Toward an erotic translation of poetry

Abstract

Poetry has been a central topic of discussion in interdisciplinary areas such as translation studies, and this has led different theorists to propose positions on the question of whether poetry should or should not be translated and what would be the correct method in the case of translatability. Starting from this general convention, this essay combines both theoretical exploration and practical application with the aim of demonstrating in which manner the concept of Eros, proposed by Anne Carson, works as a philosophy for literary translation, especially in poetry. It is important to mentioned that because the concept of Eros has so far not been defined as a methodology in literary translation studies, it lacks criteria that help us define what it means to translate based on Eros. However, Anne Carson is a crucial anchor for theorizing this translation perspective in future research. In this way, this essay demonstrates Eros as an alternative to turn literary translation into an introspective, creative and reinterpretative exercise in which untie us from traditional paradigms based on the concept of faithfulness. Finally, when translating poetry based on the eroticism concept, we must question our poetic voice and the way we reflect beauty through other languages. Only in this way, we can develop our inner Eros and make this concept more tangible in translation practice.