19 Best Andre Lefevere Quotes

“Rewriting is manipulation, undertaken in the service of power, and in the service of a certain image of literature and society.”

This foundational statement defines rewriting not as a neutral act but as an intentional shaping of a text's reception. It highlights the political and cultural forces that influence how literature is presented and understood, emphasizing the role of power structures in determining literary fame and meaning.

“Translation is, of course, a rewriting of an original text.”

This line establishes translation as a primary example of rewriting, challenging the traditional view of translation as a purely faithful reproduction. Lefevere argues that every translation inherently involves interpretation, adaptation, and manipulation, thereby shaping the source text for a new audience within a different cultural context.

“The three main factors governing the reception, and therefore the rewriting, of literature are patronage, poetics, and ideology.”

This is a core theoretical framework of the book. It identifies the key external and internal forces that dictate how texts are rewritten and received. Patronage provides the means, poetics dictates the form, and ideology shapes the content and message, all contributing to the manipulation of literary fame.

“The image of a text, or of an author, or even of a whole literature, is often determined by the rewritings of that text, author, or literature.”

This quote underscores the profound impact of rewriting on literary reputation and historical understanding. It suggests that what we perceive as 'original' or 'authentic' is often a construct shaped by subsequent interpretations and adaptations, highlighting the constructed nature of literary history and fame.

“Rewriting is not just a matter of translating a text from one language into another, but also of adapting it for a new audience, a new culture, a new time.”

This expands the definition of rewriting beyond mere linguistic transfer. It emphasizes the cultural and temporal dimensions of adaptation, illustrating how texts are continually recontextualized to resonate with contemporary readers, which inevitably involves alterations to suit prevailing norms and expectations.

“Rewriters adapt texts to a certain ideology and a certain poetics, and they do so under the aegis of a certain patronage.”

This statement succinctly summarizes the interplay of the three main factors. It clarifies that rewritings are not random but purposeful, aligning texts with specific cultural values, aesthetic standards, and institutional support. This process fundamentally influences how texts are perceived and valued.

“The manipulation of literary fame is not an accidental by-product of rewriting, but its very essence.”

This quote asserts that the shaping of a text's reputation is inherent to the act of rewriting, rather than an unintended consequence. It highlights the deliberate or unconscious power dynamics at play, where rewritings actively construct and control how literature is remembered and celebrated.

“What is accepted as 'literature' in a given culture at a given time is largely determined by the rewritings of literature.”

This suggests that the canon and definition of literature are not fixed but are fluid constructs, continually shaped by how texts are reinterpreted and presented. Rewritings, therefore, play a crucial role in establishing and maintaining literary hierarchies and cultural values.

“The translator is the most visible, and therefore the most vulnerable, of all rewritings.”

This highlights the unique position of the translator, whose work is often scrutinized against an 'original' and whose choices are easily identifiable. It points to the power and responsibility of the translator in shaping a text's reception, while also acknowledging the potential for criticism.

“Every translation is an interpretation, and every interpretation is a rewriting.”

This reinforces the idea that translation is never a neutral act of transfer. It inherently involves an interpretive process that reshapes the original text, making it a form of rewriting. This perspective challenges notions of absolute fidelity in translation.

“The history of literature is largely the history of its rewritings.”

This statement fundamentally redefines literary history, moving away from a focus on original creation to one that emphasizes the continuous process of reinterpretation and adaptation. It suggests that understanding literature requires analyzing how texts have been reshaped across time and cultures.

“A text is not simply 'there'; it is made 'there' by a series of rewritings.”

This challenges the notion of a text existing independently of its reception. It argues that a text's meaning, significance, and presence within a culture are actively constructed through various rewritings, which mediate its interaction with audiences and shape its cultural impact.

“Patronage is the power (person or institution) that commissions and/or finances the writing and rewriting of literature.”

This defines patronage as a crucial external force in the literary system. It clarifies that patrons, whether individuals, publishers, or state bodies, exert significant influence by controlling resources, thereby shaping what literature is produced, translated, and promoted.

“Poetics is the dominant concept of what literature should be, what its function is, and how it should be written.”

This defines poetics as the internal aesthetic and formal norms guiding literary production and reception. It explains how prevailing literary theories, genre conventions, and stylistic preferences influence how texts are created, judged, and rewritten to fit cultural expectations.

“Ideology is the dominant concept of man, society, and the universe.”

This defines ideology as the overarching system of beliefs and values that shapes a culture's worldview. It explains how these deeply ingrained perspectives influence the content, themes, and moral messages conveyed in literature and how texts are rewritten to align with or challenge these prevailing ideas.

“Rewriting manipulates the reader into reading a text in a certain way.”

Lefevere highlights the power of rewriting to guide and control audience reception, shaping their interpretation of the original work.

“Literary fame is not something inherent in the text, but something that is constructed.”

This quote summarizes a central thesis of the book, emphasizing that an author's reputation is built through cultural mediation and rewriting, not solely by intrinsic merit.

“Ideology and poetics are the two main factors that determine the strategies of rewriting.”

Lefevere identifies the primary constraints that influence how texts are rewritten, underscoring the cultural and aesthetic forces at play.

“The image of a literature, or of an author, or of a specific work is projected onto a certain public through rewritings.”

This explains how the perception and public image of literary entities are actively shaped and disseminated via various forms of rewriting.