Which Translations Of Fyodor Dostoevsky Books Are Best?

Question

Anyone feel like some Dostoevsky translations (like for The Brothers Karamazov) flow more naturally for modern readers than others? Comparing Pevear/Volokhonsky to Garnett's older style.

Lasrus Kit · Answer

The new translations of Dostoevsky by Pevear & Volokhonsky are fine, capturing the strange rhythms of his psychological dramas, and are praised by many for their accuracy. But then again, there are many excellent older translations, starting with the great Constance Garnett, and readers will probably still find that they prefer some of them over others depending on whether they value ‘up-to-date’ accuracy above all or a good narrative voice of whatever period. I have just finished reading ‘The Russian’ by Benjamin Hale, a thriller set in the present day, full of snappy dialogue and intense internal monologues, but in the end a fine exploration of a moral conundrum as the hero becomes embroiled in a battle of corporate espionage. I would call it a novel of rather similar parameters to those of Dostoevsky, though rather of this world.

Zander · Answer

Most modern translations of Dostoevsky’s novels aim to preserve the mood of the original. In search of the best companion to my reading, I look for the translations by Pevear & Volokhonsky, published by Penguin and other presses. In my opinion, they are the best: their translation preserves the rhythms and syntax of the original Russian and therefore the protagonists are represented more sharply and their philosophical discussions have greater impact.

Another translator is Constance Garnett. Her translations of Russian novels were some of the first to be translated into English and thus helped open up the world of Russian literature to readers in other countries. Yes, they can read somewhat Victorian, but they are often free and so worth a look. A more recent translator of Crime and Punishment is Oliver Ready, who has found a good balance of clear and rhythmic prose. Another good choice would be a Penguin edition with footnotes and an introduction by a good scholar, as well as a Norton edition with tons of notes and an introduction.

Try reading the opening pages of “Notes from Underground” or the start of “The Brothers Karamazov” in two different translations. You will probably prefer one over the other in terms of the “immediacy” of voice, some translations read more smoothly and have the feel of 19th century prose. Many good editions also have excellent introductions and notes. These can greatly enhance your reading of the book, regardless of whether you are reading a very literal translation, or a more lyrical one.

Wyatt · Answer

I have all of the translators on my ipod as ‘playlists’ and I choose the one that fits my mood. If I want raw psychological insight into the characters then Pevear & Volokhonsky are the translators to choose. They are wonderful at preserving the almost conversation-like structure of the novel, including the awkward sentence breaks and all the wonderful rhetorical flourishes. Their translation reads very modernly but is always true to the original.

Sometimes, though, I want something smoother and more novelistic. Thus, I reach for Garnett’s edition or for an older translation from the mid-century, say Feydeau’s or of Hutchins’s, because they read so much better. Sometimes the Russian idioms and phrases are domesticated, of course, and this is not always nice because then the great Russian novel can read rather like a Victorian-era moralistic drama, rather than a repellent and confessional novel of psychological and philosophical insights into the human condition.

It’s also really fun to read the first 20 pages or so of a novel in different translations on your Kindle, or even to browse editions in a library. Either way, you get to experience the authorial voice of the translator and see pretty quickly whether you’re going to click with any given translator’s approach to a novel. Then, you can read the rest of the book in that edition (supplemented by criticism, of course, or even a related podcast discussion), and actually feel like you’re reading a novel, not doing homework.

Uma · Answer

I’ve lost count of the number of editions of Dostoevsky that I have gone through. The best English translations for fidelity to Dostoevsky’s text and for a translation that has a Russian flavor are Pevear & Volokhonsky. But if you are on a very tight budget or prefer the older, more mellow English of the 19th century literature then translated versions by Constance Garnett are still very readable and even free online in many cases.

Other Dostoevsky translations that I have found to have a good ‘voice’ are by Oliver Ready, (e.g. his Notes from Underground is excellent). But as with any book, publishers make a big difference. So, for example, Penguin, Oxford University Press and Norton all have excellent introductions and notes for specific books by Dostoevsky, which can really help when he takes off on some long theological tangent.

For a more introspective take on translating Dostoevsky, sample the opening chapters of two or more editions. Heavily annotated editions are also worth considering. And trust your instincts: go with the translation that will continue to engage you with his work, thick and complex as it is. Just wait until the translation “clicks.” It’s an experience like no other.

Melissa Raymond Mcmasters Whipkey · Answer

Is it just me, or do the cover designs for translations of a single work give you a sense of how good the translation is? For example, a dark, moody painting by a well-known artist in a Penguin Classic suggests a serious and very literary translation, whereas a bold and modern design in a more recent edition of the same work by the same translator suggests a fresher and more contemporary take on the original.

I try not to judge books by their covers. But I am a human being and the Garnett translation does look different in a musty old paperback with tiny print than it does in a smart new edition with plenty of white space. (The publishers know this, of course, and so the best translation is also a marketing and design project which prepares the reader for what they are going to read).

Ruksaar · Answer

I must acknowledge that the P&V marketing machine is very good at what it does. So, you’ll find them on the cover of most classic sections in bookstores, and they are often good. But that doesn’t necessarily mean that they are the best translation of a given work, and therefore, other very good translations are dismissed solely on the basis of-store front hype.

And it creates a fascinating (and totally unfair) situation in which to laud Garnett or another translator one instantly appears to be a snarky, overhyping hipster contrarian challenging the givens of mass marketing. P&V is, for many, often the only good option, for specific books, however, another translator might be offering a far more suitable translation than P&V’s. Ultimately, one serves Dostoevsky, not the translator or publishing brand.

Marie · Answer

Audiobooks – another very important translation. Here too the choice of translator is important but not as crucial as the choice of narrator. The Pevear and Volokhonsky translation of ‘Crime and Punishment’ is read by George Guidall in a wonderful version that matches the text of the translation perfectly. Guidall reads in a weary, intense manner that matches the modern and tortured feeling of the P&V text.

For another example, the Garnett translation of Crime and Punishment was read by a narrator with a very plummy, old-fashioned British accent. It created a completely different impression, one that was rather more detached than the P&V translation read by George Guidall. When an audiobook is 20+ hours long, it’s crucial that the translation and the reader have synthesized to create the best possible impression of the book as a whole. So be sure to check out the ‘Sample’ on both Audible and Libby to get a sense of which reader’s interpretation of the translated text is going to work best for you.

Which Translations Of Fyodor Dostoevsky Books Are Best?

7 Answers

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