All the "spellbinding words" and "melodious songs". Women and their imposed silence in "The Odyssey" translations

Table of Contents

1. INTRODUCTION

2. CHAPTER ONE

2.1 What does it mean “to translate”?

2.2 An attempt to define this term

2.3 Culture: what lies beneath translation

2.4 Is it ideology the cause of women's oppression?

2.5 Authoship is for men, translation ONLY is for women

2.6 On language and masculinity

2.7 Women as authors (or translators): was it even seen as a taboo?

2.8 The first acts of rebellion from all ideologies

2.9 Translation as an attempt of oppression?

2.10 Les belles infidèles: women stereotypes in translation

3. CHAPTER TWO

3.1 Skopos Theory or functional translation?

3.2 Translation and equivalence

3.3 Decision-making in translation

3.4 Emily Wilson's translation of The Odyssey: is the glass ceiling finally broken?

3.5 A man invading “the woman's place” again: Peter Green's translation

3.6 Odysseus: has the god turned into a normal man?

3.7 Calypso and Circe: the “fair-tressed” nymphs that deceive men

3.8 Nausicaa and Penelope: an example of feminine devotion and fidelity

3.9 The female slaves: an attempt to eradicate sexism

Research Objectives & Themes

This thesis examines the historical and cultural marginalization of women within the field of translation, exploring how gender ideologies have influenced both the practice of translating and the scholarly perception of female translators. By analyzing specific case studies, most notably the translations of Homer's The Odyssey, the work investigates how female translators are reclaiming their agency and breaking the silence historically imposed by patriarchal structures.

• Historical exclusion of women from intellectual authorship and translation.
• The intersection of ideology, gender, and power in translation studies.
• Feminist approaches to challenging traditional translation norms.
• Comparative analysis of male and female translational choices in classical texts.
• The role of the translator as a mediator or oppressor in cultural representation.

Excerpt from the Book

Summary of Chapters

INTRODUCTION: The introduction outlines the foundational role of translation as an intellectual activity and introduces the core theme of the thesis: the historical association of women with translation as a means of domestic limitation and imposed silence.

CHAPTER ONE: This chapter establishes the theoretical and historical framework, defining translation and exploring how ideologies, patriarchal structures, and language itself have historically functioned to marginalize women's voices in literature and translation.

CHAPTER TWO: This chapter applies the theoretical concepts to the practical case study of The Odyssey, comparing translations by Emily Wilson and Peter Green to analyze how gendered approaches shape the representation of female characters and the overall narrative.

Keywords

Translation, Gender Studies, Feminist Translation, The Odyssey, Emily Wilson, Ideology, Patriarchy, Literary Translation, Cultural Studies, Skopos Theory, Female Agency, Language, Equality, Silence, Appropriation.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the core subject of this thesis?

The thesis fundamentally explores the intersection of gender and translation, investigating how women have historically been marginalized in the intellectual sphere and how this is reflected and challenged in translation practices.

What are the primary thematic areas?

Key themes include the history of female translation, the influence of ideology on linguistic choices, the role of gender in authorship, and the modern feminist efforts to break traditional male-dominated translation norms.

What is the central research goal?

The primary goal is to analyze how women have transitioned from a state of enforced silence in translation to reclaiming their own voice, particularly through the example of re-translating canonical classical texts.

Which scientific methodology is employed?

The study utilizes a qualitative methodology, combining theoretical research from translation studies (such as Skopos Theory) with comparative textual analysis of specific literary translations to evaluate shifts in meaning and power dynamics.

What is covered in the main body?

The main body traverses the etymology and definition of translation, analyzes how ideology dictates cultural power, and provides a detailed comparative study of how different translators render female characters in The Odyssey.

Which keywords characterize the work?

Core concepts include translation, feminist translation, ideology, gender studies, patriarchal structures, agency, and cultural representation.

How does the work address Emily Wilson’s translation of The Odyssey?

The author highlights Wilson's translation as a revolutionary act that challenges the "glass ceiling" in classics, using her unique stylistic and gender-aware choices to provide a modern, more inclusive interpretation of the epic.

What is the author's conclusion regarding the role of women in translation?

The author concludes that while translation was historically used as an instrument to keep women silenced and confined to the domestic sphere, contemporary developments show a paradigm shift where women are successfully reclaiming their agency and reshaping translation as a tool for liberation.