The Diversity of Characters, Attitudes, and Messages Through Different Translations

The different translations of The Oedipus Cycle emphasize and suggest different aspects of the presented scene. There are multiple examples of this in the comparison of The Fitts and Fitzgerald’s Translation and the Luci Berkowitz and Theodore F. Brunner’s Translation. Such as the differences in format, sentence structure, and diction imply different characteristics. Also, similarities in the two translations reinforce the importance of the concepts.

The most noticeable difference in the two translations is the format of writing. The Fitts and Fitzgerald’s Translation was in a formal poem format whereas the Luci Berkowitz and Theodore F. Brunner’s Translation was in a more informal paragraph. The diction of the two paragraphs reflects the formal versus informal aspect as well. For example, in comparing the first lines of both translations, it was noticed that the Fitts and Fitzgerald’s Translation referred to the public as, “generations of the living in the line of Kadmos, nursed at his ancient hearth” (F & F,) while the translators of Luci Berkowitz and Theodore F. Brunner’s Translation referred to the public as simply, “the sons of the ancient house of Cadmus” (LB & TB.) The first translation offered much more information and description