Translations of Amin Maalouf’s Novels in Turkish Literary Polysystem Cover Image

Çeviri Yapitlariyla Amin Maalouf’un Türk Yazin Çoğuldizgesindeki Yeri
Translations of Amin Maalouf’s Novels in Turkish Literary Polysystem

Author(s): Ceylan Yıldırım
Subject(s): Novel, Turkish Literature, Translation Studies, Theory of Literature
Published by: Uluslararası Kıbrıs Üniversitesi
Keywords: Polysystem theory; translated literature; Turkish literary polysystem; Maalouf; postmodern historical novel; postmodern theory of history;

Summary/Abstract: With the help of translations, new literary genres can be introduced into other nations’ literatures; on the other hand, translated literature can play an important role in the transition of genres by affecting the position of existing literary genres. Even-Zohar, by attaching importance to the dynamic structure of literature, emphasizes that the translated literature can pass from environmental to central position or from central to environmental position in time, depending on certain circumstances in literature. Polysystem theory, being culture-based, constitutes the theoretical framework of this study. This theory enables the possibility to examine the effect of the translations on the formation of the national literatures by revealing the impact of translated literature on national literature. The aim of this study is to reveal the effect of Maalouf’s translations into Turkish on the development of the genre of postmodern historical novel, on the position of this genre in our Turkish literature and also to examine the causes behind the popularity of Maalouf, who is cited between the local representatives of this genre in Turkish literature. It can be argued that Maalouf contributes to the development of the postmodern historical novel in the Turkish literary polysystem, and thus plays an active role in the transition of literary genres in Turkish literary scene?

  • Issue Year: 23/2017
  • Issue No: 91
  • Page Range: 299-318
  • Page Count: 20
  • Language: Turkish