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/lit/ - Literature

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17222836 No.17222836 [Reply] [Original]

Am I just reading shitty translations or do people in his books talk like fucking retards? I'm reading White Nights and I get that the protagonist is meant to be some kind of incel but at a certain point it just starts sounding ridiculous

>Nastenka,” I answered in a stern and dignified voice, hardly able to keep from laughing, “dear Nastenka, I know I describe splendidly, but, excuse me, I don’t know how else to do it. At this moment, dear Nastenka, at this moment I am like the spirit of King Solomon when, after lying a thousand years under seven seals in his urn, those seven seals were at last taken off. At this moment, Nastenka, when we have met at last after such a long separation — for I have known you for ages, Nastenka, because I have been looking for some one for ages, and that is a sign that it was you I was looking for, and it was ordained that we should meet now — at this momenta thousand valves have opened in my head, and I must let myself flow in a river of words, or I shall choke. And so I beg you not to interrupt me, Nastenka, but listen humbly and obediently, or I will be silent

This is 2 people who have known each other for a day. Are Russian's just like this?

>> No.17222840

>>17222836
Just how Russians speak

>> No.17222880

“LITERALLY, Naste BABY I’m literally fucking just — LISTEN TO ME — baby I didn’t mean to yell, why do you always make it seem like I don’t listen, I DO LISTEN! LISTEN TO ME! LISTEN TO ME FOR A FUCKING CHANGE.”

>> No.17222905

>>17222836
Seems typically incel. Who translated it?

>> No.17222910

>>17222836
It's just the voice all translations seem to ascribe, I've noticed a lot of Russian novels come off very weird and stilted and the characters don't seem like normal humans. I'm sure some of it is genuinely just the literary style, but I also think some of it is just how translators have decided they want it to read. I assume the novels are a lot more palatable if you can actually read them in Russian.

>> No.17222912

>>17222905
Constance Garnett

>> No.17222925

Not all Russians are like that. Dosoyevsky's characters always talk like they're in a play, it's similar in every translation I've read of his works.

>> No.17222931

>>17222836
It's just Dostoyevsky, he was a bit of an autist

>> No.17222938

>>17222912
I just read it in Russian. It reads better there, though it's not quite clear to me why it is so. Garnett even tends to prettify and clarify the style. But in this case it's definitely made to feel like an explosion of words, trembling, absurd+grand, running around in circles...

>> No.17222946

>>17222836
damn, havent read dosto's books and not really willing to (they dont seem fun + the "muh philosophical" value of them is really nil for me as im not 15 anymore) but that dialogue reads like horseshit. this guy cant write for shit.

>> No.17222981

>>17222836
Nah all his characters are really unrealistic in the way they expose all their ideas, thoughts and feelings so extensively. It's just his style. Don't take it as reflecting how real people behave because it clearly wasn't his intention to do that in the first place.
His characters are unrealistic humans which are used as tools to say something true and universal about humanity. Like a play, as >>17222925 pointed out. Would you say a play is retarded because the characters talk unrealistically?
That's what art is. Not an imitation of reality, but a tool to say something true about reality in a way that is beautiful.

>> No.17222998

>>17222946
>they dont seem fun
>the "muh philosophical" value of them is really nil for me as im not 15 anymore

>read an excerpt from a translation of what is not considered among his essential works
>"this guy cant write for shit."

how can one person be such a massive faggot? impressive

>> No.17223001

>>17222998
you are 15. dont worry, the majority of dosto's readers are (:

>> No.17223325

>>17222946
perhaps the worst reply i've ever seen on this entire website

>> No.17223334

>>17223001
seems like this whole 'not being 15 anymore' thing is a big deal to you. happy belated 16th birthday buddy

>> No.17223338

>>17222946
>>17223001
Kill yourself

>> No.17223339

some actual autistic people in this thread

>> No.17223392

>>17222946
>>17223338

>> No.17223442

>>17222836
English isn't an inflected language like Russian and therefore every translation necessarily comes off as least to say clunky. Furthermore, an Anglo cannot quite grasp the Russian or in a broader sense Slavic perspective which is a massive hindrance.