Abstract
This paper addresses the problem of linguistic and cultural differences in literary translation, and more specifically in the translation of poetry. It examines a key concept in postmodernism: "the other", and its relationship with translation studies. This study aims to investigate the translation of the 'other' in literature, and how this is assimilated/domesticated or made foreign/exotic in poetic translation. In other words, it probes the translation of poetry of SL-culture and TL-culture orientation. To achieve this, various versions of Arabic translation of Shakespeare's Sonnet 18 "Shall I Compare Thee to a Summer's Day" are examined. An analytical comparative method is used.
The study indicates how literary translation might promote an awareness and appreciation of linguistic and cultural differences and how the lack of such an exchange can contribute to the isolation of literary cultures. The paper asserts that the translation of poetry is not just an exchange of literature with other nations, but actually functions much more as a cultural mission, letting the outside-world know more about other cultures. This study hopes to suggest a suitable form of poetic translation which does not ignore the aesthetic factors while attempting to keep a sense of the original, particularly at a time when we need to see the 'others' in translation and not just the 'us'.