Russian translation reception of the sensational novel Griffith Gaunt, or Jealousy by Charles Reade (the 1860s)

The present research is devoted to the translation reception of one of the most famous sensational novels authored by the English writer Charles Reade - Griffith Gaunt, or Jealousy (1866) - in the Russian literature of the mid-to-late 19th century. Sensational novels took a rightful place in Reade's literary activity, and the author was truly considered as one of the founders of the given genre model. The novel under study was translated into Russian twice; the translation versions were synchronously published in the established Russian literary magazines Otechestvennye zapiski and Zagranichnyy vestnik in 1866-1867. The novel Griffith Gaunt, or Jealousy was definitely in demand in the Russian literature of the period under review, which was confirmed by the appropriate translational approaches demonstrated by the authors of the two Russian translations: there were no deviations from the original version; the writing style was completely preserved. Moreover, the wordage and the structure of the novel were scarcely affected: the original had 45 chapters whereas the translation version published in the magazine Otechestvennye zapiski consisted of 44 chapters: Chapters 41 and 42 were combined by the translator, the narrative related to the court process was slightly shortened as it was rather intricate for general readers. As for the second translation version published in the magazine Zagranichnyy vestnik, only the first 25 chapters came out because the February issue 13 (1867) became the last one: the magazine was closed. Nevertheless, as judged by the translation of the first 25 chapters, the considered version was planned to be published to the end. A comparison study of both translations and the original revealed that the Russian translation reception of the sensational novel Griffith Gaunt, or Jealousy was mainly determined by the growing popularity of the given genre, which integrated various features of adventure fiction, social and domestic novel as well as crime fiction and melodrama. In this regard, the translators chose the most effective way to convey the literary work to readers: a large-volume magazine aimed at the wide reading audience. In that context, both translators adopted the most relevant translation strategy for target readers: a high quality literary interpretation of the original version; however, it had some deviations and Russification oriented toward Russian readers. Readers of both translation versions focused not only on the description of the social environment where the characters were brought up and which determined their conflicts, but also on the thoughtful analysis of psychological motivations influencing the behavior of the main characters. Complicated and constantly developing personalities revealed themselves not only in the social daily occurrence (as it was in the "matter-of-fact-romance") but also by means of bright emotional psychological characteristics which manifested to the full extent in the circumstances of a direct confrontation of opposite vital principles: love and hate, material mundanity and moral sublitity. Besides, the translation versions turned the readers' attention to social issues and conflicts which were not reflected in the Russian literature.

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