FEMINIST INTERVENTIONISM IN THE UKRAINIAN TRANSLATION OF «A GAME OF THRONES» BY GEORGE R. R. MARTIN
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.32782/2522-4077-2025-215-47Keywords:
feminist translation theory, gender adequacy, George Martin, interventionism, Nataliia Tysovska, translation strategiesAbstract
The article provides an analysis of the phenomenon of feminist interventionism in contemporary Ukrainian literary translation based on George R. R. Martin's novel "A Game of Thrones" translated by Nataliia Tysovska. The research focuses on the issues of "translation politics" and the role of the translator as an active ideological agent capable of influencing the reception of gender images in the target culture. The work thoroughly examines the theoretical foundations of feminist translation theory, particularly the concepts of "interventionism" and translator visibility proposed by leading Western scholars Sherry Simon and Luise von Flotow. It analyzes the ways these theoretical concepts are implemented in the practical plane of Ukrainian translation of a fantasy text. Primary attention is paid to the systematization of translation strategies used by Nataliia Tysovska to achieve gender adequacy. It is revealed that the translator engages in complex ideological maneuvering, which includes not only active text transformations but also conscious non-intervention. Using the examples of Sansa and Arya Stark, it is demonstrated how the strategy of faithfully conveying the brutality of the original can serve feminist goals by deconstructing patriarchal myths. At the same time, the analysis of Catelyn Stark and Tyrion Lannister’s characters revealed the application of modulation strategies (replacing misogynistic vocabulary with neutral terms) and supplementation (strengthening political agency and rationalizing female anger through syntactic shifts). It is established that feminist interventionism as performed by N. Tysovska allows the Ukrainian reader to see the subversive meanings hidden in the original. The study proves that translation becomes a battleground for gender meanings, and the Ukrainian translation of "A Game of Thrones" serves as a significant precedent for establishing gender-sensitive linguistic practices.
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