Metaphors For Translation In Shakespeare's Tragedies And Comedies

This paper examines the different metaphors for translation used by Shakespeare in Hamlet and A Midsummer Night’s Dream. It suggests there exist in tragedy and comedy different metaphors for translation which are relevant to the notion of space and argues that whereas in tragedy the metaphor for translation is a space of emptiness, in comedy that would be a site of carnival. This article links translation, tragedy, and comedy through the concept of repetition, illustrating that instead of seeing translation as an empty space in tragedy, there are faults and errors portrayed in a celebratory manner in comedy. It is hoped that this article will prove that more on translation in the early modern period can still be learned from its theatrical texts. In addition, this article explores the concept of translation from genre, suggesting that there might exist different concepts of translation within Shakespeare’s tragedy and comedy. Moreover, it advances the understanding of metaphor for translation in the early modern period because it argues that those metaphors are related to the notion of space. While the discussion is inspired by various contemporary translation and critical theories, it addresses the differences between the early modern and our contemporary world.