Swedish poem 'Aniara' translated into Chinese
By Hu Min |
June 3, 2012, Sunday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
A Chinese translation of "Aniara," a science fiction poem written by the Swedish Nobel laureate Harry Martinson, was launched at Fudan University recently.
The poem consists of 103 cantos, with its title coming from ancient Greek and meaning "sad and despairing."
The poem is about the tragedy of the space ship Aniara, originally bound for Mars with a cargo of colonists from the ravaged Earth, which after an accident is ejected from the solar system and into an existential struggle. The ship is destined to travel for 15,000 years before reaching another star.
Martinson's concerns with the planet followed the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II, as well as the Cold War, while the first 29 cantos were said to be inspired by an astronomic observation of Andromeda Galaxy. "Aniara," which is widely seen as a warning to humanity of the consequences of not taking care of the Earth, was published in 1956.
Martinson (1904–1978) was a sailor as well as an author and poet. He was awarded a joint Nobel Prize in Literature in 1974, together with fellow Swede Eyvind Johnson "for writings that catch the dewdrops and reflect the cosmos."
This translation is by Wan Zhi, a translator living in Sweden.
Chinese writer Mo Yan said at the launch ceremony that the warning from Martinson is equally relevant today. "We cannot escape from environment issues, the threat of nuclear wars and famine, and we have to tackle them," Mo said.
The poem consists of 103 cantos, with its title coming from ancient Greek and meaning "sad and despairing."
The poem is about the tragedy of the space ship Aniara, originally bound for Mars with a cargo of colonists from the ravaged Earth, which after an accident is ejected from the solar system and into an existential struggle. The ship is destined to travel for 15,000 years before reaching another star.
Martinson's concerns with the planet followed the dropping of atomic bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki in World War II, as well as the Cold War, while the first 29 cantos were said to be inspired by an astronomic observation of Andromeda Galaxy. "Aniara," which is widely seen as a warning to humanity of the consequences of not taking care of the Earth, was published in 1956.
Martinson (1904–1978) was a sailor as well as an author and poet. He was awarded a joint Nobel Prize in Literature in 1974, together with fellow Swede Eyvind Johnson "for writings that catch the dewdrops and reflect the cosmos."
This translation is by Wan Zhi, a translator living in Sweden.
Chinese writer Mo Yan said at the launch ceremony that the warning from Martinson is equally relevant today. "We cannot escape from environment issues, the threat of nuclear wars and famine, and we have to tackle them," Mo said.
- About Us
- |
- Terms of Use
- |
-
RSS - |
- Privacy Policy
- |
- Contact Us
- |
- Shanghai Call Center: 962288
- |
- Tip-off hotline: 52920043
- 沪ICP证：沪ICP备05050403号-1
- |
- 互联网新闻信息服务许可证：31120180004
- |
- 网络视听许可证：0909346
- |
- 广播电视节目制作许可证：沪字第354号
- |
- 增值电信业务经营许可证：沪B2-20120012
Copyright © 1999- Shanghai Daily. All rights reserved.Preferably viewed with Internet Explorer 8 or newer browsers.
