Abstract
Os Sertões (1902) is a literary and historical work written by the journalist Euclides da Cunha about the War of Canudos, the massacre promoted by the Brazilian Government against its most impoverished and vulnerable population in a geographical region extremely devastated by drought. This conflict was reported internationally, supporting the Brazilian government’s attitudes. In the meantime, Os Sertões became a Brazilian masterpiece as the result of the author’s journalistic coverage of the events plus his critical vision after the end of the war. The main objective is to analyze literary practices in the English language versions of Os Sertões. For that purpose, we discuss the possibilities and challenges of translating this Brazilian literature emblematic work about war times based on the reflections of translators Berthold Zilly, Samuel Putnam, and Elizabeth Lowe. We focus on the historical moment of the translations Rebellion in the Backlands (1944) and Backlands: The Canudos Campaign (2010) and the implications of these contexts for the translation of Brazilian literature. Through the investigation of the sociohistorical contingencies at the time of each translation, we seek to examine changes over time, identity, and differences in the translation of literary works produced in wartime. This study is important and of great relevance to our current times in which governments and the press become vehicles of information and support for massacres carried out against vulnerable people.
Presenters
Eloa Carvalho PiresTeacher, School, Espírito Santo State Education Secretariat, Espírito Santo, Brazil
Details
Presentation Type
Paper Presentation in a Themed Session
Theme
KEYWORDS
NATIONAL LITERATURE, GLOBAL LITERATURE, TRANSLATION, LITERARY ANALYSIS, LITERARY PRACTICES
