(Mis)translation as a Literary Success

Abstract

Both of the concepts — mistranslation and literary success — are far from being clear and unambiguous, which leads to various limitations on the one hand, but also to potentially beneficial new readings on the other. Moreover, the difference between a translation and a mistranslation is not an easy one to assess (particularly when poetry is concerned) just like any literary success is difficult to measure. Apart from evidence such as reception, we are left mostly with aesthetic criteria when assessing a literary success and, to some extent, also the successfulness of any translation. In order to discuss such unclear but deeply intertwined issues, I look into three matters. Firstly, I draw attention to two undeniable examples of both mistranslation and literary success to point out possible (and impossible) criteria of both phenomena. Secondly, I proceed to a particular case of a (mis)translation and literary success (Auden’s version of Mickiewicz’s “Romantyczność”), to shed some more light on the issues in question. In the end, I confront the case with another seemingly similar one (Bassnett & Kuhiwczak’s rendition of Szymborska’s “Dzieci epoki”), yet resulting in a different outcome. At the end I point out where, in my opinion, lies a difference in assessing a particular (mis)translation and its literary success.

Keywords

• translation
• mistranslation
• Polish poetry
• Adam Mickiewicz
• Wisława Szymborska