What, exactly, is a literary translation? A faithful rendering of an original text? But then, what do we mean by “faithful”? What do we mean by “original”? Form, syntax, grammar, not to mention puns, wordplay, and allusion are all part of the action in reading, writing, and the interpretative art we call translation. Time, too, plays a role: languages are dynamic, even explosive, in their development. And what happens to an author’s antecedents and influences in translations made many years later? In this introductory course, you will consider the above questions (and many more), read multiple translations of single texts, interviews with leading translators, and try your hands at making translations.

Knowledge of a second language helpful, but not imperative.