Dürrenmatt übersetzen. Am Beispiel von Minotaurus − Eine Ballade

Abstract

In his plays and prose writings, as well as in his paintings and drawings, the Swiss writer and painter Friedrich Dürrenmatt (1921–1990) frequently addressed topics from Greek mythology. This may be one of the reasons why Greek translators began to show interest in this German-speaking artist soon after his first works were published. Dürrenmatt’s writing style and technique have some distinctive features that can pose particular difficulties for translators. While he uses compact, everyday language in his plays, which may be emotionally charged or coldly calculated, he often uses complicated sentences with imagery, metaphors, and recurring ‘keywords’ in his prose works. Particularly in his later works, one encounters complex sentences extending over more than one page. Using the example of Minotaurus – Eine Ballade, this essay illustrates the challenges that Dürrenmatt's language may pose for Greek translators.