Linguistic and Cultural Betrayal in Hafiz Ibrahim’s Translation of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables

Abstract

This paper investigates the phenomenon of linguistic and cultural betrayal in Hafiz Ibrahim’s Arabic translation of Victor Hugo’s Les Misérables, considering it a notable case of infidelity in literary translation. Betrayal in this context refers to the loss, distortion, or modification of the original text’s aesthetic or cultural essence. Such alterations may arise due to linguistic and cultural constraints, translator subjectivity, or self-censorship aimed at minimizing potential controversy among the target audience. Literary translation, often deemed one of the most intricate translation forms, demands not only semantic accuracy but also the faithful rendering of stylistic and cultural features. Employing a comparative analytical method, the study explores the theoretical dimensions of betrayal in literary translation, the balance between fidelity and creativity, general trends in translating Les Misérables, and specifically Hafiz Ibrahim’s rendition. The findings indicate that cultural betrayal significantly impacts the preservation of the source text’s meaning, with notable deviations in Ibrahim’s version altering both linguistic intent and cultural context. These shifts underscore the challenges faced by translators of canonical literary works, particularly when navigating between preserving the original voice and adapting to the expectations of the target readership.