Translation of Shakespeare in China is an example that helps people in the UK and in the West to understand the issues involved in cultural exchange between East and West, because the translation rests on a set of Western assumptions.
Shakespeare’s plays, introduced to China over a century ago through translation, have long been used as a channel for cross-cultural exchange and became a window through which Western values are exhibited. Looking at the adaptation of theological ethics in Chinese Shakespeare can help us gauge how western values are perceived and assimilated in China. Shakespeare is chosen because he was, and still is, a national icon in Chinese society who attracts a large following on the Chinese stage. The Chinese translations of Shakespearean plays are still included in the curriculum of Chinese middle schools nationwide. In this conference, we hope to explore the relationship between one’s theology and interpretation and the final production, and the impact which such adaptation brings. This study’s value lies in bringing a fresh look to the less-researched domain of the translatability of ethics in the contemporary period across Chinese and Western cultures.
Under the” power turn” or “political turn” in translation studies, omissions and inadequate translations of ethics are often seen as the product of censorship or self-censorship in the prevalent socio-political context. While translation theorists under the current “sociological turn” view social factors as the drivers in determining translation activities and strategies, we hope to show how the ethical values of the translating agents, rather than social factors, become the overarching factor in determining the translated product. We also aim to show that the translated product is the result of a combination of elements. These include such varied factors as economic forces, power relations between translators and their patrons, the theological conflicts between translators and the text, the authority of sacred text in literature, and the decolonization of a postcolonial stage – to name but a few. This research may show that in particular ways the perspective of the Western world must change in order that its reflections upon future policies of interaction take account of religion. For scholars and readers in the West, the study might be helpful in offering fresh insights into how their ideologies are received in China.
Questions we are keen to consider:
- What role does one’s theology, or attitude towards religion, play in the interpretation of religious contents in Shakespeare in the West?
- How is western ideology being perceived by a Chinese audience?
- When ethical values embedded in Shakespeare’s plays, deeply rooted in Christianity, are transported to the Chinese stage, how are they interpreted or misinterpreted?
- How did these adaptations and appropriations affect Chinese audiences’ understanding of these productions, and subsequently their understanding of English literature and culture?
To submit an abstract:
To submit an abstract for this event, please email to :
You will be asked to provide a max. 400-word abstract as well as a 150-word speaker bio.
The deadline for abstract submission is 1 Oct 2024.
You will be notified of your acceptance by 8 Oct 2024.