Abstract:
Jibanananda Das (1899-1954) is the most versatile Bengali poet of all time. Jibanananda
was the poet who marks the transition to Bengali Modernist poetry. In his. poems he relied
largely on images and symbolical means to express a complexity which grapples with the
realities of modern life. In case of Das's poetry, almost all of them got proper recognition
after his death. The third volume of verse that Das published in his lifetime, 'Banalata
Sen' (1942), brought him the reputation of an original and exciting voice in Bengali
poetry. Many translations have been done on 'Banalata Sen' by various poets and critics
in the two Bengals and also abroad. The life (reputation) and after-life (criticism) of the
poem created the urge to produce the best translation possible. Translation Studies shows
that exact translation is not possible and equivalence is a dream. The present study
examines the translations on 'Banalata Sen' done by various translators and compares
them to find out the ones closest to the original. With the help of Translation Studies
almost exact translation has been traced that did capture the poem if not exactly but
almost exactly. "Translations of 'Banalata Sen' ", is a chapter discussing the translations
done of the poem. The chapter, "Theory of Translation", states what Translation Studies
is all about and how it helps in assessing translations. The fourth chapter is "Criticism of
the Translations". The
"discussion of these translations thus shows that exact translation is
not a dream anymore.
Description:
This thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of MA in English Language and Literature of East West University, Dhaka, Bangladesh
