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Questioning authority and authenticity
the creative translations of Josephine Balmer
pp. 333-350
Abstract
Bassnett focusses on the work of poet and classical scholar, Josephine Balmer. Balmer's strategy as a translator is to engage first in close study of the texts themselves and the history of classical commentary, then to use her skills as a poet to create versions for contemporary readers. The chapter examines her work from the ground-breaking collection of ancient Greek women writers to her most recent translations. What is significant about Balmer's work is that she has used translating to expand her range as a poet, deliberately blurring the lines between "translation" and "original". In essays and prefaces, she develops her own theory of translation as rewriting. Balmer is one of the most original poet-translators of our time, and also one of the most self-aware.
Publication details
Published in:
Boase-Beier Jean, Fisher Lina, Furukawa Hiroko (2018) The Palgrave handbook of literary translation. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan.
Pages: 333-350
DOI: 10.1007/978-3-319-75753-7_17
Full citation:
Bassnett Susan (2018) „Questioning authority and authenticity: the creative translations of Josephine Balmer“, In: J. Boase-Beier, L. Fisher & H. Furukawa (eds.), The Palgrave handbook of literary translation, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 333–350.