Abstract
AN EXAMINATION ON THE POETRY TRANSLATIONS MADE BY ŞİNASİ
Serious translation works from Western literature to Turkish literature began in the Tanzimat reform era. During this period, translations were mostly made from French literature, since we were engaged in more interaction with them. A pioneer in many fields of the new Turkish literature, Şinasi’s work, which was published in 1859 under the name Fransız Lisanından Tercüme Ettiğim Bazı Eş’âr [Selected Poems Translated from French Language), which then was changed as the Tercüme-i Manzume [Translation of Poem] in the second edition published in 1870, was a pioneer work, since it was the first translation made in the field of poetry from French literature. In the Tercüme-i Manzume, which included the translations made from Racine, Lamartine, La Fontaine, Gilbert and Fénelon, the French originals of the texts were also included, and thus the work was published bilingually.
In this paper, after addressing the French education received by Şinasi and his relationship with French literature, his preferences in translation activity will be interpreted by focusing on the names chosen for the translations in the Tercüme-i Manzume. In addition to this, by examining the structural features of translations such as adherence to the original text, type of verse and meter, the path followed by Şinasi and the points he paid attention in his translation works will be clarified.
Keywords
Şinasi, Tercume-i Manzume [Translation of Poem], French literature, new Turkish literature, translat
