Categorizing Expressions of Carnal Love

In this subsection I introduce the categories, according to which I chose expressions of carnal love for the study from Ludovico Ariostoʼs (1532) source text and how I classify carnal expressions and apply them and Holmes’ theory of recreation and retention in the analysis. I wanted to find out, whether these expressions discuss of carnal love or have sexual overtones. I also wanted to find out, whether the are implicit or explicit. I chose them according to the topics that could trigger sexual implications or carnal thoughts in a reader. I underlined and collected passages concerning expressions of carnal love from the original text of Orlando Furioso, written by Ludovico Ariosto (1532) from the old translation by Sir John Harington (1591) and the new by David R. Slavitt (2009) and compared them to the original version by Ariosto. Then I analyzed the passages that contained the expressions of carnal love that appear in the research material. I studied the old and new translations in order to find out to what extent and how the expressions of carnal love have changed during the centuries, which expressions have been used and was there need to disguise carnal expressions or taboo words. I picked up such passages from the two translations that could be explained as carnal or remind of carnal thoughts.

I chose the categories according to the impressions that I had on their possible carnal nature. The impressions of what is carnal depends largely on the observer’s mind. That is why I chose such epressions that would respond the image of carnal thoughts in the best way. Because the source material was too wide to be researched thoroughly, I decided to choose only those ”cantos” where carnal expressions appeared the most

frequently. I use here the word ”canto” for expressing the books, according to Ariostoʼs (1532) original version. This study include the cantos 1, 4-8, 10-12, 21, 24-28, 32, 34 and 46. The counted total number of carnal expressions is 190 in the ST. Secondly, the extracted passages are categorized into the following groups: 1) omissions and 2) replacements. Further, the replacements are divided into 3) wordplays and euphemisms.

The passages are analyzed, depending on their function, into recreations and retentions in the translations. Those expressions that do not belong to any of the abovementioned category are presented in the subchapter 4) Other Features in the Translations.

Since there was no such classification for the expressions of carnal love that was needed in this study, I chose them according to the features that would in the best way respond to the research question: which expressions of carnal love have been used in the two translations of Orlando Furioso by Sir John Harington (1591) and David R. Slavitt (2009)? Such carnal expressions as disguised ones and euphemisms are particularly close to each other, but can be interpreted in a different way, and they have different definitions. However, they cover each other and are sometimes difficult to distinguish from each other, sometimes their definitions can even cover several categories. That is why I decided to put them into only one category: euphemisms. In the category of replacements belong such disguised expressions as euphemisms and wordplays.

As translation theory I used James Holmesʼ (1988). Translated!: Papers on Literary Translation and Translation Studies, in order to find out, have the translators used recreation or retention in their translations. Holmes (1988: 45) questions poetryʼs translatability because it is sometimes impossible to translate. He reminds that a major argument is that there are not numerous verse translations, either bad, indifferent or good. (ibid: 45‒46) In this study the analysis is difficult because the old language is in a verse form, even though the translation itself would be good. Verse translation is especially challenging for a translator because she/he has to follow the rhyming, in addition to the appropriate inclusion, and it can cause extreme difficulties. Holmes gives options (1988: 45) what the translator should do with a difficult line, either going a step further or adjusting his/her text in order to accommodate the sonnet metre of the line.

(ibid: 45–46) The theoretical approach concerns the translatorʼs decision making in the translation process.

As back-translations I used my own word-for-word translations, instead of verse translations, in order to achieve as perfect understanding of the meaning of the phrases as possible. I used former studies of translation and translation experiences, for example Barbara Reynoldʼs notes of translating Orlando Furioso (Radice & Reynolds 1987:

129–142). I could not find former research of carnal love in the English translations of Orlando Furioso, even though it has been studied as a love epic in general, for instance by Susan Basnett-McGuire (1991) and Goran Stanivukovic (2001).

In the analysis I compared 1a) Ariostoʼs (1532b: 3) poem with 1b) Sir John Haringtonʼs (1591: 20) and 1c) David R. Slavitt’s (2009: 3) translations in the following way:

Ariostoʼs original verses of Orlando Furioso, canto 1, verse 8 (are presented here in Italian and provided with my back-translations whenever necessary:

1a) ”[...] d’amoroso disio l’animo caldo” (Ariosto 1532b: 3) [BT³] loving desire, warm soul

1b) ”[...] this Ladies love had made them both so thrall [...]”

(Harington 1591: 20)

1c) ”[...] both their gallant hearts were fired”(Slavitt 2009: 3)

These examples show how I analyzed expressions of carnal love in this study. The verses used in the examples can be found as complete from the end of the thesis from the pages 101‒114. I studied the compositions of the two translations of Ariostoʼs (1532) Orlando Furioso made by Harington (1591) and Slavitt (2009) and the strategies which the translators have used in order to find their reflection in the final product – a historical Renaissance and a contemporary translation of a Renaissance epic, in order to find out how they affect expressions of carnal love. I wanted to find out if there are such expressions in the original version and how are they translated. Additionally, I wanted to study, whether the translators have used more disguisings, replacements or omissions in their translations than Ariosto in the original version.

3 I use my own translation as back-translation