Rilke in Translation: Uncovering the Panther in the English Language

Walter Benjamin’s influential essay, The Task of the Translator, reflects on how translation can be used to create new works art and literature instead attempting exact replicas original works. Rather than translating by searching for words in target language that are most equivalent language, Benjamin encourages practice as a process which lets two languages influence change one another. Using guide, I attempt an English Rainer Maria Rilke’s German poem “Der Panther” distributes meaning work throughout entire translation. To do this, shift my focus away from phrases isolation reflect effects seemingly small choices reverberate through whole. will also compare historically important translations Stephen Mitchell, Robert Bly, C. F. MacIntyre, argue mine allows analyses themes such stillness, panther’s mental state, mind-body relation more closely emulate work.