TRANSLATING CESÁRIO VERDE - CESÁRIO VERDE UNTRANSLATABLE

Abstract

It is main goal of this article to stimulate the debate and reflection on Translation Studies.

Based on Cesário Verde’s poem O Sentimento dum Ocidental (1880) we will discuss the effectiveness and applicability of poetry translation.

Since the beginning of the XX century Cesário Verde and his work have been studied on an international range. We may therefore make reference to outnumbered translations of his poems in English, French, German, Italian, and Czech.

Poetry translation raises however several difficulties which may affect the comprehension, interpretation and analysis not only of this author but also of his texts. In this manner we will naturally confront as well some of the most relevant items for Translation Studies, namely: Translation purposes and criteria; Translation necessity, possibility and usefulness.

We invite you thus to observe the rich and complex Poetry-Translation relation within the analysis of one Cesário’s poem in Italian, English, German and French.