Questioning authority and authenticity

the creative translations of Josephine Balmer

Susan Bassnett

pp. 333-350

in: Jean Boase-Beier, Lina Fisher, Hiroko Furukawa (eds), The Palgrave handbook of literary translation, Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan, 2018

Abstract

Bassnett focusses on the work of poet and classical scholar, Josephine Balmer. Balmer's strategy as a translator is to engage first in close study of the texts themselves and the history of classical commentary, then to use her skills as a poet to create versions for contemporary readers. The chapter examines her work from the ground-breaking collection of ancient Greek women writers to her most recent translations. What is significant about Balmer's work is that she has used translating to expand her range as a poet, deliberately blurring the lines between "translation" and "original". In essays and prefaces, she develops her own theory of translation as rewriting. Balmer is one of the most original poet-translators of our time, and also one of the most self-aware.