, characters and dialogues. In a play, all these elements are inseparable and it is only for purposes of analysis that we can use these categories. The theme of the play develops through the actions and conversations of the characters. The language of the monologues, dialogues or conversation of the characters is called theatrical language. This theatrical language has several functions-it develops the action of the plot, tells us about events that take place offstage, reveal the characters' dominant traits. It operates not simply through the spoken word but also by the use of tone of voice, facial expression or gesture. L What kinds of plays? I As we know, there are historical plays, comedie;, tragedies, religious plays, street- plays and one-act plays. Radio and TV plays are different as they are produced I through a different medium. In a radio play, the focus is on listening-the translator will have to determine how his/her play will appeal to the 'ears' of the listeners. For a TV play, the translator must visualize the play through the lens of the camera. A knowledge of the medium is a must for any translator of a radio or TV play. Translation or Transformation? Ro we translate or transform a drama-script? If we think minutely, we transform qther than translate. But then this is also true of the transformation of any story or novel. Because it is not only the language that we translate. We try to make the personalities of the characters come alive in the translated version. We transform the idiomatic dialogue of the SL into the TL. The culture of one language has to be reproduced in another language and its specific nature kept intact. All this is equally trDe for a poem or a novel. In drama, however, the translator has the added problem 01 reproducing the 'playability' of the original into the TL. As we know a play is written for performance and it has certain specific features which make it performable. We are not referring simply to stage-directions but to certain in-built sttuctures in the play itself. The translator has to grasp these and then transform them into the TL.Let us look at and compare the two translated versions of Vijay Tendulkar's play Chashiram Kotwal. Both these versic~nshave been translated from the Marathi original directly. Hindi Version* English Version Twelve men standing in a line, sing, Ganapati comes in. ALL (swaying to andjro). Ganapati dances the Ganapati dance, Brahmans of Poona bow and prance, (Repeat.) Pious Brahmans, Keep on dancing, Holy Ganapati, Keep on dancing. Now let the drum beat! Now let the drama heat! Heaven, hell and earth complete! Heaven, hell and earth complete! Saraswati-devi, Goddess of wisdom. Translated by Jayant Karve & Eleanor Zelliot Why do we need drama translations? If we translate world classics into Hindi or one of the Modern Indian languages, the non-English speaking readership will have access to the masterpieces of world literature. But as we know, most people read novels or poems. People do not generally take up a drama for reading on a train journey. Dramas are meant to be watched in a theatre or viewed on television. Dramas may also be translated for anthologies or complete works. For example, we may have a collection of the works of Aeschylus. the Greek dramatist. If these texts are translated without keeping 'performance' in mind, we will find that the main focus is on linguistic fidelity that is faithfuless to the language of the original. If dramas are translated for production, the extra-linguistic criteria has also to be kept in mind. Here lies the difficulty. Sometimes the translation is too literal and sounds 'bookish' and unperformable or is so free that the original can hardly be recognized. While translating a play we have to keep in mind the following : Aspects of Translating Drama the potential audience cultural symbols r names of characters and places Translating Drama historical context I the use of language playability Potential Audience Who is the play being translated for? A production for a slum-dwelling audience, a rural audience or an elite audience in a metropolitan-city, will be different. This will, to some extent, dictate the theatrical conventions that will be adopted. For example, a translation for a Marathi audience will make use of the conventions of Marathi theatre. This is done because of the expectations of the audience. If they recognize something familiar (their own theatrical conventions in this case) their delight in the performance increases. For example, try to recollect your own delight at recognizing a familiar tune from a favourite film. Let us give you another example discussed by Susan Bassnett-McGuire in her book Translation Studies. She tells us how the first performance of a translated version of the French playwright Racine's Andromache failed on the British stage. Some years later, Ambrose Philip's version was a great success. What did Philips do? He made several additions, shortened it in places, added speeches and even scenes keeping in mind the expectations of his English audience.
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