Article published In:
TargetVol. 11:2 (1999) ► pp.245–262
Mock-Epic as a Byproduct of the Norm of Elevated Language
Beginning in the late nineteenth century, Hebrew underwent a process of revival. Despite the growing stratification of the language, literary translations into Hebrew were governed by a norm which dictated the use of an elevated style rooted in ancient Hebrew texts. This norm persisted at least until the 1960s. Motivated by the Hebrew tradition of employing the elevated style to produce the mock-epic, translators created mock-epic works independently of the source texts. This article describes the creation of the mock-epic in canonized and non canonized adult and children's literature, focusing on the Hebrew versions of Henry Fielding's Joseph Andrews, Damon Runyon's Guys and Dolls, Peter O'Donnell's Modesty Blaise and A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner.
Article outline
- Introduction
- Mock-Epic
- Henry Fielding's Joseph Andrews
- Damon Runyon's Guys and Dolls
- Peter O'Donnell's Modesty Blaise
- A.A. Milne's Winnie-the-Pooh and The House at Pooh Corner
- Conclusion
- Acknowledgments
- Notes
-
References
References (26)
References
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Fielding, Henry. 1975 (1742). Joseph Andrews, in: Joseph Andrews and Shamela, with an introduction by A.R. Humphreys. London and New York: Dent and Dutton, Everyman's Library. Hebrew version: Esther Caspi. Tel Aviv: Am Oved, Sifriya La-Am, 1965.
Milne, Alan Alexander. 1992 (1926). Winnie-The-Pooh. New York: Puffin Books. Hebrew versionVera Israelit and A.D. Shapira. Tel Aviv: Makhbarto Le-Sifrut, 1970 (1943)
Milne, Alan Alexander. 1946 (1928). The House at Pooh Corner. London: Methuen. Hebrew version: Aharon Amir. Tel Aviv: Makhbarot Le-Sifrut, 1970 (1951).
O'Donnell, Peter. 1966 (1965). Modesty Blaise. London: Pan. Hebrew version: Arie Hashavia. Tel Aviv: Schocken, “Shin Shin Shin” series, 1966.
Runyon, Damon. 1960 (1931). Guys and Dolls. Harmondsworth, Middlesex: Penguin.Hebrew Version: Eliezer Carmi. Tel Aviv: Dekel, n.d. [Three volumes including stories from Guys and Dolls and other collections.]
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