Modern Social Science Research

Hamlet, one of Shakespeare’s outstanding masterpieces, has long been a focal point in translation studies within the academic circles. In the 1980s, the Israeli scholar Gideon Toury put forward the theory of translation norms, which significantly promoted the cultural turn in translation research. Based on Toury’s theory of translation norms, this paper delves into the influence of translation norms on the translator’s strategy choices in Zhu Shenghao’s Chinese version of Hamlet and the underlying reasons. The research reveals that Zhu Shenghao predominantly adopted the domestication strategy during the translation process, with a focus on the acceptability of the translated text in the target culture. His translation was jointly influenced by initial norms, preliminary norms, and operational norms. Through the analysis of specific translation examples, this paper illuminates how Zhu Shenghao struck a balance between the source language and the target language, enabling the translated text to be both faithful to the original work and understood by Chinese readers accurately. The findings demonstrate that Zhu Shenghao’s translation strategy choices not only reflect his profound literary skills and cultural mission but also mirror the crucial role of translation activities in cross-cultural communication, injecting new vitality into translation activities.

Hamlet; Toury’s theory of translation norms; Initial norms; Preliminary norms; Operational norms; Zhu Shenghao