Kobe Shoin Women’s University Repository
Title
Derek Mahon's Translation of Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill's
Poems
Author(s)
春木 孝子(Takako Haruki)
Citation
Shoin Literary Review，No.34：15-39
Issue Date
2001
Resource Type
Bulletin Paper / 紀要論文
Resource Version
URL
Right
DerekMahon'sTranslationof
NualaNiDhomhnaill'sPoems
TakakoHaruki
I.Introduction
Pharaoh'sDaughterisNualaNiDhomhnaill'ssecondbookina
bilingualeditionpublishedin1990andDerekMahonisoneofthe
thirteenleadingwriterswhotranslatedthepoems.NexttoMedbh
McGuckian,TomMacIntyre,andPaulMuldoon,eachofwhomoffered
translationsoffivepoems,Mahon'scontributionoffourpoems,thesame
asCiaranCarson,JohnMontagueandEileanNiChuilleanain,isnot
small.Althoughreviewerspraisedthetranslations,(1)Ihavenoticedlittle
mentionofDerekMahon'stranslationsuntilIheard,onthe7thof
November,2000,atthepoetryreadingNiDhomhnaillgaveforthe
FestivalattheQueen's,Belfast,thepoetherselfspeakhighlyofMichael
LongleyandDerekMahonashertranslators.Forsomeoddreason,
accordingtoNiDhomhnaill,thosetwo,whohavelittleIrish,couldcome
upwithmoresatisfactoryrenderingsofherpoemsthanthosewitha
muchbetterknowledgeofIrish.`But',sheaddedoffhand,`mycribs
maybegood'.AfairideaofNiDhomhnaill's`cribs',theliteral
translationswhichshesaysshesuppliestothetranslatingpoets,canbe
obtainedfromherownliteraltranslationofthepoem,`Chomh
LeochaileachleSliogan/AsFragileasaShell',inWildishThings:An
、anthologyqプNewIrishWわmeガ3Wr漉
ηg②,whichwaspublishedoneyear
-15一
beforePharaoh'sDaughter.Thispoemseems,therefore,tobeanappro-priatestartingpointofmyanalysisofDerekMahon'stranslationofNi Dhomhnaill'sfourpoemsinPharaoh'sDaughter. II,℃homhLeochaileachleSliogan/AsFragileasaShelr(3) Thepoemistoldbyawomanprotagonistwhostandsatthedoorof herformerlover,facestheevidenceofhisrelationshipwithanother woman,andcomestotermswiththechaoticfactthroughdeeperunder-standingofthewholeschemeoftheworld.Thepoem'smarkedforce comesfromthefactthattheprotagonisttranscendsherpersonal jealousy,regretanddistresstoreachaclear-eyedobjectivityasshe perceiveswhatliesbeyondherexperience.Thedifferencebetweenthe twotranslationsisapparentwhenthefollowinglinesfromthefirstand secondstanzasarecloselyexamined. Cligeannanclogibhfadistigh...Thebell goneamheaglachringsdeepinthehouse, isbaineannmacallaasnaseomraifolamhaechoinginthelong,emptyrooms. imchomhair. IstighsachistintoraidioThekitchenradiohowls agstealladhpopcheoilrockmusicand,foramoment, ismusclafonnserebheagdochaisIfeelasurgeofhope;butthen istighimbhr喬idIrealizeitisonlythere achnuairachuimhnimarilairtodeterthieves isclewsaseoigcoinnerobalaitheandalongwaitliesbeforeme agusisfadafuarfolamhanwithnosoundofyourstep. feitheamhagain gantroistdochoisceimearanbhfod.(PD,p,85) (PD,p.84) -16一
.../Thebellringsfarinside/stridently/andbringsanechofrom/thelong emptyrooms. Inthekitchentheradio/isbeltingoutpop-music/andforamoment/asmall gleamofhope/wakesinmychest/butthenthemoreIthinkofit/Irealise thatitisaployagainsthousebreaking/andthereisalongandfruitlesswait beforeme/withoutthesoundofyourfootstepinthisplace. (Trans.NualaNiDhomhnaill,inWildishThings,p.211) Intheoriginalthereisaconfusedmixtureoffeelingsoftheforsaken woman,butinMahon'stranslation,itisthesenseofherfragilitywhich predominates,fromthefirstimageofthepoem'sopeninglines(`ashell/ castuponarockyshore').Thisdifferenceoftheeffectcomesfrom Mahon'somissionsofallthosedetailssuchas`goneamheaglach/stri-dently',`lstigh/lnside',`istighimbhraid/inmychest',`cleas/aploy' , `fuarfolamh/fruitless' ,and`aranbhfod/inthisplace'.Toavoidthe speaker'svoicesoundingtooclippedbecauseoftheseomissions,Mahon reducesthelinesofeacheight-linestanzatoalternatesix-andseven-line stanzas,andthisunevenbutpairedstanzasequence,furthermore ,intro-ducestothepoemacontrolledandpoisedquality.Itisaquieterand morefocusedcontemplationoftheforsakenwomanthatthereaderis nowledintoinMahon'stranslation. Theotherchangessustainthisdifferenceofemphasis.Intheoriginal `Clingeannanclogibhfadistigh/goneamheaglach/isbainea nnmacalla asnaseomraifolamha/imchomhair',theliteralrenditionofwhichis `Thebellringsfarinside/stridently/andbringsanechofro m/thelong emptyrooms',`theecho'comesbackto`1'whorangthebell,while,in Mahon's`Thebell/ringsdeepinthehouse/echoinginthelong,empty rooms',theechojustgoesfartherawayfrom`1'asifitwereforever 17一
lost.`Pop-music'becomes`rockmusic'toemphasisetheanguishlatent intheverb`howls'andthefollyofthe`surgeofhope'shefeels .This, inturn,makesastrongercontrastwiththedyingfallof`nosoundof yourfootstep'thantheoriginalcontrastbetween`pop-music'and`a smallgleamofhope',whichgiveswaytoanemptiness,`withoutthe soundofyourfootstepinthisplace'.Ofcourserockmusic,literally, echoesthe`rockyshore'oftheopeningstanza. Astrongerphysicalitystartstoemergeinthenextstanza,stanza three,andwithasuggestionthatGeorgianarchitecturehintsatthe proportionsofthehumanbody,thelover'snewhouseisenvisagedasa paralleloftemple,andherloverashergod.TheIrishword`nochtann' istotallyinaccordancewiththisstrainofimagination,asthewordhas primarilythephysicaldefinition,`tostrip,tomakebare'.Mahon's `bodiesforth'conveysthatco nnotationexplicitly,whileitislostinthe literalversion,`reveals'. Whentheprotagonistnoticesthelettersand,beyondthehall,a displayedpostcard,herjealousyandrivalryandthesenseoflossare overwhelmingandthedifferencesinNiDhomhnaillandMahonare interesting. TarosdeargigcrocaAredrosestandsinavase arbhordsahalla.onthehalltable;asweater Tageansaiagcrochadhhangsfromthebanister . leisanmbalastraid.Unopenedletterslieabout Talitreachaoscailteinaluitimpeallcarelesslyonthefloor; aran皿 ・largoneafaiseachbutnowhereisthereasign imballarbithofyoutobeseen. nilbiasnarianduitlefail.
IstighsaseomrasuiteOnthedrawing-roommantelpiece arangclabharapostcardfromyourlover toCartapoistathainigchしLghataniarboaststhathersisthefirst odghraBeal,Maionnsimailinyournewhouse;itshows gurbaseoancheadphostn61itirasimpletouristview agheobhairidthighnua,ofthetumulusatNewgrange. Isairtoradharcgnathuilturasoireachta deBhrunaBoinne. TagairteseoathuigeanntoThereisareference ganamhras‐notlostonyou,ofcourse‐ donhierosgamostothehierosgarnos,themarriage anp6sadhadeineadharNeamh.madeinheaven.Outside Islasmuighdechiorcalthewarmconspiracyofyourlove teolaibhurlanunachaisIstand,anobody, tofuaragamfanachtsadorasanorphanatthedoor. imodhilleachtai,imospreas.{PD,p.85,87) {PD,p.84,86} There'saredroseinavase/onthehall-table/There'sajumperhangingfrom thebannisterpole./Thereareopenedletterslyingaboutonthefloor/noncha-lantly/butnowhere/isthereasinglesignofyoutobeseen. Insideinthelivingroom/onthematelpiece/isapostcardcometoyou/from yourlover.Sheboasts/thatthisisthefirstletterorbitofpost/youwillget inyournewhouse./Onitisanordinarytouristview/ofthetumulusat Newgrange. Thisisareference/notlostonyou、ofcourse/tothe``hierosgamos"ノthe marriagemadeinheaven/Outsidethewarmcircle/ofyourrelationship/I standinthedoorway/aworthlessperson,amotherlesschild. (Wildishthings,p211) 19
InNiDhomhnaill,`litreachaoscailte'is`openedletters',and`taCarta poistathainigchughataniar/odghrageal.Maionnsi/gurbeseoan cheadphostn61itir'is`apostcardcometoyou/fromyourlover.She boasts/thatthisisthefirstletterorbitofpost'.Herformerlover'snew loverisexultantinhertriumph.Hence,thespeaker'sefforttobelittle therival(`gnathuil'is`ordinary').WhereasinMahon's`litreachaoscailte' is`unopenedletters',whichintensifiesthesenseofrejectionofthe speaker.Lettersareignored(likeher)becauseofthe(immediately readable)postcard.It'snot`She'but`apostcardfromyourlover'that `boaststhathersisthefirst/mail' ,andnot`anordinarytouristview' but`asimpletouristview'thatthepostcardshows,bothofwhichfacts keepthespeakeratadistance.Thissenseofalienationisthecentreof Mahon'sversion,where`chiorcal/teolaibhurlanunachais'isnot`the warmcircle/ofyourrelantionship'but`thewarmconspiracyofyour love',sincetheword`conspiracy'putsthespeakerfurtheroutsideof thecirclethantheword`relationship'.Infactthesenseconveyedis closertotheoriginalas`lanunachas'means`partnershipinmarriage' , thebondofherloverandhisbelovedbeingstrongandevensacred . TheZrishpossesiveadjective`bhur',thesecondpersonplural ,also intensifiesthebondratherthantheEnglishword`your',whichcanbe eithersingleorplural.Insteadoftheintenselymixedemotionsof jealousy,rivalry,anddiscriminationintheoriginal,Mahon'sversion highlightsthesenseofhelplessnessofthewomanoutsidethe foregroundedlove.Mahon'stranslationof`imodhilleachtai',by`an orphan',ratherthan`amotherlesschild',likehispreferencefor`a sweater'ratherthan`ajumper'for`geansai',andhisupgradingofthe ratherplain`seomrasuite/theliving-roam'toanelegant`thedrawing room',makesthepoemmoreurban,andmaybemorecosmopolitan, consideringthereadershipinEnglish.
TheintroductionofNewgrange,withitsassociationofprehistoric timeandtheconsummationofmarriage,leadstheprotagonisttothe recognitionofthearchetypalmythofthebeginningoftheworld.By beginningthelaststanzawith`Mar/because',NiDhomhnaill'sprotago-nistfindsareasoninherchaoticexperience.NfDhomhnaillherself says,`mythisabasic,fundamentalstructuringofourreality,anarrative thatweplaceonthechaosofsensationtomakesenseofourlives.'(4) Mahon,ontheotherhand,byisolatingthesamestanza,soundsmuch lesscertain,andambiguous. NiDhomhnaillmayberightinsaying,inhoweveranoffhandmanner, thather`cribs'doalotofthework.But,aswehaveseen,itisalsotrue thatintranslationMahonintroducesintothepoemmoredistanceand equilibrium,acertainurbanityandmeditativeness.Thequestionis, however,whenthereaderseesafaithfulandyetabrillianttranslation, towhomshouldone'spraisebedirected.IsittothetranslatororNuala NiDhomhnaill'scribs?Takethreeexamplesfromthepoemabove: `Tagairteseoathuigeannto/ganamhras'isliterally`Thisisarefer - encethatyouundoubtedlyunderstand'butinNiDhomhnaill'stransla-tionitbecomes`Thereisareference/‐notlostonyou,ofcourse‐'; `marfharraigiaduaine/likestrangeseas' ,ischangedinto`likestrange andtreacherousseas';and`mochloigeannpeirce/mygotta-puercha skull'ischangedto`myfeatherbrain'toechotheword`dove'which appearsfurtherdown.ClearlytheseareMahon'sfaithfulreflectionof NiDhomhnaill's`cribs'. Myattitudeisthat,onceatranslationismade,itbelongstothe translatorasitisnowafterallanindependentworkofart.FrankC. Manistatakesadifferentattitude.Inhisarticle,`RepresentingSublimity: BodyasParadoxintheWorkofNualaNiDhomhnaiil',hecomparesthe twotranslationsof`FearSuaithinseach',MichaelHartnett's`Marvellous 21一
Grass'andHeaney's`MiraculousGrass'.Hisconclusionisacomplex one: Ineithercase,oneisleftwiththeproblemofwhichpoemisclosertothe poet'soriginalmeaning,sinceeventhoughwestillhavethepoetliving,she willonlyallowforapproximation,unlesswecanreadIrish.Thisslippage createsadialoguebetweentheIrishandtheEnglishversions ,aswellas betweentheIrishandtheEnglishtranslationsoftheindividualpoems;thus , aswithBakhtin'sdialogism,themeaningofthepoemthereforeexists betweentheIrishandEnglishandbetweenthevarianttranslations‐the idealofthetranslationisdiscarded,leavingamuchmoreopen-endedkindof poetry.Meaningispositedbetweenthedifferences,betweenwhatcanbe construed,althoughonlyverynarrowly,asbinaries:thatis ,Heaneyversus Hartnett.(5) Itis,however,individualpoemsthatthereaderisconcernedwithandI donotthinkordinaryreadersusuallycomparethetranslationsas academicsdo.Eachoutcomeisaworkofartandthosereaderswho havebothEnglishandIrisharefreetochoosetoenjoyanysingle version,oreventwoorthreeversions,bothintheoriginaland translation,andthosewhohaveonelanguagecanhavethe丘eedomof theonlytwochoices,eithertochooseoneor,ofcourse ,tolikeneither. NiDhomhnaill,asapoet,contendsthat`thesearebooksinIrish ,of whichthetranslationsareonlysecondarymanifestations ,becausethe booksinIrishhaveanarchitectonicstructureoftheirown' .⑥Coming fromthepersonwhosays,`Oneofthethingsthatcausesmetogetup inthemorningisthedesiretotakeIrishbackfromthatgrey-faced Irish-revivalistmalepreserve.1'llbedamnedifI'llletthemmonopolise thelanguage',(7)hercontentionthat`translationsareonlysecondary
manifestations'isforceful.WhileIhavemuchrespectforhercontention, nevertheless,fromthepointofviewofareader,thegroundseemstobe moreopen.Thenextpoem`Sceimhle/Paranoia'willshowmypoint. 皿.`Sceimhle/Paranoia' BehindthispoemliesthetaleofCuChulainn'sjourneytohislast battle.AlwynandBrinleyReesexplainthatthebattle`isaveritable "deathride"' .Beforehesetsforth,anumberofomenswarnhimof impendingdoom....Accordingtosomeversions,...hispathtakeshim pasttwobeautifulmaidensingriefandtribulationwashingabloody garmentataford.Itishisgarmentthattheyarewashing.Healso encountersthreecrones,blindinthelefteye,whowithpoisonsand spellshavecookedadogonspitsofrowan.'cap Prionsias6DrisceoilwritesinPoetryIrelandReviewthat`NualaNi Dhomhnaillusesfolklorewithpost-Freudianknowingnesstoexplore extremestatesofbeing'andthepoemisexactlyaboutthis`extreme stateofbeingparanoidandsheexploresthemindotherwiseimpossible withthe`conventionalabstractlanguage',(9)TheEnglishtitle,`Paranoia' isamodernpathologicaltermformentalderangement.NiDhomhnaill isunafraidofimportingnewvocabulariesintoIrishanditisinteresting thatwhereasshedidnotusethismoretechnicaltermasthetitleofthe poem,Mahondid. Mahon'stranslationnotonlycarefullyconveysthismentaldisorder causedbyrepressionand`characterizedbydelusionsorhallucinations, esp,ofpersecusion',(10)butalsoaddsfurthereerinessandmorbidity.In thefirststanza,theIrishword`romhinic',meaningliterally`toooften', becomes`alittletoooften';`agamhastrach/barking'becomes`barks andbarks';and`gobodhar/dully',becomesthemoresinister`are muffled'.InthesecondstanzatheeeriepersonificationofMahon's`A -23一
whirlwindraisesthehair/onthenecksofthehills;'isaprojectionofthe speaker'smentalstate,whichintheoriginalisnomorethanthe geographicalphenomena,`Aneddyingwindrises/fromthebackof hms'.(ll)InMahon'stranslationofthethirdandlaststanzaallofthese accumulatetoreinforcethegreatestlibertyhetakes,theintroductionof theword,`sulphurous',whichisnotemployedintheoriginal. Duisimgohobannniosdeanaisan...Andstartawakeinthenight niche,surroundedbysulphurouslight timpealladoarmaidin,whiletheceilinggrowsslowlybright nuairataa皿hascarnachanlaeinthedrippingdawn. agsileadhtharam.Thebedroomdoorswingsopenof Osclaionndorasantseomraleapanitsownaccord uaidh#einandahoundboundsintotheroom istogadharagteachtisteachanseomraatme chughamthisveryminute, anniuimintseo,(PD,p.56)(PD,p.57) (Iwakeupsuddenlylateatnight/abouttwointhemorning,/whilethe twilighthour/drippingdownonme/ThebedroomdoQrswingsopenofits ownaccord/andahoundboundsintotheroomatme/thisveryminute,/} (Thisandhereafter,theliteraltranslationsaremine,) Theword`sulphurous'hasastrongassociaioninpopularbeliefwith `thefiresofhell ,withdevils,andwiththunderandlightening'(OED), and,whencombinedwith`thehound',awordalsofiguratively associatedwiththehoundofhell,itaddsmythicandsupernatural dimensiontoaspeaker'sstateofmind.Equallytheshiftfrom`dog'to `hound'increasesthesenseofterror
,whilealsosuggestingtothenon-Irish-speakingreadertheusualtranslationofCuChulainn'sname:the
HoundofUlster.
Mahon'sversionintensifiestheoriginalinsmallbutsubtleways,too.
Bymultiplyingthesinglechurchbell,hehintsatmentalderangement;
andbyturningthehailstorm(usuallybrief)intoasnowstorm{longer,
moredangerousandthreatening},hegivesasenseofsuffocation,asif
thebell-towers(andtheir`muffledbells')smotheredinsnow.Ni
Dhomhnaillmadearemark,`ltdoesn'treallymatterifthewordsmean
differentthings.Themostimportantthingistogetthevoltagethatis
behindthewords.'(12)Indeed,the`voltage'isgotquiterightinthe
translationofthepoem`Sceimhle'andthepoeminEnglishisnomere
secondarymanifestationoftheoriginal,
This`voltage'canbeexaminedbycomparingtwodifferenttransla-tionsofasamepoem.Theavailabilityoftwoversionsoftranslationof
thepoem`AnRas'inpublishedform,Michael且artnett's`TheRace'in
theSelectedPoems/RoghaDantaandDerekMahon's`TheRace'in
Pharaoh'sDaughterallowsustocheckthe`voltage'.Thecomparison
willalsoallowustoseethat,asreaders,wemusttreatthetwoversions
asutterlyindependentpoemsintheirownright.
1V.`AnRes/TheRace'
AlthoughMichaelHartnett'sversionconveysthebasicmeaningof
theoriginalpoem,thespeaker'simpetuouscardrive‐ametaphorfor
hersexualdrive`onaMarchday'‐ismarephysicallyenactedin
Mahon'sversion.Mahon'sverbalevocationshaveaneroticedge,and
hiscadenceisthatofaswayingwave.Letuslookatthefirstthree
stanzas.
25一
Faoimarabheadh.leoncuthaigh,notarbhfasaigh, noceanndemhucaalltanaFiannaiochta, noangaisciochagleimtfaoidheinanfhathaigh faoinachitinsingilineachsioda, tiomainimanchairtardalladh trfbhailtebeagalarnah直ireann. Beirimaranghaothromham isnibheireannanghaothataimodhiaidhorm. (Likearaginglion,likeawildbull,/oroneofthewildboarsofthelaysofthe Fianna/ortheheroleapinguponthegiant/withhiscrestofsilkpendant,/I drivethecarblindly/throughthesmalltownsofIreland.IIovertakethewind aheadofme/andthewindbehindmedoesnotovertakeme.) Marabheadhsaigheadasbogha,pilearasgunna noseabhacruatriscatamioneanlaMarta scaigimnamlteslitaobhthiardom. Tauimhreachaarnafograibothair isnithuigimanmilteiadn6cilimeadair. Aonach,RosCry,MointeachMlic, n'fheadararghaibheasnonarghaibheastriothu. Niliontufaoinamseoachteorainniluais ismoillaranmbothargodtitu. (Likeanarrowfromabow,bulletfromagun/orasparrow-hawkthrougha crowdofsmallbirdsonaMarchday/Iscatterthethousandsofdistanceto thebackofme./Figuresonsignposts/butIdon'tknowinkilometresor miles./Nenagh,Roscrea,Mountmellick,/IdonotknowwhetherIpassed throughthemordidnot./Therearebutspeed-limitsbetweenusbythistime/ tostopmeontheroadtoyou,)
Trighleannta,sleibhte,mointe,bogaithe scinnimarseirseoniarthar, d'aonseapamhainreathaidothreo defhascadhruthaigidochuibhreann. Deinimardaindesnahisleain,isleaindesnahardain talamhbogdethalamhcruaidhistalamhcruaidhde thalamhbog‐ imionngneithevileseonalearscaileasmochuimhne, nifhanannannachgioscancoscanisdrithlesoilse.(PD,p.94). {Throughvalleys,mountains,bogland,wetland/Irushimpetuouslyfromthe west/lnonequickrushinyourdirection/inasuddendashtobewithyou./I doheightsafterhollows,hollowsafterheights/marshlandafterdrylandand drylandaftermarshland‐/allthiskindofmapisgoneoutofmymemory/ nothingremainsbutthescreechofbrakesandthesparksoflight.) Likeamadlion,likeawildbull,Likeamadlion,likeawildbull, awildboarfromaFeniantale,likeone aheroboundingtowardsagiantofthecrazypigsintheFeniancycle withasinglesilkencrest,ortheheroleapinguponthegiant Iblindlydrivethecarwithhisfringeofswingingsilk, throughthesmalltownsofthewest:Idriveathighspeedthrough IdrivethewindbeforemethesmallmidlandtownsofIreland, andleavethewindbehind.catchingupwiththewindahead whilethewindbehindmewhirlsand dies. Arrowfrombow,bulletfromgun.Likeashaftfromabow,likeashot Sparrow-hawkthroughflockoffromagun -27一
smallMarchbirdsorasparrow-hawkinasparrow-throng Iscattermilesofroadbehind.onaMarchday,Iscattertheroad-signs, Figuresflashonsignposts‐milesorkilometreswhatdoIcare. butinkilometresormiles?Nenagh,Roscrea,Mountmellick, Nenagh,Roscrea,MountmellickIpassthroughtheminadaze; (buthaveItravelledthroughtheyareonlyspeedlimitsputthere thesetowns?)toholdmeuponmywaytoyou. 皿erethingsthatlimitspeed merethingsthatslowmedown. ThroughgeographicbarricadesThroughmountaincleft,boglandand Irushanddartfromthewestwetpasture IgalloptowardswhereyouwaitIraceimpetuouslyfromwesttoeast‐ Ispeedtowhereyoustand.aheadlongflightinyourdirection, Heightsarehollows,hollowsheightsaquickdashtobewithyou. drylandismarsh,marshlandisdry,Theroadrisesandfallsbeforeme, allcontoursfromthemaparegone:thesurfacechangi皿g丘omgrittotar: nothingbutshriekofbrakesandIforgetgeography,allIknow sparksoflightisthescreechofbrakesandthegleam (SP,p.139)oflights.(PD,p.95) Thethreestanzasarepagedwiththespeaker'ssenseofimpetuosity, haste,uninhibitednessandthedesiretodashthroughthesouthern midlandsofIrelandtowardsherlove.Sheis,asOTuamaputsit, `seekingout ,inthemannerofatraditionalhero,hermasculinelover'.(13) Herrhythmactuallysweepsovereverythingthatstandsintheway betweenherandherlover.Mahon'schoiceofwordscontributetothe enactmentofthisrashenergymorethanHartnett's.Thefirstthree adjectivesarealldifferentinIrish;`cuthaigh',`fasaigh',`allta'and
Mahonaccordinglyfollowstheoriginal`mad',`wild',`crazy',while Hartnett'schoiceis`mad',`wild',`wild',andthisrepetitionsomewhat flattenstheoriginalvoicequality.Inthesamefirsttwolines,Mahon's useofenjambment‐`one/ofthecrazypigs'‐furtheracceleratesthe reader'sactualinvolvementinthemovement.Inthesixthlineofthe firststanza,Hartnett'schangeoftheoriginal,`larnahEireann/inthe middleofIreland',to`thewest'diminishesthegeographicalscaleinthe original.Thenexttwolinesshowhowgreatlythetwopoets' translationsdiverge.Hartnett'sisconcise,evenforceful;butthetone differsslightlyfromthatofthespeakerinIrish.Mahon'slinestakeout NiDhomhnaill'sfullstop,connectingthelasttwosentencesofthe originalbythepresentparticipleformoftheverb,`catching';whenthe windbehindthespeaker`whirlsanddies',sensuousnessisborn,andat thesametimethereisaforeshadowingofthedeathimagerywhich emergesinthelaststanzaofthepoem. Thus,lookingatstanzaoneasawhole,Hartnett'sphysicaldiminish-mentofthewholebodycomesacrossasaless-than-clevertactic.And thismaybewhatODrisceoilisreferringtowhenhesays,`Michael Hartnettinhisownoriginalpoetryhasamorecompact,compressed stylethanNiDhomhnaillandinhistranslationstendstocliphermore munificentlines'.(14)Conversely,thereaderisexperiencingtherare momentofMahonbeingmore`munificent'thanNualaNiDhomhnaill herself,somethingheachieveswithcontrolandequilibrium. Thisappliestothesecondstanza,too.Mahon'sfirstfourlinesconsist ofjustonelongsentencewiththeswiftflow,onlydividedbycommas, whileHartnett's,withtheirdividedsentences,arejaggedandungainly. Hartnett'sinsertedquestions`(buthaveItravelledthroughthese towns?)'maybegrammaticallyclosertotheoriginal,butMahon's structurallypackedsentenceismorecharged.Inthethirdstanza,too, -29
thesameprincipleapplies.ComparethefirstlinesoftheIrish`Tri
ghleannta,sleibhte,mointe,bogaithe/Throughvalleys,hills,boglands,
wetlands'toHartnett's`Throughgeographicbarricades',whichisa
summaryratherthanatranslation.ThencomparethiswithMahon's
`Throughmountaincleft
,boglandandwetpasture',wheretheexplicitly
eroticimplicationsinMahon'sleapfromthepage.Inlines8and9,
Hartnett's`Heightsarehollows,hollowsheights/drylandismarsh,
marshlandisdry.'Thisisliterallyclosertotheoriginal(perhaps
echoingMacbeth)anddulyforeshadowstheominousnessofthesunthe
speakerseesinthenextstanza.Mahon'srenditionechoesthe`from
westtoeast'inthepreviouslinesinthesamestanzaanditshowsthe
changeofthescenery,fromcountrysidetoanindustrializedarea.
Inthefourthstanza,Mahon'sfirsttwolinesdepictthespeaker's
strongreactiontothesightofthehugesunso`blazingcrimson'that
thespeakerassociatesitwithbloodanddeath.Hartnett'sspeaker
soundsabittoomatteroffactaboutthesun.Hisfourthlinetakesfor
grantedthatthereaderknowsGlasGaibhneach,whereasMahon's
adroitlyintroducesthenameofthecowandherSmith-God.Thefact
thattheownerofthegreatcow,namedGlasGhaibhneach,isa
blacksmithissignificantsincesmithsareassociatedwithmagical
creativity,hence,poetry.Here,too,NiDhomhnaill'suseofthis
particularfolktalesuggeststhatthesmithmayalsostandforherselfin
thepoet'smindasthefolktalehasitthat`althoughherarelyventured
awayfromhiscave,itissaidthatwhenhewasseen,hewasobserved
flyingoverthehillsandboundingdownvalleys.Histalentsasa
blacksmithwereuniqueinIreland.,,且ehadawonderfulcow,,,.the
cowwascalledGlasGaibhneach‐thesmith'sblackandwhitecowand
itistoldthathermilksupplywouldfillanycontainernomatterhow
large.Asaresultofawageronthisabilityshewasmilkedintoasieve
-30一
etc....'(is) MaireMhacantSaoiinherintroductionfortheSelectedPoems/Rogha Dantawrites,`Christianityisaqueertoughfaith:itwouldneedtobe,to standupinNuala'spoetrytotheoldreligions'(16)andhereinthelast twolines`Tagilenadtrfdeirgeachtinti/ispiangh6arf,isgiorrosnafl./ Brightnessofthriceredisthere/itwassharppainandshortnessof breath',wecanseehowtheimageryoftheSacredHeartintheprevi-ouslineaffectsthespeaker.Thespeakermayevenbethinkingofher obsessivedesireaspassioninitsolderandmodernmeanings.The protagonist'sassociationsdonotstopatreligiousimplicationsbutmove swiftlyontoSleepingBeautyandtoDeirdre. InthecourseoflastthreestanzasseveraldifferencesinHartnett's andMahon'sapproachesbecomeapparent.Themain,crucialdifferences occurinthelastfourlinesoftheverylaststanza. Isamhathairabhalmhdr,aphluaisnan-iontas oschughatsaardeireadhataanspinsiuilfuinn anfiorandeirsiadgurfearraonbhlaiseadhamhaindedophoigin nafionSpainneach,namilGhreagach,nabeoirbhufLochlannach? (PD,p.96) (andyou,GreatMother,caveofwonders,/sinceit'stoyouintheendthespin movesinsideus/isittruewhattheysaythatyourkississweeter/than Spanishwine,Greekhoney,orthegoldenmeadoftheNorse?) Andso,GreatMother,caveofandthou,darkmother,caveof awe‐wonders, sinceit'stowardsyouwerace--sinceit'stoyouthatwespinonour isitthetruth?Isyourembraceviolentcourse, 31一
andkissmorefineisittruewhattheysaythatyourkiss thanhoney,beer,orSpanishWine?issweeter (SP,p.141)thanSpanishwine,Greekhoney,or thegoldenmeadoftheNorse? (PD,p.97) Forthecentralfigure,`mathairabhalmh6r',Mahongives`darkmother' andHartnett`GreatMother'.InthecontextofNualaNiDhomhnaill, therearemultifariousresonancesinthe`GreatMother'figure,themost powerfulofwhichisafertileandbenignfigurewithsovereignty,`a figurewhichNualaNiDhomhnaillseemstoequateonafewoccasions withaneutralbi-sexualgiant'.(17)Totallyincontradictionisherother `GreatMother'presentinherpoemofthattitle .Therethefigureis `themotherofthenucleardark:"Virgin ,mother,nurse,atomicbomb/ youwillsuckleusonthepitchblackliquidofyourbreasts"'.Itisto-wardsthelattermotherthatthespeakeris,inOTuama'swords, `speedinginexorably'butatthesametime ,thereisadesire,impulse andfascination,too,inthis`darkmother'assheisalsothe`caveof wonders'.Mahon's`darkness'and`wonder'conveythisambivalence moreskillfully.Consequently,therichlyloadedrapturousendinginthe lasttwolinesoftheoriginalshouldberetainedinatranslationifthe `voltage'istoberight .ThisMahonachieves,whereasHartnett's versionisradicallyreductive. V.`AoisnaCloiche/TheStoneAge' Theoverlappingandinterminglingofthespeaker'spersonalhistory ofrepressionandalienationfromsocietyandthesocialhistoryofthe nuclearthreatinthepoem`AoisnaCloiche/TheStoneAge'seemto giveatranslatortheoccasionofmakingadecisionwhichcouldcome -32一
moreforefrontofthepoem.Mahanseemstotakethecourseofthe widerdimension,asherespondstothepoemwithastylisticstrategy differentfromthatoftheoriginal.Thestrategyisthatofreduction . Thisgiveshimtheneatsevenquatrainsofshorterlinesand,asaresult , histoneacquiresasurecontrolexpressiveofremotenessandcoldness . See,forexample,thethirdlineofthefirststanza,`inaceathannacloth' . Whiletheoriginalexpressionisconcreteandreal,`intheshowersof stones',intranslationitischangedintosomethingcolloquialand , therefore,metaphorical:`inshowersofstone'.Showersarenolonger justanyoldstonesbutstonesofstony,greycolour.Furthermore,for-malrigidityandminimalismofMahon'sthirdstanzaattesttothe frigidityoftheclimateandhumanabsence.Theironyisnotlostinthe dualmeaningof`frozenstiff',wheretheclichedmetaphorbecomes literallytrue. NiorghadobhardaisfcathrachTherewasnocallforstatues leachtannaath6gaintinthepublicsquares , igcearnoganailaroileantrachta.nocallforgardengnomes; Nadogharraiodoiriimbruachbhailtethepeopleweretherealready , badraillegnomanna;frozenstiff. bhinadaoinegoleirrompu,reoiteina(PD ,p.69) stangadh.(PD,p.68} (Noneedforcitycorporationstosetupstatues/insquaresorinthemiddleof trafficislands./Norforthesuburbangardernerstobotherwithgnomes;/ Thereweremanypeoplebeforethem,frozenstiff.) Thefollowingline,thefirstlineofstanzafour,showsagoodexample ofthedifferencebetweentheoriginalIrishandMahon'sapproach; -33一
`D'eirighsoilFhomhorachnagreinegobagrachagfor naspeire/gach maidin,ganteip,'literally,`Thesun'sFomorianeyerosemenacinglyon thehorizon/everymorning,withoutfail,'into`Thesunroseeach morning,agreatFomorianeye'.Theoriginalismorepersonalin conveyingthesenseofominousnessusingtheword`gobagrach/ menacingly',whileMahonputs`thesun'and`agreatFomorianeye'in apposition.Theword`Fomorian'seemsbarelystrongenoughtogive thetonemeasureofitsgiganticsizeandominouscharacterinEnglish. (AstheOxfordEnglishDictionarynotes,citingfromMythandReligionof North,Fomoriansweregodsofdeathanddarkness.)(18)Thedevices usedbyastorytellerareseeninthewayinwhichthepersonaofthe originaladdressesheraudiencedirectly‐`Samhlaighduitfein/Imagine yourself'(stanzafive),`Bhifuaragainn/Uselessforus'(stanzasix}, `tuigteardom/itseemstome'(stanzaseven} ‐andinthewaythede-tailsoftheexperiencearetold:`ageiriasanleaba/gettingupfromthe bed',`agbogadhatheangacallisanall/movingitsstonytonguetoand from'{stanzafive).Thistechniqueisadistinguishingfeatureofthe poem,conveyingnervousness,asintherepetitionoftheexpressions `bhiagdulimeidisagdulimeid/itgrewbiggerandgrewbigger' .The techniqueistotallydiscardedintheprocessoftranslationsothatthe stanzafive,sixandsevengiverisetoamoredistancedandimpersonal tone. SamhlaighduitfeinclothagImagineastonegettingupeach duiseachtgachlaisageiriasmorning , anleaba,shakingitsrockyshoulders agsearradhacharraig-ghuailneandmovingitsstonytongue , isagbogadhatheangasallistryingtospeak;well,thatwasme . anallmarleac
agiarraidhlabhairt.
Bhuel,b'inagaibhmise.
BhifuaragainnabheithagNousetolightfiresand
lasadhtinteisagcoimhlintfightthefrost.
leisansioc.Animmensecrystalgrewfromthe
D'fhascriostalabhalmhorisupersaturated
dtuaslagansarthuilithearsolutionofourself-regard,
maoithneachaisgrowinguntiliteruptedlikeavolcano.
isbhiagdulimeidisagdulimeid
gurphleascamachsadeireadh
marbholcan.
Perudabhidedhithansan
orainnniorbhthewse.Whateverwelackedthen,itwasn't
heat.
AgfeachaintliaranoisairLookingbackonitnow,thatyear
tuigteardomgurmhairanbhliainseemstohavestretchedthelength
sinacharagusfaidnagciantaandbreadth
cairbreacha.(PD,p.68)ofcountlessaeons.(PD,p.69)
(lmagineyourselfastonewakingupeverydayandgettingupfromthebed/
shakingitsrockyshoulders/andmovingitsstonytonguetoandfrom/trying
tospeak./Well,thatwasme.
Uselessforustolightfiresandcompetewiththefrost./Animmensecrystal
grewfromoursentiment'ssupersaturatedsolution/anditgrewbiggerand
grewbigger/untiliteruptedlikeavolcanointheend./Whateverwelacked
then,itwasn'theat.
35
Lookingbackonitnow/itseemstomethatthatyearlastedinlengthand
breadthremoteages.)
Behindthestrategyofreductionistheintentionoftapingthewhole
episodefromtherealmofoneperson'sexperienceintoawider
perspectiveoftimelessness.InNiDhomhnaill'soriginal,timelessnessis
aimedatbymakinguseofstorytellingandherpersonalexperienceis
putinitsproperpastcontext.Whereasintranslationtheperspectiveis
stretchedeventowardsthefuture,whentracesofcivilisation`lawns'
(stanzatwo)and`thatyear'(laststanza)areirrecoverablydestroyed
andapocalypseisexperienced.Thespeakerisasurvivoronlyina
Beckettianway.
VI.Conclusion
`Iwouldlikepeopletorealizethatwhattheyarereadingisonlya
translation,andthattherearequalitiesinIrishwhichyoucanonly
approximateintranslation'iswhatNiDhomhnaillsaidabouttranslation
intoEnglish,(19)NodoubtsomequalitiesinIrishmustbelost。Onthe
otherhandotherqualitiescanbegainedinEnglishtranslationifa
translatorisanequallycreativepoet.OsipMandelstam'stheoryof
translationringsverytruewhenhedunesit`asacollaborationbe-tweenequalswho,becausetheyareprovokedbyinnernecessityand
contendonlyforthegloryoflanguage,createalivingechoofnational
culturewithoutleavingharmfultracesinthesubconsciousworkshopof
language.'(20)Mahon'stranslationconveystheexplicitsexuality,eroticism,
sensuousness,thesupernatural,extremestatesofbeing,theimpending
threatofnuclearbombshefindsintheoriginal,andintroducesintothe
poemsophistication,distance,equilibrium,urbanity,intelligenceandthe
perspectiveoffuture.
-36一
AllthosequalitiesMahonintroducesintothetranslationarealsothe mostnotablequalitiesofhisownpoetry.Mahon'sisapoetryinwhich `modernistalienationandwell -madeformareheldintension'andin whichironicaldetachmentandprecisionoftechniqueareconcurrent.(21) Hisisalsoapoetryinwhichexclusivelymalepersonaespeakinhighly individualisticvoices.Intranslatingafemalevoiceandsensibility ,very differentfromhisown,Mahonbalancesthatinthewayinwhichhe accommodateshissensibilitytoNiDhomhnaill'swiththefirstthree poems,whileinthecaseofthelastpoem,Mahontakesthelibertyof movingmoreintohisownidiom,thustransformingitintoapoemwith aperspectiveoffuture. Notes `Basedontheoralpresentationmadeatth eStaffandPostgraduateSeminar,at SchoolofEnglish,Queen'sUniversity,Belfast,onDecember6,2000.Iwishto expressmygratitudeforallthegoodadviceIreceivedthere,and,especially ,toDr, MichaelAllenwhonotonlykindlychairedmytalkbutalsoinspiredmewiththe strategiesoforalpresentations,andMaryBurkewhoenlightenedmewiththe differentaspectsofthepoems.GeoffreyO'Kanehasbeengenerousasalwaysin givingmevaluableadvicebothonlinguisticandliterarypoints.Myspecialgrati-tudegoestoNualaNiDhomhnaillwhokindlyansweredtomyquestionsonIrish expressionsinWestKerry. 1.See,forexample,RobertWelch,`TranslationasTribute' ,inPoetryIreland Reviewno.34(1992),inwhichhewrites,`Nuala'stranslatorsare,onthewhole, outstanding:theperspicacityofMuldoon,therelaxedauthorityofCarson ,the finenessofMcGuckian,theexactattentionofLongley'. 2.AilbheSmyth(ed.).WildishThings:、 肋 、4nthologyofハdewIrishWomen's 37
Writing(Dublin:AtticPress,1989). 3.NualaNfDhomhnanl,P加raoh'sDaughter,(Loughcrew:TheGaUeryPress,1990) , pp.84-89.PagereferencestothisbookandSelectedPoems/RoghaDknta-(trans.byMichaelHartnett.Dublin:RavenArtsPress,1986)aregiveninthe text,usingtheabbreviationsPDandSP,respectively. 4.LauraO'Connor,`MedbhMcGuckianandNualaNiDhomhnaill:Comhra,witha ForwardandAfterwardbyLauraO'Connor',intheSouthernReviewvo1.31, no.3(1995)p.604. 5.FrankC.Manista,`RespresentingSublimity:BodyasParadoxintheWorkof NualaNiDhomhnaill'inContemporaryIrishWomenPoets:SomeMale Perspectives.ed.byAlexanderG.Gonzales(Westport,Connecticut:Greenwood Press,1999)p.149. fi.LauraO'Connor,Comhra,p.599. 7.LauraO'Connor,Comhra,p.589. 8.AlwynandBrinleyRees,CelticHeritage(NewYork:ThamesandHudson , 1961,reprint1995)pp.326,327. 9.PrionsiasODrisceoil,`ReviewofSelectedPoerres/RoghaDkntabyNualaNf Dhomhnaill',in、Poetrッ ∬relandReview24(1988)p.41. 10.OxfordEnglishDictionarydefines`paranoia'as`Mentalderangement;spec . chronicmentalunsoundnesscharacterizedbydelusionsorhallucinations,esp. ofgrandeur,persecution,etc.Thevariousformsofthedisorderarenow consideredasbelongingtotheschizophrenicgroupofmentalillnesses.Also intrivialuse.' 11.Fromnowon,unlessotherwisereferredto,theliteraltranslationsaremine. 12.LauraO'Connor,Comhra,p.601. 13.SeanbTuama,Repossessions(Cork:CorkUniversityPress,1995)p.49. 14.PrionsiasODrisceoil,PoetryIrelandReview,p.42. 15.Seehttp://www.alltheweb.com. 16.MaireMhacantSaoi,introductionofSelectedPoems/RoghaDanta,p.10.
17.SeanOTuama,Repossessions(Cork:CorkUniversityPress,1995)p.48. 18.ThecitationisfromE.0,G.Turville-Pertre,ルMythandReligion(ゾ1Vo肋,1964, vii.160.Theothermostprominentcharactericsofthegiants,one-eyed,and otherhistoricandlegendarydetailsaboutthemaredepictedinR.A.S.MacAl-ister,LeabharGabhala,(lrishTextSociety,1938),althoughtheirdepictions arealwaysinthebackgroundasthethreateningpowertotheinhabitantsof 工reland, 19。Q.&A.:NualaNfDhomhnaill,Irish」iterarySuppleme砿Falll987,p.42. 20.QuotedinLauraO'Connor,Comhra,p.612. 21.JohnGoodby,IrishPoetrySince1950:FromStillnessintoHistory(Manchester: ManchesterUniversityPress,2000)p.117. 39
