<i>Celestina</i> as Chameleon: The Early Translations

The early Celestina translations arose from a social context that boasted a thriving international merchant class. An eclectic array of immigrants throughout Europe supported the Tragicomedia's production and sales, in a host of translations as well as in Spanish, for 150 years. This article pr...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Kathleen Kish
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Universidad de Valencia, Departamento de Filología Española 2021-01-01
Series:Celestinesca
Subjects:
Online Access:https://ojs.uv.es/index.php/celestinesca/article/view/20089
Description
Summary:The early Celestina translations arose from a social context that boasted a thriving international merchant class. An eclectic array of immigrants throughout Europe supported the Tragicomedia's production and sales, in a host of translations as well as in Spanish, for 150 years. This article provides an overview of that history in order to establish why the early translations continue to be important: they offer hints for reconstructing the lost Spanish editio princeps, clues for deciphering puzzling passages in the original, a glimpse of the cultures that produced the string of translations, and an enriched literary experience for readers today. Chameleon-like, the early translations leaned toward the approach to translation that seeks to adapt a work to its new setting. After all, even a would-be thoroughly authentic translation leaves its source unreachable.
ISSN:0147-3085
2695-7183