The author’s genius is in weaving these three layers together in a subtle but sensible way. The book can be read on more than one level: as a story about a town suffering from an epidemic, as a metaphor for Nazi occupation, and as an examination of the problem of evil. I’m glad, because I think it’s a worthy book, but I think that the book’s recent success is something in the nature of an accident, and I worry that people may be missing the point. People have been reading Camus’ novel in droves because Covid. I read The Plague because it was selected by Rachel of the Singapore Hungry Hundred Book Club for April of 2021. Preorder ebook from Amazon The Plague: The perfect coronavirus lockdown novel? Preorder the Marris / Knopf translation of The Plague:
We English-speakers are, as the saying goes, one people separated by a common language. The Laura Marris translation is characterized as American, in contrast with the Robin Buss translation, which may be said to have a British flavo(u)r.
One presumes that the 2021 translation will again attempt to remedy the perceived errors of previous editions and make the text more relatable to contemporary audiences. The Buss translation is also said to sound smoother to the twenty-first century ear, a circumstance for which Gilbert can hardly be blamed. Perhaps the difference reflects a change in the philosophy of translation: In fifty years, it’s definitely possible there’s been a change in translators’ view of their role in bringing works to new audiences, and/or in the audience’s view of their role. See below for other reasons.Ĭomparison of the English translations of The Plague #Īs is traditional, the second translation was hailed as an improvement over the first Gilbert’s translation has been criticized for inaccuracy, while Buss’ is said to follow the original more closely. I recommend the Buss / Penguin translation of The Plague: I know some French-but not, like, a lot-and I haven’t read both the existing English translations. What is the BEST translation of The Plague by Camus? There is a new translation by Laura Marris being published by Knopf later this year.(Previously, I read the Robin Buss translation of The Count of Monte Cristo.) I read the 2001 Robin Buss translation of The Plague.I have not read the 1948 Stuart Gilbert translation of The Plague.The book was originally published in 1947 under the French title La Peste.
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