Representing Trauma-Translating Natsume Sōseki's Kokoro and Grass on the Wayside from a Trauma/PTSD Studies Perspective =重现创伤——从创伤/PTSD理论出发解读并翻译夏目漱石的《心》和《路边草》

摘要

This dissertation examines issues related to the translation of traumatic narratives. Traumatic narratives are initially created through the constitution of traumatic lived experiences into language/narrative form. As for the re-constitution through translation into other languages and cultures, however, the memory psychodynamics of the foundational social trauma and its aftereffects are not adequately represented in many instances. In the field of translation studies, there are helpful approaches to translating survivor testimonies. However, research on the practice of translating artistic works lacks a systematic and clearly defined theoretical framework. In this dissertation, I argue that detailed, in-depth knowledge and understanding of trauma/PTSD studies theory is necessary for translators to accurately read, understand, and translate trauma literature in psychoanalytic terms. Otherwise, translators' uninformed interpretations may adversely affect their renderings of traumatic experiences and their afterlives as represented in the works. Moreover, in support of the main argument, this study contends that trauma/PSTD studies is the form of literary criticism that is most fitting for engaging and interpreting traumatic narratives. It also contends that audiences should keep trauma/PTSD studies in mind when working with serious artistic texts which contain traumatic elements. Chapter 1 outlines the interrelationships among trauma, literature, and translation, introduces trauma/PTSD studies theory, and gives examples of translation evaluation and critique in these terms to substantiate my argument. Chapter 2 and 3 will be case studies of translation examination using Kokoro and Grass on the Wayside. These novels are Sōseki's mature works, and they are highly-regarded by English and Chinese critics and audiences. The two chapters will show how the existing English and Chinese translations miss, overlook, or/and misunderstand traumatic elements and how those translations can be improved based on trauma/PTSD studies theory and criticism. This paper focuses more on literary works which have heretofore not been widely recognized as traumatic narratives. In this way, trauma/PTSD studies perspective enables translators to better appreciate literary works that have not yet been sufficiently appreciated, interpreted and translated psychoanalytically or psychosocially. Nevertheless, translators are given access to fathom works with the help of psychoanalysis, identify the causality and aftermath of social trauma, and individual and collective memory of historical victimization and its legacies. Becoming better aware of the lived experiences of trauma, as well as its afterlives and viable paths to recovery as reflected in works of literature, also enables readers to think more critically about the social and political contexts, factors and forces which produce trauma, that in turn is necessary to mitigate against or prevent future traumatization.