Giuseppe Mazzini’s Translation Project and the Nation-Building Process in the Italian Risorgimento
by Kathrin Engelskircher, University of Mainz, Faculty of Translation Studies, Linguistics and Cultural Studies/Germersheim, Germany
(belonging to: The role of politics in translation from a historical perspective/The use of translation as a political tool)
Abstract
In the scope of the Italian Risorgimento as a nation-building process, the name of Giuseppe Mazzini is well-known. He as a republican democrat wanted his country to be regardedas a free pioneer independent from foreign power showing the way to a community of emancipated nations in Europe staying together in peace, equality and solidarity. For this reason, he made use of translation and translation criticism in order to spread his political ideas. With his attitudes towards translation, he intended it to be a real instrument for public education to prepare, support and stimulate the multitudes for a revolution.Translated works, especially drama, should in his concept be accompanied by a guide to the “right” comprehension according to Mazzini’s understanding. He intended it to be (seen as) a powerful weapon within the scope of educating a new generation convinced of and prepared to fight for an independent Italy.Out of these new educated men should also arise a new generation of poets who creates an innovative, powerful literature, exemplary for whole Europe. Mazzini opposed the classicistic, norm- and form-oriented literature of the academies and traditionalists which – in his opinion – was not able to agitate people’s affects, hope and inner part of heart. The new literature, developed out of the European contemporary tendencies, should give Italy its lost cultural (and political) strength back to take over the leading role in the fight for a free Europe. Mazzini combines here the Italian future with its great past reminding his compatriots of the Italian achievements and the power of Rome whichsucceeded to unite Europe in its continuous process of civilisation progress already twice.
Keywords: Risorgimento, Mazzini, Italian nation-building, political education, translation, criticism, European literature, translation as education, translation as political tool, Romanticism