Shakespeare in Spanish

Question

Has anyone read a work by Shakespeare in Spanish? I read Richard III and am trying to write a research paper about it. Any thoughts in general about how Spanish translations can reflect the culture?

Hi, welcome to the forum! - rac1, Nov 2, 2012

I admire you immensly for trying but , this task would be beyond most people, for the true scholars, I fear. - annierats, Nov 3, 2012

Answer 1

I assume all Shakespeare's work has been translated into Spanish.

I would be very interested if any of our bi-lingual SD members has any comment as to how the "essence" of Shakespeare's writing might be missing in Spanish.

My guess is that Shaskespeare's English was closer to Spanish than modern English is.

For example Shakespeare never used the continuous -ing. (not used so much in Spanish)

Where goest thou? - not - Where are you going?

His economic / efficient use of words is one thing that makes it interesting and enjoyable.

Try to translate this into Spanish and modern English.

"What light from yonder window breaks?"

I would love to hear that translated. - rac1, Nov 2, 2012

Not to mention that in Shakespeare both the familiar and formal forms of "you" are still used. I imagine that would translate into spanish fairly well. - Maldito23, Nov 3, 2012

sip :) - ian-hill, Nov 3, 2012

What is that light that is shining from that window over there? (ugly) ha ha - ian-hill, Nov 3, 2012

Answer 2

Reading Shakespeare in spanish is something I have no interest in even considering until I am completely fluent. It does me no good to read something that technical when I still struggle with material written for children and young adults.

Baby steps.

I couldn't cope either, I have always found the Bard almost impossibly boring, in English.. - annierats, Nov 3, 2012

Answer 3

If you want to get really crazily obscure how about Burns' "To a mouse" in Lallans Scottish and Castellano?

[och aye][1] can't get link to work copy this: http://cubadelegation.blogspot.de/2008/12/to-mouse-scots-and-spanish-versions.html

Perhaps even more laughable is the English translation of the original:

<p> To a Mouse

The best-laid schemes o' mice an' men gang ot agley.. - annierats, Nov 3, 2012

Answer 4

I am sure that translations of these works exist. I don't know if the real flavor of the language would translate well, though. Elizabethan English is extremely different from the English of today, and even a current English speaker has trouble understanding the prose in the context of the 16th century.

I know this is true in the opposite case. When I read "Don Quijote", I was struck by the relative lack of difference between old Spanish and modern Spanish, compared to the change in English. It was relatively easy to read, but the contemporary English translations were almost indecipherable.

Answer 5

Pablo Neruda wrote a translation of "Romeo and Juliet", back in the 1960's It's in a more "natural" Spanish than other translations link1. And Nicanor Parra translated "King Lear", though his version is very lyric link2. Both of them are two of the greatest Chilean poets.