Ursula Le Guin as a Feminist Self-Translator

Abstract The concept of gender has been mostly discussed within the framework of interlingual literary translation. In this study, we turn our focus to intralingual self-translation and examine the revised works of Ursula K. Le Guin. Guin revised and rewrote her own works of fiction and non-fiction not for linguistic reasons or publisher requests but for feminist concerns. Thus, in this study, we tend to refer to the revisions made by Ursula K. Le Guin as intralingual feminist self-translations. To this end, the alternative feminist worlds she has created in her works are examined as examples of feminist self-translation performances in the figurative sense. Then, Le Guin’s fiction and non-fiction works, which have been intralingually revised by Le Guin herself, are studied. Some of her revisions are a direct result of the criticisms posed against the author, whereas some others originate from the rising feminist consciousness of the author. The novels and short stories examined from this perspective include The Left Hand of Darkness (1969) as the novel, which triggers most of the revision process, “Winter’s King” (1969/2004), “Nine Lives” (1969/2004) and The Earthsea Cycle (A Wizard of Earthsea (1968), The Tombs of Atuan (1970), The Farthest Shore (1972), Tehanu (1990), Tales from Earthsea (2001) and The Other Wind (2001)). The articles examined include the ones in different collections, namely Dancing at the Edge of the World (1989) and The Language of the Night (1989). Thus, it is believed that this study presents different perspectives for feminist translation studies and contributes to the controversial concept of intralingual self-translation. Keywords: Intralingual translation, feminist translation, self-translation, feminist self- translauthor, Ursula Le Guin

Ursula Le Guin as a Feminist Self-Translator

Abstract The concept of gender has been mostly discussed within the framework of interlingual literary translation. In this study, we turn our focus to intralingual self-translation and examine the revised works of Ursula K. Le Guin. Guin revised and rewrote her own works of fiction and non-fiction not for linguistic reasons or publisher requests but for feminist concerns. Thus, in this study, we tend to refer to the revisions made by Ursula K. Le Guin as intralingual feminist self-translations. To this end, the alternative feminist worlds she has created in her works are examined as examples of feminist self-translation performances in the figurative sense. Then, Le Guin’s fiction and non-fiction works, which have been intralingually revised by Le Guin herself, are studied. Some of her revisions are a direct result of the criticisms posed against the author, whereas some others originate from the rising feminist consciousness of the author. The novels and short stories examined from this perspective include The Left Hand of Darkness (1969) as the novel, which triggers most of the revision process, “Winter’s King” (1969/2004), “Nine Lives” (1969/2004) and The Earthsea Cycle (A Wizard of Earthsea (1968), The Tombs of Atuan (1970), The Farthest Shore (1972), Tehanu (1990), Tales from Earthsea (2001) and The Other Wind (2001)). The articles examined include the ones in different collections, namely Dancing at the Edge of the World (1989) and The Language of the Night (1989). Thus, it is believed that this study presents different perspectives for feminist translation studies and contributes to the controversial concept of intralingual self-translation. Keywords: Intralingual translation, feminist translation, self-translation, feminist self- translauthor, Ursula Le Guin

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