초록보기
Ezra Pound`s translation poems vary from literal translations through adaptations to imitations. They form an integral part of his poetic achievemets. So it is necessary for us to understand the nature and quality of his translation poems in order to evaluate his poetic achievements. His translation poems are important in that they show what he aims at in translation. As his translation poems and critical writings suggest, his aim in translation poems is to acquire some reasonable techniques and to make "a language to use" as well as "a language to think in." In other words, his aim is to establish his own poetic style. To achieve these aims, he wrote the translation poems with a variety of rhythms, forms and sound patterns. His translation poems are also significant, for they not only reflect his artistic attitude, but also reveal his strategy for writing. they reflect his traditionalism in literature which corresponds to his denial of utter originality. And they show that he used translation as a strategic means of writing. In other words, he used translation as a means by which he examined or evaluated "certain forces, elements or qualities which were potent" in past literatures. In the process of doing so, he aimed at revivifying and re-presenting the original intergrity of the poems of those poets whom he chosen. And he also attempted to carry over what he called "the quality or virtU of an individual" from past literatures. In fact, what he aimed at through translation is "to find his own virtu` in himself. Whether or not Pound succeeded in his translation poems is a matter for controversy. This controversy about his translation poems was caused by Pound himself. For he made what he called "the interpretative translation," instead of making literal translation. Some, such as Hugh Kenner and T. S. Eliot, were in favor of this type of translation. But others were severely critical toward it. The most representative one of those who assumed such a critical attitude was a Latin scholar W. G. Hale. He severely criticized Pound for the inexatitude of his translation poems, especially that of "Homage to Sextus Propertius." Wale`s criticism stands to reason. But it has only "a partial validity." For he judged Pound`s translation poems only from a viewpoint of exactitude, not from an artistic point of view. In conclusion, even though Pound`s translation poems are lacking in exactitude, some of them-say "The Seafarer"-are the works of art which reach higher form of artistic achievements and show his incessant efforts toward the development of English poetry.