The course is designed to provide students with an introduction to some of the most important ideas in German and American translation theory. Students then apply these ideas to existing translations of one or two poems by Rainer Maria Rilke and Paul Celan. Through comparison and criticism they will begin to formulate their own ideas about literary translation. We will also discuss the sometimes problematic role of translators in literary culture and possible reasons for their widespread invisibility. About half of the class sessions will be conducted in workshop form, similar to creative writing workshops.
All students choose a German-language literary work from any period or genre to work on.
They regularly submit drafts together with copies of the original, which will then be discussed in the workshop. There are no exams or quizzes. A student portfolio takes the place of a final. It should contain the semester s finished work, together with a critical introduction to the original and the translation that reflects an evaluation of the theories discussed in the course. American book publishers and magazine and newspaper editors report a shortage of well-trained young translators, journalists, critics, and editors with excellent language and intercultural skills.