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Vol/53 No/3 2014 JUNE/JULY The Linguist 27 FEATURES omit the subject (ie, the poet) and replace it with an impersonal giebt es and a zu+infinitive construction, respectively: zweifarb'ge Rosen giebt es, roth und weiβ Auf ihren Wangen sind sie nicht zu sehen This is followed by two lines that retain the essence of the original structure but fail to convey the negative associations of the word 'reeks', replacing it with the neutral wehen: und manchen Düften ziemet höh'rer Preis Als denen, die in Liebchens Athem wehen In 'I love to hear her speak, yet well I know', the final verb has moved down a line and been enclosed in brackets. As a result, the line sounds more like an afterthought than the clear, deliberate thought of the original: Ich liebe ihre Stimm' und horch' auf sie, Doch ist Musik (ich weiβ) von süβrem Schalle There is an interesting lexical change in the next two lines: wie Grazien wandeln, sah ich freilich nie Sie tritt im Gehn den Boden wie wir alle. Here the word 'goddess' has been translated as Grazien, which refers to the mythological Graces. However, since the word Grazien is plural, it cannot be directly 'mapped' onto the mistress. The result is a less expressive poetic image. The dramatic addition of bei Gott in the final couplet is the finishing touch of the romantic sensibility that colours the entire translation: und doch, mir dünkt meine Lieb' so schön, bei Gott! Als Eine, jedem falschen Preis zum Spott Swedish The Swedish translation 3 is fascinating inasmuch as it sounds informal, modern and uncomplicated, despite the fact that it is from the 19th century. This can be at least partly attributed to the influence of the informal and egalitarian Swedish culture. The most intriguing detail in the opening lines is the fact that the ordinary-sounding word flicka ('girl' or 'girlfriend') is used instead of 'mistress'. This word has none of the sensuous connotations of 'mistress'. Furthermore, the syntax is simple and the imagery more straightforward than in the original: Min flickas blick är ej lik solen alls, Och hennes läppar likna ej koraller The next section is similar to the other versions in that the word 'damasked' is omitted and 'reeks' is substituted with a neutral word (andas = 'breathe'). As in the German version, the final couplet uses an impersonal structure – in this case, the passive voice – rendering 'I think my love as rare' as 'she is admired': Och dock, vid himlen, hon beundras tål Som någon, prydd med falska bilders prål Such an impersonal conclusion doesn't have the same impact as the directness of the original in conveying the poet's relationship to the subject. My analysis has shown that each translation has a different effect on the mood and even the meaning of the poem. The Croatian version feels too formal and lacks the original's depth of meaning, while the German has a light- hearted, romantic mood, but doesn't project the clarity of the original. The tone of the Swedish version is surprisingly informal and lacks the gravity and maturity of the English. None of these translations fully convey the sophistication of Shakespeare's original sonnet and this is perhaps inevitable, as the sharpness and wit of the original may spring, in part, from the nature of the English language itself. Notes 1 Croatian translation by Luko Paljetak 2 German translation by Ferdinand Adolph Gelbcke 3 Swedish translation by Carl Rupert Nyblom THE DARK LADY The Chandos Portrait of William Shakespeare (inset) is attributed to John Taylor; and it has been suggested that Shakespeare's mistress was Mary Fitton, painted (left) by Arbury Hall