The River Merchant\'s Wife PDF

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Planning notes for essay about "The River Merchant's Wife"...

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The River Merchant’s Wife Two translations of Chinese poem by Li Po (Japanese name Rihaku); one by Wai-lim Yip, second by Ezra Pound

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“Ch’ang-Kan” to “Chokan” “I became your wife” to “I married My Lord you” o Focus on man (became your wife) vs. focus on woman (I married you) “I never/seldom laughed” “I began to perk up” to “I stopped scowling” “We wished to stay together like dust and ash” to “I desired my dust to me mingled with yours” o Change from “we” to “I” suggests that the love is not reciprocated “went on a long journey” to “departed” “before the door your footprints” to “you dragged your feet when you went out” butterflies “yellow with August” o deceit? “When eventually you would come down” to “If you are coming down” o Implies that he may or may not come back, it isn’t a sure thing Pound’s translation is more ambiguous, while Yip’s is more literal and specific Pound’s version feels more poetic...