The Adventures of “Alice” and Lewis Carroll in Russia

Abstract

This article deals with Lewis Carroll’s phenomenon in Russia, and the immortal adventures of his famous book “Alice in Wonderland.” In this country, these phenomenons began in 1879 when the book was translated by an unknown author as “Sonya in the country of Divo” ( means or). The main aim of this article is to highlight and analyze the reasons for the popularity of the three wellrespected Russian translations of Lewis Carroll’s “Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland” and their main features. I would be focusing on sophisticated Vladimir Nabokov’s (1923), anglicized Nina Demurova’s (1965) and retold Boris Zakhoder’s (1972) versions. Each of them is unique in its own peculiar way. If the two translations (Demurova’s and Zakhoder’s) enjoyed tremendous popularity in the Soviet Union and later in Russia with both children and adults readers, the Russian readership came to know Nabokov’s work only after reconstruction, and for this reason it is perceived in an ambivalent way by numerous admirers of “Alice in Wonderland.” On the one hand, it is greatly praised, and on the other hand , criticized. The three translators generated their own models while portraying the main heroine. It is common knowledge that Nabokov made her a Russian girl under the name of Anya. N. M. Demurova preserved her “Englishness”, conveying a young Victorian’s mentality. Boris Zakhoder portrayed a brave, inquisitive and ratiocinatingheroine.

Keywords: Lewis Carroll, “Alice in Wonderland”, the original text, transformation, translation, the names of characters, the English context

1. Introduction

Lewis Carroll is known as one of the most discussed children’s writers (Hunt, 2001). A lot has been

written about his untranslatability, due to his intricate linguistic dexterity, and the history of

introduction his writing to Russian readers, both children and adults (Modestov, 2006;Nikolajeva,

2015; Demurova, 2003; Hunt, 2004 etc.). In Russia the three well-respected translators: Vladimir

Nabokov, Nina Demurova and Boris Zakhoder made Alice one of the most favourite heroines of

Russian readership.

It is well known that in this country “Alice” started her adventures in 1879 as “Sonya v stranje

Divo”, which , in fact, conveys the same meaning as the English title, but the girl has a different name.

Nowadays this translation is known to few admirers of Carroll, mostly academics.

2.Purpose of the study

Discussion the impact of Vladimir Nabokov, Nina Demurova and Boris Zakhoder on the reception

of Carroll’s favorite character by the Russian public. Furthermore, it might appear useful for

educational reasons to concentrate on the character and place names, as well as reality - words and

expressions for used by the translators in question.

The solving of this problem implies using a historical-comparative method for analyzing the same

samples from Carroll’s original text in each translation. Nabokov, Demurova and Zakhoder approached

their task differently and portrayed Carroll's Alice in different guises.

Nabokov made her purely Russian (he even changed her name for Anya) ,Demurova preserved a

lovely Victorian girl, andZakhoder produced an active andcharming youngthinker.Each version

is creative, full of Russian idioms, sophisticated puns, parodies and amusing epithets chosen for

substituting Carroll’s exquisite language. The three different approaches demonstrated a deeply caring

attitude of the translators to Carroll's masterpiece.

Vladimir Nabokov plunged Alice into the atmosphere of Russian lifestyle. Being an incomparable

stylist and master of words in the prime of his life, at twenty-four he was at the very commencement of

his literary career and a beginning translator.Probably, because of that his “Anya v Stranye Chudes”

had plenty of merits as well as drawbacks. Perhaps those drawbacks should not be seen as

disadvantages demonstrating his lack of precision in translation, but regarded as examples of dramatic

changes in the Russian language since 1923.

No wonder his version of “Alice in Wonderland” was perceived differently by Carroll’s admirers in

the 21st century; some considered it impeccable while others refused to accept his choice of words

( one can read about it in different online forums discussing the problem).

However, Nabokov’s translation was highly praised by his publisher (1976) who hailed it as the best

Russian translation of the book. Young Nabokov who was born in St. Petersburg and educated there

and in Cambridge, produced his version as the first substantial work in 1923 under the pseudonym

Sirin and was reputed to receive $5 for it. As it has been mentioned, today not every Russian reader

will agree with the publisher and find Nabokov’s version successful. Yet the more it is read, the more it

is evident that it was certainly quite adequate, especially the characters’ dialogues although there are a

lot of examples of word-for-word translation: a little shriek – malen’ki vsvizg; ‘One side will make you

grow taller…’ – ‘Odin krai zastavit tebja vyrasti’; ‘I can’t remember things...’ – ‘Ya ne mogu

etc. (1976).Still, these dialogues are lively and the representation of each character is

unique, to say nothing of the transformation of poetry – Nabokov’s parodies of Pushkin and

Lermontov’s works are full of humour and elegance.

Having omitted the introductory poem “All in the Golden Afternoon,” Nabokov preserved the rest

of Carroll’s text and completed it in quite an accurate and imaginative way. However, it is quite

difficult to agree with the publisher that the title of the first chapter of translated by Nabokov as

“A Dive into the Rabbit – Hole” (“Nyrok v kroloch’u norku”) sounds quite funny in Russian. The

publisher praises the poetical fancies of two pairs of homonyms: 1) which in Russian denotes a

diving duck with a reddish –brown head (a pochard) and a diminutive form for the word ‘dive' (going

deep under water); and 2)implying a small animal with highly valued fur (a mink) and a little

hole ( an animal’s burrow) .When saying them aloud both words have a poetical colour as Nabokov

uses alliteration : interchanging the consonants [n] and [r].But ducks do not live in holes

– they live in nests. And Anya didn’t dive into the rabbit hole, she fell into it. So, to some readers the

humorous effect is lost.

Living in Germany Nabokov probably had nostalgic feelings for pre-revolutionary Russia and gave

a reader purely Russian images for many Carroll’s words and expressions.

Zakhoder’s version addresses, first of all, children and has an educational value. He writes an

introduction to his translation calling it (in Russian).

Zakhoder wrote that he would not have called the book “Alice in Wonderland”. In his opinion the

title does not help to understand that the book tells readers about a small but a very clever girl, and her

adventures would be unusual. There would be no spies, Indians, pirates, battles or shipwrecks

(Zakhoder).

Boris Zakhoder retold the text brilliantly but in his own way , however, the reading public

welcomed his translation as an authentic Russian book. As a result, his translation of “Alice” enjoyed

more popularity than some of the Soviet children’s books of the same period. Zakhoder’s text sounds

more emotional as he adds quite a few expressive exclamations making Carroll’s characters sound

more expressive than in the original version: e.g. Zakhoder’s easily offended mouse doesn’t want to

cast pearls before swine, using a quotation from the Bible (from Mathew).

According to Nina Demurova, “Alice” was considered untranslatable. She defined the text as an

extended metaphor and did not intend to emasculate it by using boring and feeble Russian equivalents.

At first she decided to drop the idea of translating the famous book, but having looked through the

existing translations, accepted the challenge.

According to Demurova, one can highlight two general approaches to the interpreting of “Alice”.

The first is to bring the English text as close to a Russian child reader as possible by changing English

actuals (names, notions, parody poems) by Russian ones as we can see it in Boris Zakhoder’s and

Nabokov’s versions.The second approach is to reproduce the text in a thoughtless, illiterate way

(Demurova, 1970). The second approach was typical of many Russian translations of Alice in the 19 c.

(after 1879).

Demurova wanted to preserve and convey two addresses (to grown-ups and children), giving food

for thought to adults and making the text sound profound (for scientists) and ingenuous (for children).

For educational purposes it appears relevant to analyze a few samples of Russian equivalents the three translators use for describing.

Nina Demurova omits the name of the flowery (in Russian)as it is not typical for Russian children to make daisy chains using littles with yellow discs and small white or pink petals. Nabokov uses the word which means an and is widely known in

Russia. It is also possible that despite his willingness to portray Alice as a little Russian girl, being a

young man he was not very much interested in and for this reason gives a peculiar Russian

colour to the word: instead of describing that have been joined together by

their stems to make a necklace, he gives the variant which in Russian means a series of linked

metal rings. Yet, his admirers might regard it as Nabokovian style.

Zahhoder in his turn uses the expression (in the English meaning of the expression

with the Russian name) as for him the flower itself does not seem important.

The next example is the word as the rabbit pops down a large rabbit hole under the hedge.

In Nabokov’s version the rabbit disappears under (in Russian) which is

a delicately scented Eurasian wild rose with pink or white flowers, which commonly grows in

hedgerows.Thus, Nabokov omits the word itself (in Russian). Dog rose bushes are

typical of Russian cottages. Zakhoder says that the Rabbit disappears under (in

Russian) and Demurova also chooses the wordFor a Russian reader

meanswhich is made of stone, wood or wire, but not formed of bushes or shrubs.

While falling Alice can see a jar labeled ORANGE MARMALADE.

Demurova gives the variant, so does Zakhoder, while in Nabokov’s version it is

as it was more familiar to Russians. All the tree translators avoid the word

as in Russian it doesn’t mean abut very popular with Russian kids.

The translators use different measures of length: Nabokov uses, an old Russian word (1.1

km), Demurova – miles and Zakhoder – kilometres.

In the chapter “A Mad Tea – Party”, the March Hare offers Alice some wine which is preserved in

Demurova’s and Nabokov’stranslations as wine in England was often given to children with water to

avoid infection in the 17th and 18th centuries.In Zakhoder’s version the Hare offers Alice some cake as

children should not be given wine which also seems justifiable.

Demurova and Nabokov use the word Christmas when Alice wants to give her feet a new pair of

boots for Christmas, while Zakhoder suggests the word – (as in Soviet times

most children got presents for the New Year).

For Alice’s boots Nabokov chooses the word high boots as Russian winters are cold.

Translation of children’s literature requires a particular attention to literary images and is supposed

to consider the age group of the target audience. Besides, it is acceptable to produce a retold text or the

translation with the elements of retelling. “The funniest” and “the cleverest” Alice caused her

translators a lot of problems as the main character in the book is the English language. It is based on

paradoxes, word play, riddles and the opposition of fantasy and children’s logic (Modestov, 2006).

3.Conclusions

1. Due to Nabokov’s, Demurova’s and Zakhoder’s translations Russian children had access to

Carroll’s masterpiece which contributed greatly to enhancing their cognition and literary outlook.

2. The translators demonstrated deep penetration into Carroll’s creative intention which was not to

instruct but to amuse children in an educational mode.

3. As Russian explorers maintain, the Word may become a wonder and at the same time a hollow

sound that is why it should be treated with great care ( Gal, 2001; Modestov, 2006).

1. The translator should perceive the initial сreative idea of the author, bearing in mind the specific

socio-cultural, linguistic and stylistic features of a foreign text.

2. A novice translator should do his/her best to transform a certain text with as few losses as possible

without making it boring or emasculated.

3. While translating a book of fiction for a certain age group translators should consider the

peculiarities of the latter.

4. When translating a contemporary book it is advisable to consult with the author of the original.

5. The translator should always respect the author and think of avoiding various mistakes by

developing careful and responsible attitude towards the original.

References

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• Carroll, L. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Perevod N.M.Demurovoy.«d498edbe4036.epub». iBooks.

• Carroll, L. Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. Perevod B.V.Zakhodera. «11f53faed92f-2.epub». iBooks.

• Demurova, N. (1970).Golos i skripka. (K perevody excentricheskikh skazok Lewisa Carrolla) Istichnik: Источник: http://19v-euro-lit.niv.ru/19v-euro-lit/articles-eng/demurova-golos-iskripka.htm 05.04.2016.

• Demurova, N. (2003). Vladimir Nabokov, Translator of Lewis Carroll’s Alice in Wonderland. In Nabokov at Cornell. Ed.by G.Shapiro. Inthaca Cornell University Press, 182-191.

• Gal, N. (2001). Slovo zhivoje I mertvoje: Ot “Malen’kogo Printsa” do “Korablya durakov.”http://www.vavilon.ru/noragal/slovo2.html 10.04.2016.

• Hunt, P. (2001). Children’s Literature. Blackwell Publishing, 45.

• Lewis Carroll (1976) Anya v Stranye Chudes. Dover Publications, Inc. New York, 1-2, 5, 6,13, 41,44. Nikolajeva, M. (2015). Children's Literature Comes of Age: Toward a New Aesthetic.

• https://books.google.ru/books?id 16.04.2016 Modestov, V. (2006).Khudozhestvenny perevod. Istorija, teorija, praktica. Literaturny Institut imeni A.M.Gorkogo, 8, 213-214, 215-219.