''Je réservais la traduction': decoding Rimbaud's 'Dévotion'' in Challenges of Translation in French Literature ed. Richard Bales , Peter Lang, Oxford, 2005, pp.81-96

Gerald M Macklin

''Je réservais la traduction': decoding Rimbaud's 'Dévotion'' in Challenges of Translation in French Literature ed. Richard Bales , Peter Lang, Oxford, 2005, pp.81-96

Gerald M Macklin

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

Abstract

The paper sets out to consider various attempts to translate Arthur Rimbaud's prose poem 'Dévotion' from the Illuminations. It notes how the poet often invites the reader to attempt to unveil his meaning amd links this to the project of decoding the hermetic texts in the Illuminations.Fragmentation, discontinuities and verbal experimentation are some of the barriers to translating Rimbaud's prose poems and to this may be added the revolutionary approach to punctuation adopted by the poet. 'Dévotion' presents itself as an excellent example of the problematics of tramslating and decoding Rimbaud and the paper proceeds to consider three recent translations of the poem into English by James Lawler, Mark Treharne and Martin Sorrell. The poem uses litany and anaphora in its parody of the conventions of devotional prayer and its shifting rhythms and changing pace challenge the translator every bit as much as does its lexicon. To translate 'Dévotion' is to interpret it and to write a new poem in English but, ultimately, Rimbaud's linguistic daring in the poem may be beyond translation. The traduttore may become a traditore.

Original language	English
Title of host publication	Challenges of Translation in French Literature ed. Richard Bales
Publisher	Peter Lang
Pages	81-96
ISBN (Print)	3-03910-295-8
Publication status	Published (in print/issue) - 2005

Bibliographical note

Reference text: Rimbaud, Oeuvres ed. Suzanne Bernard and André Guyaux, Garnier, Paris, 1983

G Macklin 'Rimbaud mystificateur', FRENCH STUDIES BULLETIN, no.56, Autumn, 1995, pp. 8-12

André Guyaux Poétique du fragment. Essai sur les Illuminations de Rimbaud, Editions de la Baconnière, Neuchâtel, 1985

Michel Murat L'Art de Rimbaud, José Corti, Paris, 2002

R.Little 'Light on Rimbaud's 'Baou'', FRENCH STUDIES BULLETIN, no.7, Spring 1984, pp. 3-7

Sergio Sacchi Etudes sur les Illuminations de Rimbaud, Presses de l'Université de Paris-Sorbonne, Paris, 2002

Atle Kittang Discours et Jeu. Essai d'analyse des textes d'Arthur Rimbaud, Presses universitaires de Grenoble, Bergen and Grenoble, 1975

Roland Barthes Le Degré zéro de l'écriture, Editions du Seuil, Paris, 1972

T Todorov 'Une complication de texte: les Illuminations', POETIQUE, vol.34, avril, 1978, pp241-253

Paule Lapeyre Le Vertige de Rimbaud. Clé d'une perception poétique, Editions de la Baconnière, Neuchâtel, 1981

G Macklin 'Prayer and Parody in Rimbaud's 'Dévotion', FRENCH STUDIES, vol LI, no. 3, July 1997, pp.281-292

Henri Meschonnic Pour la poétique, Gallimard, Paris, 1973

James Lawler Rimbaud's Theatre of the Self, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass. and London, 1992

Arthur Rimbaud: A Season in Hell and Illuminations, new translation by Mark Treharne, Dent, London, 1998.

Martin Sorrell Arthur Rimbaud Collected Poems, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2001

Keywords

translation
decoding
prose poem
litany
anaphora

Cite this

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title = "''Je r{\'e}servais la traduction': decoding Rimbaud's 'D{\'e}votion'' in Challenges of Translation in French Literature ed. Richard Bales , Peter Lang, Oxford, 2005, pp.81-96",

abstract = "The paper sets out to consider various attempts to translate Arthur Rimbaud's prose poem 'D{\'e}votion' from the Illuminations. It notes how the poet often invites the reader to attempt to unveil his meaning amd links this to the project of decoding the hermetic texts in the Illuminations.Fragmentation, discontinuities and verbal experimentation are some of the barriers to translating Rimbaud's prose poems and to this may be added the revolutionary approach to punctuation adopted by the poet. 'D{\'e}votion' presents itself as an excellent example of the problematics of tramslating and decoding Rimbaud and the paper proceeds to consider three recent translations of the poem into English by James Lawler, Mark Treharne and Martin Sorrell. The poem uses litany and anaphora in its parody of the conventions of devotional prayer and its shifting rhythms and changing pace challenge the translator every bit as much as does its lexicon. To translate 'D{\'e}votion' is to interpret it and to write a new poem in English but, ultimately, Rimbaud's linguistic daring in the poem may be beyond translation. The traduttore may become a traditore.",

keywords = "translation, decoding, prose poem, litany, anaphora",

author = "Macklin, {Gerald M}",

note = "Reference text: Rimbaud, Oeuvres ed. Suzanne Bernard and Andr{\'e} Guyaux, Garnier, Paris, 1983 G Macklin 'Rimbaud mystificateur', FRENCH STUDIES BULLETIN, no.56, Autumn, 1995, pp. 8-12 Andr{\'e} Guyaux Po{\'e}tique du fragment. Essai sur les Illuminations de Rimbaud, Editions de la Baconni{\`e}re, Neuch{\^a}tel, 1985 Michel Murat L'Art de Rimbaud, Jos{\'e} Corti, Paris, 2002 R.Little 'Light on Rimbaud's 'Baou'', FRENCH STUDIES BULLETIN, no.7, Spring 1984, pp. 3-7 Sergio Sacchi Etudes sur les Illuminations de Rimbaud, Presses de l'Universit{\'e} de Paris-Sorbonne, Paris, 2002 Atle Kittang Discours et Jeu. Essai d'analyse des textes d'Arthur Rimbaud, Presses universitaires de Grenoble, Bergen and Grenoble, 1975 Roland Barthes Le Degr{\'e} z{\'e}ro de l'{\'e}criture, Editions du Seuil, Paris, 1972 T Todorov 'Une complication de texte: les Illuminations', POETIQUE, vol.34, avril, 1978, pp241-253 Paule Lapeyre Le Vertige de Rimbaud. Cl{\'e} d'une perception po{\'e}tique, Editions de la Baconni{\`e}re, Neuch{\^a}tel, 1981 G Macklin 'Prayer and Parody in Rimbaud's 'D{\'e}votion', FRENCH STUDIES, vol LI, no. 3, July 1997, pp.281-292 Henri Meschonnic Pour la po{\'e}tique, Gallimard, Paris, 1973 James Lawler Rimbaud's Theatre of the Self, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, Mass. and London, 1992 Arthur Rimbaud: A Season in Hell and Illuminations, new translation by Mark Treharne, Dent, London, 1998. Martin Sorrell Arthur Rimbaud Collected Poems, Oxford University Press, Oxford, 2001",

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''Je réservais la traduction': decoding Rimbaud's 'Dévotion'' in Challenges of Translation in French Literature ed. Richard Bales , Peter Lang, Oxford, 2005, pp.81-96. / Macklin, Gerald M.
Challenges of Translation in French Literature ed. Richard Bales. Peter Lang, 2005. p. 81-96.

Research output: Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding › Chapter › peer-review

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''Je réservais la traduction': decoding Rimbaud's 'Dévotion'' in Challenges of Translation in French Literature ed. Richard Bales , Peter Lang, Oxford, 2005, pp.81-96

Abstract

Bibliographical note

Keywords

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Cite this