A poetry translator’s responsibility: Where does it lie?

Translation in poetry creates a unique bridge between cultures, but, upon closer examination, it is a process fraught with complexity. Percy Bysshe Shelly wrote, “Hence the vanity of translation; it were as wise to cast a violet into a crucible that you might discover the formal principles of its color and odor, as to transfuse from one language into another creations of a poet” (Palay).

As a poet, he believed that the essence of a poem—its rhythm and sound and overall linguistic impact—cannot be transferred intact from one language to another. A poet’s work is multifaceted, rich in layers of meaning, tone, and cultural and historical context. Such aspects resist the bending or transformation that translation requires. It is certainly valid to wonder why—with a poet’s primary (or perhaps sole) purpose being to craft a piece with the most deliberately chosen language—it is acceptable for a poem to be translated by someone who is not the original poet. It is at the same time true that translation facilitates the expression of ideas, emotions, and artistic expression across linguistic boundaries and is therefore a useful and important practice. So, the translator’s role includes not only faithfully conveying the meaning and spirit of the original poem; it also requires navigating the tension between preserving linguistic choices while allowing for creative interpretation and adapting cultural and poetic nuances.

Unlike the (typically) more straightforward task of translating prose, wherein the goal is largely to communicate meaning as accurately as possible, the poetry translator’s dual responsibility of conveying both content and poetic form in another language requires a translator to consider what his role and goal is. Is it simply to transfer the sound and meaning of the poem into another language? Is the translation a writing exercise? Is the translation an artistic piece of its own? The answer will tell him what he ‘may’ or ‘may not’ do in terms of taking creative liberties. If he views the translation as primarily an exercise, the poem may be treated more as a tool, or an opportunity to experiment with language and ideas, rather than as a sacred text to be faithfully preserved. The translation becomes a space for artistic exploration rather than a simple act of linguistic conversion. Otherwise, the translator is a mediator of languages, cultures, and histories. The task is not only to convert words from one language to another but to join gaps in meaning, sound, emotion, and cultural context, all while staying as true to the original as possible. A successful translation requires finding a balance between faithfulness to the original and the creative adaptation necessary to make the poem resonant and meaningful for a new audience. This process is especially challenging in poetry, where form, sound, and rhythm are inseparable from meaning.

Poetic form—whether it involves rhyme, meter, alliteration, or sound—plays a crucial part in the poem’s overall effect; a truly faithful translation ought to preserve these aspects as well. The constraints of language, however, and the necessity of creating a coherent and fluent translation while also still preserving the meaning, can make this task difficult. Oftentimes, these elements may clash, and it is at this point that the translator may make his creative decisions. A translator may need to prioritize the poem’s sound over its exact meaning, particularly when the rhythm and musicality are intrinsic to the poem’s emotional impact.

Conversely, a translator may sacrifice some aesthetic qualities to preserve the idea or intent of the original text. This process often involves difficult compromises. In some cases, the spirit of the poem may be preserved even if the exact wording or structure is altered. Translators must consistently weigh the importance of faithful reproduction against the need for artistic adaptation, with the ultimate goal being to recreate the poem’s emotional and intellectual essence. Ultimately, the poet made a deliberate choice in everything he or she included in the original poem, so if the goal is ‘accuracy,’ it is key for a translator to do his best to include as many of the original artistic choices as possible.

One of the especially interesting characteristics of translated poetry is the unavoidable addition of the translator’s voice. It becomes a unique and integral part of the translated poem. This aspect inevitably raises the question of the extent the poem becomes a new work and how much is altered by the translator’s artistic decisions. At what point does creative adaptation cross into distortion and become more the translator’s than the poet’s? In many instances, a translation may become a new poem in its own right. While this new version may be equally valuable to readers, however, it is important that audiences grasp this concept. The translator is an active participant in the creation of the poem in its new form, and the choices they make inevitably shape the way a reader experiences and interprets a poem. Recognizing the translator’s voice and viewing the poem through this lens allows readers to appreciate the unique contribution of the translation while also acknowledging its original poet and history.

One such example is in John Felstiner’s translation of Paul Celan’s poem “Todesfuge.” We cannot say that “Celan wrote” a particular line or talk about his use of language in the poem “Death Fugue,” because we are not reading his version. In the same way, however, we cannot say that Felstiner “wrote” the poem either. This distinction matters, because it speaks to the nature of translation itself—it is not a straightforward transfer of words from one language to another, but a re-imagination of the original work in a new linguistic and cultural environment. The text produced by the translator, while closely tied to the original, cannot be identical. It reflects the translator’s interpretation, understanding, and decisions in shaping the poem’s meaning, rhythm, and emotional impact for a new audience. However, while some readers may see this choice as a betrayal of the original text and poet, it is a way of breathing new life into and giving a different perspective on the poem, allowing it to grow and gain significance in a different context.

A unique challenge in poetry translation arises when dealing with ambiguity in a word or phrase. When translating, a poet’s choice of ambiguous words is not always easily translatable into another language, and how the translator handles such vagueness can change or solidify the interpretation of the poem. Again in “Death Fugue,” Felstiner makes an interesting decision in the last stanza. His translated line reads, “he plays with his vipers and daydreams,” whereas Celan’s is “er spielt mit den Schlangen und träumet.” While the word “träumen” can translate to daydream, it is ambiguous in Celan’s poem and could have multiple meanings. Felstiner makes the decision for readers and takes out the ambiguity, though he could have achieved the same result in English simply with “dream.” He instead, however, emphasises the idea of fantasy, in some ways making the man more evil in that he is pleased about death being a master of Germany.

Another element of which a translator must be aware relates to idioms and social context. Idiomatic expressions are often tied to the culture, history, and social norms of the language from which they originate. Because they do not always translate literally or logically into another language, it is especially necessary here for a translator to be a master of both languages in all ways; a dictionary will not be enough to compensate. Idioms are also an occasion in which it is not the best tactic to translate ‘exactly’ and directly. It is also not always the solution to find the seemingly equivalent idiom in the target language, because that may not carry the same weight or idea. A translator may in that case opt for a more neutral phrase that sacrifices some of the idiomatic flavor but retains the meaning.

Translation in poetry is ultimately both an art and a responsibility. It requires not only a deep understanding of language, but also a sensitivity to the subtleties of culture, history, and emotional nuance. While the task is undoubtedly full of challenges—whether in preserving meaning, rhythm, sound, or ambiguity – it is also an important means of cultural exchange, allowing poems to transcend linguistic boundaries and gain new life in different contexts. At its best, poetry translation does more than simply convey meaning; it reinvents the original work, offering readers an interpretation that is both faithful to the poet’s intent and infused with the translator’s unique voice.