Un esercizio di traduzione letteraria tra intuito, indagine e istruzione: "The Testament of Cresseid & Seven Fables" (2009) di Seamus Heaney

<p dir="ltr">This thesis presents the first Italian translation of 'The Testament of Cresseid & Seven Fables' (2009), a work that itself translates Robert Henryson’s (c. 1460-1500) Middle Scots 'The Testament of Cresseid' and 'The Morall Fabillis of Esope the Phrygian' through Seamus Heaney’s (1939-2013) contemporary English rendition. Engaging with the rich tradition of literary translation into Italian, I critically examine this canon in relation to my research objectives, structure, and outcomes. </p><p dir="ltr">Initially focused on translation theory, the thesis has evolved towards a pedagogical focus, reflecting my passion for teaching across languages and cultures. I see this shift not only as a natural and coherent extension of my academic development, but also as the most relevant and original contribution I could make to a body of scholarship that is already extensive and well-established in both Italian and English.</p><p dir="ltr">Through the process of translating and annotating TCSF, I discovered that my research interests are rooted in the linguistic and cultural exchanges inherent in translating a work of literature and trying to explain – to oneself as well as to others – all that one has experienced and learned crossing two languages and cultures. This thesis therefore embodies a dual pedagogical commitment to learning and teaching that has shaped my experience throughout the doctoral process.</p><p dir="ltr">The thesis is structured as a translation (60%) and a set of notes addressing the linguistic, cultural, and literary challenges of the text (40%). These notes not only document the translation process but also provide critical insights and pedagogical reflections, some of which are integrated into proposed classroom activities (Appendix 1).</p><p dir="ltr">The choices made throughout this project reflect my identity as a translator, researcher, and educator, aligning my intellectual pursuits with my ethical values, particularly in light of the moral framework of the source text. While my translation may not always achieve the linguistic and literary finesse of a native poet-translator, it aspires to foster meaningful and fruitful learning experiences through deep reflection, comparison, instruction and application.</p><p dir="ltr">Ultimately, this thesis marks a significant step in my academic journey, paving the way for future research that will focus on transforming this experience into teaching units and exploring the pedagogical potential of collaborative intelligence, particularly the innovative applications of Human-AI interaction in literary translation course design, delivery, and assessment.</p>