Date of Award
Spring 5-2016
Degree Name
Master of Arts (AM/MA)
Degree Type
Thesis
Abstract
This thesis explores the ways Catullus uses obscenity in his poetry, and how modern translators captures those effects when translating obscenity into English. I first define obscenity by creating four categories of words that all have to do with taboo topics and exist only in certain contexts, outside of polite company: obscenities, technical terms, circumlocutions, and euphemisms. The first chapter analyzes Poems 16, 37, and 97, Catullus's most obscene, to show that the poet uses profanity as a literary device that gains its strength from its juxtaposition with non-obscene words. The second chapter looks at seven English translations written post-1970 and focuses on how particular authors use and choose not to use obscenity. These choices reflect broader attitudes and goals in interpretation of the corpus as well as in modern translation more generally.
Language
English (en)
Chair and Committee
Tim Moore
Committee Members
Cathy Keane, Tom Keeline
Recommended Citation
Lee, Tori Frances, "Catullan Obscenity and Modern English Translation" (2016). Arts & Sciences Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 703.
https://openscholarship.wustl.edu/art_sci_etds/703
Included in
Classical Literature and Philology Commons, Other Classics Commons, Translation Studies Commons
Comments
Permanent URL: https://doi.org/10.7936/K7SX6BGC