MES 16.37 Love in Translation: Poetics of Desire across Cultures
Literary traditions of the Near East possess an extensive corpus of writings that enact and speak of the importance of erotic feelings, accessible to most of us only in translation. But if articulations of love “translate” unspeakable thoughts and desires in the first place, what happens to these articulations when they are re-translated and move across cultures? What’s gained and lost in the process? These translations can be seen as crucibles for cultural encounter and models for self-other relations and gender identity. How have translations challenged (or perpetuated) hegemonic ideas about sexual morality, stylistic propriety, the religious and the profane? How have they been generative in the target literatures and why? We will examine key intersections of love and translation, compare and contrast old and new translations, and become acquainted with key problems in translation theory.
Instructor
Behar
Cross Listed Courses
COLT 19.02 JWST 24.06