Best translation of Goethe's Faust?
Holger Laux
I wanted to give a translation of Goethe's Faust to a friend for his
birthday (unfortunately he doesn't understand German at all, but he
will be interested in the book).
After extensive searches in bookshops and on the Internet, I found
that there are at least a dozen different translations.
Sampling some of them left me with rather mixed feelings.
While, for instance, the translation of Philip Wayne manages sometimes
to convey the intense feeling of the text quite well, other passages
of his version are quite hard to read (a bit like Shakespearean
language).
Another, more recent, translation by David Luke seems to be quite
popular since he tries to introduce a more modern language which is
easier to understand, but sometimes sounds too sloppish.
A third translation by Louise ? (forgot her surname) is often plainly
wrong in getting the original content across.
What I am looking for is an English translation which is as close as
possible to the German original, both in content and language.
I know, this is very much a matter of personal opinion, but perhaps
some of our English readers can recommend what they found to be best.
Many thanks,
Holger Laux
Holger Laux
Peter Dy
"Holger Laux" <Holge...@bris.ac.uk> wrote in message
news:3948b550.12265631@news...
> Hello everyone,
>
>
> I wanted to give a translation of Goethe's Faust to a friend for his
> birthday (unfortunately he doesn't understand German at all, but he
> will be interested in the book).
>
> After extensive searches in bookshops and on the Internet, I found
> that there are at least a dozen different translations.
>
But surely not all are in print or from this century, right?
> Sampling some of them left me with rather mixed feelings.
>
> While, for instance, the translation of Philip Wayne manages sometimes
> to convey the intense feeling of the text quite well, other passages
> of his version are quite hard to read (a bit like Shakespearean
> language).
>
This the Penguin edition? I thought it was pretty bad. Those earlier
translators seemed to think that because Goethe was considered the greatest
German poet in Germany, that he therefore wrote and should be read like
Shakespeare. The results were awful...
> Another, more recent, translation by David Luke seems to be quite
> popular since he tries to introduce a more modern language which is
> easier to understand, but sometimes sounds too sloppish.
>
Though I haven't looked at his version, he is a very good translator. I'd
go with him, based on the little info I'm going on. You seem to have
researched it pretty well though!
How 'bout the Walter Kaufman translation? His version has the complete part
I, but only excerpts from part II--a big strike against it. But, I do think
his translation of part I is the best. Again, based on the little I know
about Faust translations.
Over all, though, I think Goethe's poetry and Faust especially, belongs in
the "almost impossible to translate" category.
Peter
Darrell Fuhriman
> But surely not all are in print or from this century, right?
Certainly popular works have many translators. I examined at
least four for Eugene Onegin that are currently in print, and
that's hardly as popular as Faust. I wouldn't be at all
surprised to find two dozen in print translations of Beowulf.
(There have been two new ones already this year that I know of.)
Going to a good used bookstore would add several more for most
works.
> Over all, though, I think Goethe's poetry and Faust especially,
> belongs in the "almost impossible to translate" category.
I think most poetry is extremely difficult. Myself, I'd be
willing to bet that The Divine Comedy is more difficult, yet
people keep attempting to better the translations of that. :)
Darrell
Peter Dy
>
> Another, more recent, translation by David Luke seems to be quite
> popular since he tries to introduce a more modern language which is
> easier to understand, but sometimes sounds too sloppish.
>
Wanted to ask: What does "sloppish" mean? Sloppy?
Also, do you know which is the most recent translation? Thanks.
[...]
Peter
Holger Laux
<pet...@mindspring.com> wrote:
>But surely not all are in print or from this century, right?
I only saw a couplke myself, but found long lists of translations.
>> Philip Wayne
>
>This the Penguin edition? I thought it was pretty bad. Those earlier
>translators seemed to think that because Goethe was considered the greatest
>German poet in Germany, that he therefore wrote and should be read like
>Shakespeare. The results were awful...
I thought so...
>How 'bout the Walter Kaufman translation? His version has the complete part
>I, but only excerpts from part II--a big strike against it. But, I do think
>his translation of part I is the best. Again, based on the little I know
>about Faust translations.
This seems to be a parallel text (i.e. the German version included).
Exactly what I am looking for.
Amazon offers some second-hand copies. I hope to find a new one, but
may have to take one of these.
Thanks, for your help.
Holger
Holger Laux
<pet...@mindspring.com> wrote:
>
>"Holger Laux" <Holge...@bris.ac.uk> wrote in message
>news:3948b550.12265631@news...
>[...]
>>
>> Another, more recent, translation by David Luke seems to be quite
>> popular since he tries to introduce a more modern language which is
>> easier to understand, but sometimes sounds too sloppish.
>>
>
>Wanted to ask: What does "sloppish" mean? Sloppy?
Suppose so. :-) I didn't find a better word to describe the fact that
he sometimes sounds too modern, too colloquial.
>Also, do you know which is the most recent translation? Thanks.
No, I don't.
Another translation by Stuart Atkins has been recommended to me as
well, but now I've ordered the Kaufmann one.
BTW, you can get it here:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ISBN%3D0385031149/pleasdonotuseour/026-7293755-4218824
(Replace .co.uk with .com or .de as appropriate.)
Holger