Theory of Translation 1 Introduction

2.8.2 Translating Drama 
Drama is regarded as one of the oldest forms of literature, only next to poetry. 
Misconceptions regarding the nature of drama still persist, may be due to its 
relationship with theatre. J. L. Styan aptly marks that we are not sure whether we want 
something effective as theatre or something good as literature (134). Some critics 
claim that drama is something more than literature.
The most important feature of drama which distinguishes it from other genres is its 
dialogue or conversational form. Language in drama is modeled on real life 
conversation. However, the conversation in a drama is different from the day-to-day 
talk. The language of drama often aims at rhetorical and poetic effects. In poetic 
drama, it is ‘verse libra’. In a Shakespearean play, it is ‘blank verse’. It differs from 
standard usage in order to draw attention to its rhetorical nature. The written word 
gets realized when it is spoken by the actor and keeps on resonating in the mind of the 
audience. 
Translation of drama creates different kinds of problems than poetry. The plot of a 
drama moves ahead through dialogues. Normally, the dialogues are written in a 
dialect, in line with a theme or subject-matter. If the dialect and language are 
culturally far away from the target language, problems of the translator increase. The 

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colloquial and conversational language, accent and intonation are some other issues 
that make the translation of dramatic texts difficult. 
Apart from language, the thought-content of a dramatic text in one culture creates a 
host of problems for a translator, if the target language is culturally distant from it. A
 
literary translator should take into account the textual features of the text and the 
context of the target language, like the linguistic and cultural diversity. The writer’s 
style is an individual and creative utilization of the resources of language, which is 
often the direct outcome of his age, the cultural ethos, his dialect and the genre. 
Stylistically, literary translation implies not just transfer of meaning but retaining all 
those stylistic features which have made the SL text. 
In a poetic drama, the complexities of poetic language and its subtle nature pose 
challenges. The translator has to understand the text thoroughly. However, a thorough 
understanding of literature is a complex issue due to the diversity, openness and 
vastness of literature. In the process of translation, interpretation of the SL text and a 
systematic study/scrutiny of the fundamental concerns of its features have to be 
carried out.