Translation as an act of violence/reparation

Carson’s Antigonick: An Ethical (?), Erotic (?) Translation (?)

In this paper, I use Anne Carson’s Antigonick to engage with Gayatri Spivak’s discussions of the politics of translation (1993), asking whether Antigonick can be understood as “erotic” in Spivak’s sense and, furthermore, whether it is appropriate to call it a “feminist” translation of Antigone. Methodologically, the paper adopts an experimental form. My interest in Antigonick as a feminist translation began with a seminar paper written early in graduate school; in this presentation, I summarize the main arguments of that paper while also offering a critical reassessment.

The primary issues with my original argument are theoretical: it applies Spivak’s concepts of subalternity and postcoloniality to a canonical classical Greek text. While the earlier version of the paper acknowledged this tension, my current critique deepens the examination of the problematic conflation of female fictional speakers in fifth-century Athens with contemporary postcolonial subjects. At the same time, I explore how such a comparison can yield valuable interpretive insights. This analysis enables a more explicit interrogation of the relationship between translation and violence. How do we translate the fictional voice of a woman who, in a dead language, resists state-sanctioned violence? What forms of violence have the many translations and receptions of Antigone enacted upon Sophocles’ play? And is the assimilation of Antigone’s gendered experience to that of postcolonial subjects itself a form of interpretive violence?

Ancient Violence and Contemporary Receptions: Challenges and Perspectives

The forms and perceptions of violence in the ancient world remain a widely debated issue in contemporary scholarship. This speaker series aims to explore the various ways in which violence was conceptualized, represented, and interpreted in antiquity, as well as its reception and reinterpretation in modern contexts. By bringing together scholars from different disciplines, including history, philosophy, material culture, and literature, the series seeks to offer a comprehensive perspective on the role of violence in shaping ancient societies and its lasting impact on contemporary thought.

Through this interdisciplinary approach, the series aims to provide new insights into the multifaceted nature of violence in antiquity and its enduring influence on modern societies. By critically engaging with both ancient sources and their receptions, the discussions will contribute to a deeper understanding of how violence has been, and continues to be, a crucial element in shaping cultural and intellectual traditions.

The series will open with a reflection on the historiographical and ideological dimensions of violence, considering how modern interpretations have shaped and, at times, distorted our understanding of its role in antiquity. This methodological approach will serve as a foundation for further discussions on the philosophical, theological, and political implications of violence in the ancient world, including its intersections with slavery, power structures, and social hierarchies. Further sessions will examine the ways in which violent acts and representations of violence have been mediated through various forms of cultural production. This includes an exploration of textual and visual narratives, considering how translation, adaptation, and artistic representations have framed and reshaped perceptions of violence across time. Special attention will be given to the ethical and ideological implications of these reinterpretations, as well as their resonance in contemporary discourse.

The series will also engage with the reception of violence in modern media, from literature to film, and its role in educational and rehabilitative contexts. By analyzing how ancient violence is reimagined in contemporary storytelling, the discussions will highlight the pedagogical and social functions of these narratives, particularly in addressing issues of justice, identity, and historical memory.

Image of Sculpture: Why Born Enslaved! – a sculpture by Jean-Baptiste Carpeaux