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The Writings of Henry David Thoreau : Translations
The Writings of Henry David Thoreau Translations Author:Henry David Thoreau Thoreau's activity as a translator was firmly grounded in his classical education at Harvard; his coursework there included eight terms of Latin and eight of Greek. But the impetus for the seven literary translations collected in this volume was far broader. The shape of a particular translation is governed not only by the translator's knowledge... more » and sensitivity, but also by contemporary assumptions about the proper method and function of translating. Thoreau's translations display the literalism sanctioned by Transcendentalist theories of translation, which posited a purer connection between the word and the nature of the thing it named in ancient and primitive languages than in English. The influence of the original language in a faithful translation, seen in both content and style, was considered positive and invigorating and is apparent in Thoreau's work. Translations