Thread: Master and Margarita

after a few pages my eyes glazed over and i had to force myself to finish this supposed great work of literature. Maybe 3 or 4 lines were funny. Alot of ridiculous nonsense and dense descriptions; I wanted to fall asleep. Was something lost in translation? My Russian friend says it's her favorite book; she's read it twice.

Originally Posted by sperk

after a few pages my eyes glazed over and i had to force myself to finish this supposed great work of literature. Maybe 3 or 4 lines were funny. Alot of ridiculous nonsense and dense descriptions; I wanted to fall asleep. Was something lost in translation? My Russian friend says it's her favorite book; she's read it twice.

I haven't read a translation but I've read the original about 15 times. The fact that you've been struggling hard not to fall asleep while reading doesn't add to my opinion on the translation. Perhaps not, and you're just not among the fans of the book.

Originally Posted by sperk

after a few pages my eyes glazed over and i had to force myself to finish this supposed great work of literature. Maybe 3 or 4 lines were funny. Alot of ridiculous nonsense and dense descriptions; I wanted to fall asleep. Was something lost in translation? My Russian friend says it's her favorite book; she's read it twice.

I guess, that it is the question of preferences, and I'd say the question of mentality. E.g. There are millions of people in the world that are fans of Tolkien. But personally I could finish no one of his books. Moreover, I could look through no one of films that was made by his books. I just have no interest, and find them hollow. And I can't understand why the people are delighted with the books and films, why are they virtually live with the heros of Tolkien's novels. At the same time, "Master and Margarita" is my favorite novel. I've red it at least 5 times, and every time discovered something new. But to undestand the book you have to know the realities of Russia and especially the realities of USSR of that time. Only than you'll realise why the heros act in one way or another.

"Boromir smiled"
"Едва заметная улыбка тронула бледное. без кровинки, лицо Боромира".

Originally Posted by Vincent Tailors

"Boromir smiled"
"Едва заметная улыбка тронула бледное. без кровинки, лицо Боромира".

Originally Posted by Ramil

Присоединяюсь

Originally Posted by Vincent Tailors

"Boromir smiled"
"Едва заметная улыбка тронула бледное. без кровинки, лицо Боромира".

Priceless. I have a friend whose job is to translate foreign films into Russian...

By the way, I love Master and Margarita. Read it twice, in the French version.

There are couple of traslations... One is done by Russian interpreter, the other one, obviously, not... People who have seen both traslations say that Russian one is better... Here is another thing... I've seen the English edition of Master and Margarita with extensive end-notes which explained in details the realities of Soviet life and Russian culture unknow to the foreign reader... Better translation and end-notes help a lot to understand and enjoy this particular book... Otherwise you have to do your homework...

Appositely, if anyone will be in Moscow can visit a flat of Berlioz. That flat is real.

Originally Posted by sperk

after a few pages my eyes glazed over and i had to force myself to finish this supposed great work of literature. Maybe 3 or 4 lines were funny. Alot of ridiculous nonsense and dense descriptions; I wanted to fall asleep. Was something lost in translation? My Russian friend says it's her favorite book; she's read it twice.

Who's the translator?

Originally Posted by Vincent Tailors

"Boromir smiled"
"Едва заметная улыбка тронула бледное. без кровинки, лицо Боромира".

Вот у таких переводчиков потом из Пиноккио Буратино получается.

А вы сравните "Волшебника из страны Оз" с "Волшебником Изумрудного города". - вот где "перевод".

Originally Posted by Ramil

А вы сравните "Волшебника из страны Оз" с "Волшебником Изумрудного города". - вот где "перевод".

Сравнивал - по сравнению с Пиноккио, просто слово в слово.
Есть конечно изменения, но без некоторых - никак. Ну имена поменяли - то ладно. Чтобы более по-американски звучали.
Ну и снимать башмачки с трупа - такое мародёрство не для советского ребёнка. (В самом начале, где Дороти снимает башмачки с ног колдуньи. Ноги сии торчат из-под домика.)

I just read the translation by Michael Glenny. Good book.

I recentley watched the tv serie of M & M, like it too.

Originally Posted by Mikhail_S

Appositely, if anyone will be in Moscow can visit a flat of Berlioz. That flat is real.

really? who lives there now?

Originally Posted by Remyisme

Originally Posted by Mikhail_S

Appositely, if anyone will be in Moscow can visit a flat of Berlioz. That flat is real.

really? who lives there now?

No one. It's a museum now.

http://www.bulgakov.ru/n/badflat/

oh, wow!