(Re)translating the Sarcastic Mr Bennet : Comparative Analysis of Three Finnish Translations of Jane Austen's Pride and Prejudice

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis was to study the character of Mr Bennet in three Finnish translations of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice (1813) in light of retranslation and voice. The goal was to establish how the different translations of sarcastic elements in Mr Bennet’s speech affect his voice, especially in relation to his role as husband and father. Voices in literature are changed in (re)translation intentionally but also unintentionally, one reason for which is the use of ambiguous components – such as sarcasm. The research material of this thesis was Jane Austen’s novel Pride and Prejudice (1813) and its three Finnish translations by O. A. Joutsen (1922), Sirkka-Liisa Norko-Turja (1947) and Kersti Juva (2013). The analysis was conducted by comparing the translations of all those comments by Mr Bennet that were addressed to his wife or daughters and contained sarcastic elements, using comparative analysis as the method of the study. The findings of this study demonstrate that there are distinctive features to Mr Bennet’s voice in the three translations that are caused by the varying translation choices of the sarcastic elements in his speech. These differences are most clearly visible in two variables: Mr Bennet’s overall personality reflected by his style of speech and his attitude towards his family members revealed in his word choices. The findings indicate a trend of quieting down of the patriarchal voice in the family and a separation of husband and wife from a team into two, opposing even, parties. However, research on the female side of the family, as well, is required for any definitive conclusions.