Out of darkness into the light in La casa de los espíritus: a feminist project of reading, analysis, reimagination, and retranslation

Author(s)

Pâmela Berton Costa

• Document type: Doctoral Thesis
• Press: São José do Rio Preto. 2021-01-05.
• Institution: Universidade Estadual Paulista (Unesp). Instituto de Biociências Letras e Ciências Exatas. São José do Rio Preto
• Defense date: 2020-12-02
• Advisor: Lauro Maia Amorim

Abstract

This research had two main objectives: to analyze both Brazilian and American translations of La casa de los espíritus, by Isabel Allende; and to retranslate selected passages of the novel based on feminist strategies. It starts by discussing how five main elements influence the translation process, namely poststructuralism, deconstruction, postmodern subject, identity, and the author’s name. It then proceeds to introduce the concept of reimagination, that is, the recreating of the identities at play in the foreign text in another language and culture, highlighting the ways in which power relations and oppression are part of this recreating process. After showing that translation is a mediated transformation from one language to another, this research contextualizes western feminisms, Latin-American feminist writers, and Canadian and American feminist translators of the twentieth century. It then presents the author, the narrative, both translators, and the analyzed editions in order to discuss the feminist interpretation of each text – the foreign text, and each translation. Based on these discussions, this research considers the names of the characters as metaphors to understand feminisms as light, and sexism as darkness. Through the analysis of 33 examples, the thesis discusses how each translation reimagines the characters and the narrative. It is clear that the Brazilian translation is a phallotranslation, that is, a phallocentric interpretation of the text. On the other hand, the American translation is seen as a non-declared feminist version, in which there is systematic attention to gender issues, but no feminist paratext written by the translator. Based on these conclusions, this research discusses the feminist retranslation of 16 passages to Brazilian Portuguese, in which a feminist retranslation is understood as an improvement of a phallocentric translation. Finally, the thesis defends a new interpretation of the translation process through gender, which intends to be more aware of the power relations and oppressions that cross both the space between languages and cultures, and between significant and signifier. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 18/17944-5 - Identity and gender in both Brazilian and American translations of La casa de los espíritus, by Chilean author Isabel Allende
• Grantee: Pâmela Berton Costa
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Doctorate (Direct)