Whitman’s ‘homosexual’ poems in Polish culture and literature (translation and interpretation issues) Cover Image

Liryki "homoseksualne" Whitmana w kulturze i literaturze polskiej (problemy translatologiczne i interpretacyjne)
Whitman’s ‘homosexual’ poems in Polish culture and literature (translation and interpretation issues)

Author(s): Marta Anna Skwara
Subject(s): Literary Texts
Published by: Instytut Badań Literackich Polskiej Akademii Nauk
Keywords: Walt Whitman; gender criticism; reception in Poland.

Summary/Abstract: I aim at demonstrating some culture-related elements of interpreting Walt Whitman’s life and writings in Poland, from the early denial of any possibility of homosexual interpretations (prominent mostly in 1930s and 1950s) to the late emphasis put on the biographical and literary manifestations of Whitman’s homosexuality (vital mostly in 1990s). The real issue in question is, however, to what extent a translator decides in favour of homo- or heterosexual aspects of a particular poem. This problem is discussed through a detailed analysis of the four Polish translations of We Two, How Long We Were Fool’d, carried out both under heterosexual and in homosexual poetics.

  • Issue Year: 2007
  • Issue No: 3
  • Page Range: 11-21
  • Page Count: 11
  • Language: Polish