How translation of literary works transcends boundaries, connects cultures

What instantly comes to mind when asked to recall some of the seminal books you have read in your lifetime? Perhaps your list includes world classics like The Iliad by Greek bard Homer, The Apology of Socrates by Greek philosopher Plato, Inferno by Italian writer Dante Alighieri, Discipline and Punish: The Birth of the Prison by French philosopher Michel Foucault, and Anna Karenina by Russian author Leo Tolstoy. Despite being written in different languages and settings, these books have been widely read and acclaimed beyond the countries and times in which their authors lived.

However, it is a different story for some of our own classics. Books like Lalsalu by Syed Waliullah, Hajar Bachhar Dhorey by Zahir Raihan, Devdas and Srikanta by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, to name a few, have not been widely read outside Bangla-dominated regions and diaspora. Only a small number of people have had the opportunity to experience these works. On a positive note, some of our other classics have garnered interest from readers of different languages and cultures, such as Gitanjali, a collection of poetry by Rabindranath Tagore, and Pather Panchali by Bibhutibhushan Bandyopadhyay.

The main reason for this trend lies in the fact that the books mentioned in the first paragraph have been translated into dominant languages, allowing for a wider readership. In contrast, our own scholars have not done enough to translate the books mentioned in the second paragraph. Only a few, such as Gitanjali and Pather Panchali (partial credit also goes to Satyajit Ray), have been translated into English and have reached a larger audience outside of Bangla-speaking regions. As a result, these works have been extensively read by people of other languages.  

This highlights the importance of translating literary works. Translation is an essential component of any culture's rich tapestry. As the renowned translator and critic, Anthony Burgess, once said, 'Translation is not a matter of words only: it is a matter of making intelligible a whole culture.' This statement aptly captures the significance of translation, which is a powerful means of diffusing cultural elements and establishing language supremacy. Translation not only allows for wider readership and appreciation of a culture's literary works, but also facilitates better understanding and appreciation of the culture itself.

Much of the knowledge we have about ancient cultures, races, and civilizations, as well as the classics we read today, are derived from translated works. For instance, works by the greatest philosophers of the world, such as Socrates and Plato, have been translated into different languages. During the early Renaissance period, Byzantine scholars translated the works of Greek philosophers extensively, thereby introducing their ideas to Western Europe.

This underscores the crucial role that translation plays in spreading knowledge and facilitating cultural exchange. One way to really understand this is by examining the availability of knowledge and our familiarity with Western cultures and societies.

Indeed, translation has always been a powerful tool to influence people and writers of other cultures. For example, consider the case of English literature, which has been heavily influenced by works translated from Latin, French, and Russian literature. 

In his book "History of English Literature" published by Oxford University Press, Edward Albert notes that during the Middle English period, texts written in English contained an increasing number of loanwords from French and Scandinavian languages. The influence of French and Latin works on English literature has been significant throughout history.

This influence was especially evident during the Romantic period (1790-1830) when writers sought refuge in nature as a response to the increasing industrialization of England. Alongside French and Russian influences, the works of Scott, Coleridge, Shelley, Byron, and others were heavily influenced by German literature, further enriching the English literary tradition.

Despite the messianic power of translation, our culture and nation have yet to fully harness its potential. There is perhaps no other country in the world that has exhibited such a strong dedication to its mother tongue as we have, with our history of grit and martyrdom. Therefore, we should strive to promote our cultural elements and establish language supremacy across the globe, and the most effective way to achieve this is through the translation of our literary creations.  

In fact, the lack of quality and quantity of translations of our literature has created a barrier to properly introducing our canonical writers and popularizing our culture beyond our borders. This has prevented the wider dissemination of the wealth of knowledge that our culture has to offer. To illustrate this point, let me provide an example.

The popularity of Walt Whitman, one of the most influential poets in the American canon, can be compared to that of Lalon Fakir. Both of them were mystic poets and active during the mid-nineteenth centuries. Whereas Whitman is widely read (owing to his creation "Song of Myself") and regarded outside America, Lalon never came under the glare of spotlight in the foreign lands. 

Despite the fact that Lalon Fakir's works, especially his thoughts regarding the identification of individual self with God, have been instrumental in developing the edifice of mysticism in this region, he has not been able to transcend boundaries as his creations have not been studied and translated widely. On the other hand, Rumi's popularity as one of the best-selling poets in the United States is due in part to extensive translation of his works. 

This same lack of translation has also hindered the recognition of other great Bangladeshi writers such as Kazi Nazrul Islam, Jibanananda Das, Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay, Manik Bandopadhyay, Shamsur Rahman, and Ahmed Sofa. While Rabindranath Thakur was awarded the Nobel prize in literature for his work Gitanjali in 1913, some literary critics suggest that this recognition was partly due to the fact that the work had been translated into English in 1912 with an introduction by William Butler Yeats. 

This calls for a strenuous focus on translating our rich oeuvre of literary creations with renewed vigor and take initiatives involving the language mavens and scholars with a fine sense of translation to spread our culture and language throughout the world. This would be the best way to pay a poignant tribute to the language martyrs as they sacrificed their lives to make sure this stream called language (Bangla) keeps flowing unrestrained in all directions.  

The author is a columnist who likes to delve deeper into the human psyche and social incongruities with a view to exploring the factors that influence these