Restylization in Ibrahim Jabra’s Arabic Translation of Macbeth

Abstract

This paper analyzes Ibrahim Jabra's 1980 Arabic translation of Shakespeare's Macbeth as a case of restylization, examining the adaptation of the original English text's poetic and dramatic features to align with the rhetorical and aesthetic conventions of Modern Standard Arabic.  Levy (2011) and Leech and Short (2007) were adopted as an integrated textual analysis to investigate Jabra's account of fidelity to Shakespeare's literary style, in addition to considering the cultural relevance for Arabic-speaking audiences. The analysis focuses on Jabra's strategies for rendering poetic rhythm, ambiguity, metaphor, and cognitive synonymy. The results show that Jabra's translation represents an amalgamation of literal and domesticating approaches, proving his profound literary sensitivity. This also reflects his awareness of the cognitive and affective dimensions inherent in the process of translation. This framework represents a subtle understanding of dramatic language. Thus, translation is viewed as both a significant linguistic achievement and a culturally adaptive rewriting that effectively reimagines Macbeth for contemporary Arabic readers and performers.

Keywords: translation, drama translation, restylization, cultural and linguistic differences