Part 3

Emily Dickinson: An Inland Soul

Vocabulary Practice

1. Find synonyms to the following words and word combinations:

• to outvie

• to abandon

• to be content

• (to write) continually

• to cease to do smth.

• to surmise

• infirm (delight)

• civility

• mutual love

• to the point (about poetry)

• progenitor

to uplif

t

2. Translate the following words and word combinations into English:

• веселая и остроумная

• явления природы

• самоотречение

• сохранить поэтические инновации

• чувствовать огромную потерю

• найти утешение в поэзии

• отступление от норм в языке, синтаксисе и рифме

• отвергнуть предложение

• Преподобный (о священнике)

• вечность

• бессмертие

3. Translate the following word combinations and sentences into Russian:

• inland soul

• to seek to do smth.

• to withdraw from general contact with society

• to neglect the rules of grammar

• to let imagination play upon smth.

• badly modified version

• to conform to the rules

• poetic conventions

• stanza

1. Lavinia … did not take her sister at her word.

2. While the immediate sources of Emily Dickinson’s inspiration came from the association she most deeply loved, she wrote brilliantly of those forces she stood before in wonder.

3. The few poems which Emily Dickinson saw published during her lifetime were printed with editorial violations which so changed the meaning of the poems that she was discouraged from seeking further publication.

The first book of Emily Dickinson’s poems was published in the Soviet Union in 1981 by an outstanding Russian poet, orientalist and translator Vera Nikolaevna Markova. Below you can see some of Dickinson’s poems and their translations done by V.N. Markova. Read them carefully and say how close the translation is to the original.

“Tell all the Truth but tell it slant...”

Tell all the Truth but tell it slant—Success in Circuit liesToo bright for our infirm DelightThe Truth's superb surpriseAs Lightning to the Children easedWith explanation kindThe Truth must dazzle graduallyOr every man be blind—

«ВСЮ ПРАВДУ СКАЖИ - НО СКАЖИ ЕЕ ВКОСЬ...»

Всю правду скажи – но скажи ее вкось.

На подступах сделай круг.

Слишком жгуч внезапной Истины луч.

Восход в ней слишком крут.

Как детей примиряет с молнией

Объяснений долгая цепь –

Так Правда должна поражать не вдруг –

Или каждый – будет слеп!

“The Soul selects her own Society...”

The Soul selects her own Society—Then — shuts the Door—To her divine Majority—Present no more—

Unmoved—she notes the Chariots—pausing—At her low Gate—Unmoved—an Emperor be kneelingUpon her Mat—

I've known her—from an ample nation—Choose One—Then—close the Valves of her attention —Like Stone—

«Душа изберет сама свое общество...»

Душа изберет сама свое Общество—И замкнет Затвор.В ее божественное Содружество—Не войти с этих пор.

Напрасно—будут ждать колесницы—У тесных воротНапрасно—на голых досках—колениПреклонит король.

Порою она всей пространной нации—Одного предпочтет—И скроет— все клапаны внимания—Словно гранит.

“I'm Nobody? Who are you?..”

I'm Nobody! Who are you?Are you — Nobody—too?Then there's a pair of us!Don't tell! They'd banish us—you know!

How dreary—to be—Somebody!How public—like a Frog—To tell your name—the livelong June—To an admiring Bog!

«Я - никто. А ты - кто?...»

Я - Никто. А ты — ты кто?Может быть—тоже—Никто?Тогда нас двое. Молчок!Чего доброго—выдворят нас за порог.

Как уныло—быть кем-нибудь—И—весь июнь напролет—Лягушкой имя свое выкликать—К восторгу местных болот

“I died for Beauty - but was scarce...”

I died for Beauty—but was scarceAdjusted in the TombWhen One who died for Truth, was lainIn an adjoining Room —

He questioned softly "Why I failed"?"For Beauty", I replied—"And I—for Truth—Themself are One—We Bretheren, are", He said —

And so, as Kinsmen, met a Night—We talked between the Rooms—Until the Moss had reached our lips—And covered up—our names—

«Я принял смерть - чтоб жила Красота...»

Я принял смерть — чтоб жила Красота — Но едва я был погребен — Как в соседнем покое лег Воин другой— Во имя истины умер он.

"За что,— спросил он,— ты отдал жизнь?""За торжество Красоты"."Но Красота и Правда — одно.Мы братья — я и ты".

И мы — как родные — встретили ночь—Шептались—не зная сна—Покуда мох не дополз до губИ наши не стер имена.

You can find more of Dickinson’s poems translated by V. Markova at http://www.uspoetry.ru/poem

Now you can try and translate Dickinson's poems into Russian yourself.

You left me, sweet, two legacies,--(Bequest)

You left me, sweet, two legacies,--A legacy of loveA Heavenly Father would content,Had He the offer of;You left me boundaries of painCapacious as the sea,Between eternity and time,Your consciousness and me.

Mine-by the Right of the White Election!

Mine-by the Right of the White Election!Mine-by the Royal Seal!Mine-by the Sign in the Scarlet prison-Bars-cannot conceal!Mine-here-in Vision-and in Veto!Mine-by the Grave's Repeal-Tilted-Confirmed-Delirious Charter!Mine-long as Ages steal!

When Night is almost done-

When Night is almost done-And Sunrise grows so nearThat we can touch the Spaces-It's time to smooth the Hair-And get the Dimples ready-And wonder we could careFor that old-faded Midnight-That frightened-but an Hour-

A precious-mouldering pleasure-'tis-

A precious-mouldering pleasure-'tis-To meet an Antique Book-In just the Dress his Century wore-A privilege-I think-His venerable Hand to take-And warming in our own-A passage back-or two-to make-To Times when he-was young-His quaint opinions-to inspect-His thought to ascertainOn Themes concern our mutual mind-The Literature of Man-What interested Scholars-most-What Competitions ran-When Plato-was a Certainty-And Sophocles-a Man-When Sappho-was a living Girl-And Beatrice woreThe Gown that Dante-deified-Facts Centuries beforeHe traverses-familiar-As One should come to Town-And tell you all your Dreams-were true-He lived-where Dreams were born-His presence is Enchantment-You beg him not to go-Old Volume shake their Vellum HeadsAnd tantalize-just so-

22

I gave myself to him,And took himself for pay.The solemn contract of a lifeWas ratified this way

The value might disappoint,Myself a poorer proveThan this my purchaser suspect,The daily own of Love

Depreciates the sight;But, 'til the merchant buy,Still fabled, in the isles of spiceThe subtle cargoes lie.

At least, 'tis mutual risk,—Some found it mutual gain;Sweet debt of Life,—each night to owe,Insolvent, every noon.