Customer Reviews

Chekhov: Four Plays (Great Translations for Actors Series)

5 star:		(3)
4 star:		(0)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Carol Rocamora's translations of Chekhov's four most important plays are, simply, brilliant. These are not adaptations of the plays, but true translations: Rocamora is Chekhovian down to the punctuation. She has made the language contemporary not by translating as if Chekhov were writing now, but by providing the language with a poetic grace that is timeless. Chekhov remains very much a writer of his time and place, and this is as it should be -- we value him because he made the specificities of his time and place universal. Rocamora's translations also fill a gap by giving us Chekhov in American English. Michael Frayn's translations are wonderful, but it is impossible to speak them without an English accent slipping onto your tongue. This edition of translations provides a fascinating introduction by Rocamora, a pronunciation guide, and glossary

I can't find a word to express my feelings toward translation of this book. The translator definitely understands the life and the thoughts of Chekhov. This translation is brilliant. Thank you.

I compared Carol Rocamora's translations to a few other translations, and found hers much more full of life; more active, more violent, and more realistic. Other translations are dry and formal compared to hers. They lack the intensity of the character's emotions and they feel less contemporary.