Celestina as Chameleon: The Early Translations

Abstract

The early Celestina translations arose from a social context that boasted a thriving international merchant class. An eclectic array of immigrants throughout Europe supported the Tragicomedia's production and sales, in a host of translations as well as in Spanish, for 150 years. This article provides an overview of that history in order to establish why the early translations continue to be important: they offer hints for reconstructing the lost Spanish editio princeps, clues for deciphering puzzling passages in the original, a glimpse of the cultures that produced the string of translations, and an enriched literary experience for readers today. Chameleon-like, the early translations leaned toward the approach to translation that seeks to adapt a work to its new setting. After all, even a would-be thoroughly authentic translation leaves its source unreachable.