Examining Translations by Stuart Gilbert and Matthew Ward
For my translation, I chose to compare the translations done by Stuart Gilbert (1946) and Matthew Ward (1989). The differences between the two are striking. Gilbert’s translation is a testament to the changes in translation practices over time. His translation is far from the text as he chooses to play up certain characteristics of the novel. Ward, without embellishing, manages to stay close to the original in his translation.
Some sentences in the Gilbert translation are almost completely different from those in the Ward translation. An English reader in 1946 would have most definitely read Gilbert’s version of L’Étranger. Gilbert seems to act not as a translator, but a co-author. He adds adjectives, he splits paragraphs, and he breaks and creates new sentences whenever he pleases. Gilbert’s translation is dangerous.
Ward’s translation, on the other hand, is much closer to the original French text. In creating my own translation, I chose to consult Ward’s translation. I waited until I had a complete second draft that I was satisfied with, and then I compared my translation with the Ward translation. The Ward translation has stood the test of time for a reason.
I remember first encountering Ward’s translation in high school. The translation was published by Vintage Books, a publisher of modern classics. The cover is beautiful, complex, and typical of other Camus novels put out by the same publisher. Ward’s translation was my first experience of The Stranger, and I remember it being so beautiful, so simple, just as I had imagined the French would be.
Improving my French has given me the ability to compare translations, an ability that is so valuable. With this, it’s easy to see that translations can vary quite a lot. Gilbert’s translation is a work of its own while Ward’s is a much closer approximation for English readers.