’Let the nymphs be the judges of our poetry slam’: Modernisation in Charles Martin’s English (re)translation of Ovid’s Metamorphoses

Abstract

This BA thesis analyses how the tone and meaning of Ovid’s Metamorphoses are conveyed to modern English in Charles Martin’s translation (2004) and how this translation has brought the ancient world closer to the modern-day reader. Retranslation of literary fiction is often based on the perceived linguistic or stylistic ageing of the existing translations, and retranslating is a way to preserve the relevance and value of literary works to new generations. Classical source texts may also include references and meanings that are not automatically recognised today and need to be considered when translating to ensure the information of the original text is conveyed in a way that is understandable to the target audience.

The data used in the analysis is a section of Martin’s translation of Metamorphoses describing a poem singing competition between the Muses and the Pierides. The characters in this part have distinct personal voices and the text features a variety of intertextual and cultural references in both the source text and the translation. The analysis was carried out by comparing Martin’s translation to the Latin original utilising commentaries and an earlier, more word-for-word translation to evaluate how the voices and personalities of the characters were constructed and how the intertextual and cultural references of the source text were expressed in the translation.

Based on the analysis, Martin’s translation is faithful to the original and conveys its tone and meaning accurately using modernisation techniques, free translation and distinctive stylistic means to portray the voices of the characters and the references of the ancient world along with their associated meanings in a manner that is relevant today. The style and tone of contemporary rap that is given to the sisters in the translation connects the text to today’s context and serves as recognisable opposite to what classical poetical tone is thought to be like.