La Fedra di Seneca-Sanguineti: rilettura di una traduzione per la messinscena

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to fill a gap about Edoardo Sanguineti’s translations in the current bibliography. Despite the fact that Friedmar Apel’s method brings a sweeping change to research in the field of translation studies and many works about Sanguineti’s activity have been published in recent years, an overall analysis regarding Seneca’s Phaedra still doesn’t exist. The drama was translated for Luca Ronconi’s theatrical production, performed at Teatro Stabile di Roma in 1969. Both play and translation were harshly criticized for their rhetoric, declamation and forceful emphasis: the same critics were directed to the original text. This study tries to show that Sanguineti perfectly knows that in the Seneca’s play – as Eliot said – «the drama is all in the word». Therefore Sanguineti creates a new style of translation, that he calls «oracolese»: its idiosyncratic syntax (caused by reproduction of ordo verborum), assonances and alliterations, alienating commixture between high literal tradition and colloquial Italian grammar are strictly related to the mise-en-scene. Sanguineti realizes that Seneca’s dramas’ static plot has a special strength and – because «in translation there is no other speaker than translator» – this is the strongest relation with the original, the only point of contact possible.