一部抗译的经典及其商品化 : 论《尤利西斯》中译本“畅销”的原因

本文探讨乔伊斯《尤利西斯》在20世纪90年代的两个译本如何为普罗大众所接受。萧乾/文洁若和金堤的译本得以广受欢迎( 以至“畅销”) ，背后因素有多个，包括：出版社巧妙地利用宣传和营销手段；批评家强调作品艰涩难译；色情描写官司提高了普通读者的兴趣；等等。从这样一个例子看到，经典文学的翻译成功地商业化了；文化商品超越了语言和国界，人人皆可消。
This article explores the reasons why two translations of James Joyce’s Ulysses, by Xiao Qian /Wen Jieruo and Jin Di, were overwhelmingly received by ordinary readers when published in the mid-1990s. The novel’s canonical status, readers’ heightened expectations, promotional strategies adopted by the publishers, the positive critical appraisals, even happenstance (the obscenity trials) - all these were factors conducive to enthusiastic reception. This case study, in particular, shows that numerous extra-textual factors can explain the popularity of certain translations. It also is a unique example of how elitist literature can be “commercialized” in translation.