It may be that the closest, most interpretative and creative reading of a text involves translating from one language to another. Questions of place, culture, epoch, voice, gender, and rhythm take on new urgency, helping us deepen our skills and sensibilities in new ways. This course has a triple focus: you will compare and contrast multiple translations of a single work; read translators on the art and theory of translation; and make your own translations. We will also consider translation as an act of bearing witness to cultural and political crisis, and as a means of sending encoding messages that would otherwise be censored. Familiarity with more than one language is highly recommended but not required. This course is connected to Bennington Translates: we will have class visits from distinguished translators, at whose public presentations your presence is mandatory.