Abstracts
Abstract
Theodore Beza’s 1550 Abraham sacrifiant continues a rich tradition of translation and exegesis of the Akedah in the vibrant context of the humanist Reformation. Beza translates not so much from one language to another, since he takes the Olivetan Bible’s text of Genesis 22 for the argument of his play, but rather fuses two cultures and genres, Biblical narrative and Greek tragedy. His choice entails a crucial tension: a drama of redemption cannot be tragic. In fact, Beza incorporates comic elements from both medieval and classical sources in his work. Nonetheless, his work puts in play Calvinist themes such as saving faith and predestination. A modern translation should be faithful both to Beza’s adaptation of classical forms, such as stichomythia and choral odes, and to his expression of reformed doctrine, in the spirit of Arthur Golding’s near-contemporary English version of 1575. Like Golding’s translation, mine will inevitably adapt form and content to each other, with luck conveying Beza’s literary theology in the process.
Keywords:
- Abraham sacrifiant,
- Theodore Beza,
- Exegesis,
- Humanism,
- Predestination,
- Reformation,
- Tragedy,
- Translation
Résumé
L’Abraham sacrifiant de Théodore de Bèze, publié en 1550 dans l’effervescence de la Réforme humaniste, s’inscrit dans un riche courant de traduction et d’exégèse de l’Akedah. Théodore de Bèze ne traduit guère d’une langue à l’autre, puisqu’il prend comme argument de sa pièce la version de Genèse 22 de la Bible d’Olivetan. Il fusionne plutôt deux cultures et deux genres : le récit biblique et la tragédie grecque. Son choix entraîne une tension fondamentale, car un drame de rédemption ne saurait être tragique. En fait, Théodore de Bèze intègre dans son oeuvre des éléments comiques provenant à la fois de sources médiévales et classiques. La pièce intègre néanmoins des thèmes calvinistes comme la foi salvatrice et la prédestination. Une traduction moderne se doit d’être fidèle, d’une part, à l’adaptation des formes classiques comme la stichomythie et les odes chorales, et d’autre part, à l’expression de la doctrine réformée, dans l’esprit de la version anglaise quasi contemporaine d’Arthur Golding (1575). Comme cette traduction, la mienne accordera nécessairement la forme et le contenu, avec l’espoir de bien rendre la théologie littéraire de Théodore de Bèze.
Mots-clés :
- Abraham sacrifiant,
- Théodore de Bèze,
- exégèse,
- humanisme,
- prédestination,
- Réforme,
- tragédie,
- traduction
Appendices
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