Počátky české kritiky uměleckých překladů z angličtiny v devatenáctém století: od recenzí k teorii

The paper outlines and discusses the beginnings, character and development of Czech criticism of translations of English literature in the nineteenth century. It does so in the wider context of debates concerning the role of translated literature in the development of a national culture. The development from short reviews to more elaborated critical statements is traced primarily through the critical reception of Shakespeare’s plays and Lord Byron’s poetry. The works of these two authors continued to be translated over the course of the whole century, were considered to be of great importance, and had a powerful impact on Czech culture. Reviews and critiques of translated fiction are mentioned only briefly, as they appeared later and their evaluation would require a separate study. Czech translation criticism developed under specific conditions due to the social and political situation of the Czech nation: after a period of gradual decline of the standard Czech language following the Thirty Years’ War, the Czech language was gradually regaining the status of a language of literature and science. The last two decades of the 18th century and first half of the 19th century are thus called the period of the Czech National Revival. In its first decades, all translations as well as original Czech writings were well received in short reviews of theatre performances and books. Subsequently, as the century progressed, Czech translation criticism gradually developed to produce more elaborated theoretical statements, focusing on two principal questions: the suitability of translated authors and works for the recovering culture; and the quality of the translations themselves. With few exceptions, the first short critical comments concerning translations were published in the 1830s in reviews of theatre performances, more extended and more profound reviews and critiques started to be published in the 1850s. Some translators, e.g. J. Maly, P. Sobotka and J. Durdik were also reviewers, and some of their reviews and critiques can be considered to be the first steps towards the twentieth century development of Czech Translation Studies in the writings of Otokar Fisher, Jiři Levy and others.