The Essential Role of Intertextual Awareness in English Literary Translation

A Case Study of Saleh Hosseini’s Works

Abstract

The present data-driven study, based on Kristeva’s (1966) theory of intertextuality and Hatim and Mason’s (1990) intertextual framework, investigates intertextual elements in five English novels and explores the strategies employed by Saleh Hosseini in representing these elements in Persian translations. To this end, Heart of Darkness, Lord Jim, Under the Volcano, Moby-Dick, and Light in August were selected. Subsequently, drawing on relevant critical literary studies, the most frequent and prominent literary and religious references were identified, categorized, and compared with their translations. The primary aim of this research was to examine the translator’s performance in handling intertextual references in his translations. The findings indicate that these novels contain many intertextual elements at both local and global levels, which can pose serious challenges for the target-language readers. The results further reveal that the translator, through employing explanatory notes (footnotes and appendices), and relying on his extensive experience, literary expertise, and deep familiarity with the source texts and cultures, has succeeded in conveying these complex elements effectively in the target language. The present research indicates that a clear understanding of audience expectations, combined with the translator’s linguistic and cultural competence, has played a crucial role in the successful rendering of intertextual elements. The study concludes that in literary translation, the translator’s experience, expertise, and intertextual competence play a vital role in ensuring both the quality of the translation and the reader’s understanding.