E-C Translation through the Perspective of Feminist Translation Theory – Exemplified by Uncle Tom’s Cabin’s Two Translation Versions by Translators of Different Genders
Abstract
The issue of gender inequality has been an uncharted territory in academic research about translation. With the pressure of the Feminist Movement, the gender issue started to draw the attention of translation studies. Translation enables readers to see beyond their own cultural backgrounds and to have new vistas of the world and history, which makes it a perfect platform for feminists to assert their ideas about the socio-economic situations of women and the complex relationship between the two genders. Uncle Tom’s Cabin, in full Uncle Tom’s Cabin, or Life Among the Lowly, written by female writer Harriet Beecher Stowe, has been translated into Chinese by a number of Chinese scholars. This thesis regards the versions translated by male translator Li Zixiu and female translator Wang Jiaxiang as research objects to analyze their differences in terms of translation strategies to explore how translators can contribute to literary translation from the feminist point of view. Finally, this study found that the female translator is more gender-conscious, and has adopted a unisex-orientated vision, asserted her gender identity, and employed gender inclusive language.
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