Publication date:
12 April 2017Length of book:
254 pagesPublisher
Lehigh University PressISBN-13: 9781611461800
The AnnotatedWe represents the first fully annotated translation of Evgeny Zamiatin’s classic novel in English. Generally recognized as the first modern anti-utopian novel, Zamiatin’s We has puzzled scholars and critics alike, for it is both serious and playful, full of games. Long considered to be enigmatic, it stands out as unique among his works, and its importance is beyond doubt, for it not only holds the distinction of being the first work of its kind, but is also widely believed to have provided thematic elements for the two most famous dystopian works of the twentieth century, Aldous Huxley's Brave New World and George Orwell's Nineteen Eighty-Four.
This new English translation employs language and syntax that mirror the precision and economy of Zamiatin’s Russian in his “poem in prose.” The commentary that accompanies the text sheds light on Zamiatin’s use of language as well as on the broad array of allusions that mark it, while at the same time suggesting many previously unacknowledged sources for the novel’s playfulness.
This new English translation employs language and syntax that mirror the precision and economy of Zamiatin’s Russian in his “poem in prose.” The commentary that accompanies the text sheds light on Zamiatin’s use of language as well as on the broad array of allusions that mark it, while at the same time suggesting many previously unacknowledged sources for the novel’s playfulness.
In this translation of Zamiatin's We (1921; first English translation, 1924)—the first modern anti utopian novel—Wozniuk strives for consistency and accuracy. He tries to duplicate the style of the original, and in this he succeeds. The translation reads well and smoothly, better than most of the translations that have preceded it. Wozniuk's annotations draw on previous research but offer original insights that provide new subtexts and sources. Wozniuk also uses the copious notes to explain his choice of English for Russian phrases and to cite variants of the texts in order to reveal Zamiatin's creative process. In sum, Wozniuk's commentary illuminates the richness of the prose as it aids the reader in understanding the ideas that drive the novel. This book is ideal for students of Russian literature and should be the standard in courses that include We in the syllabus. The book is also valuable for students of literary translation. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Lower- and upper-division undergraduates; graduate students; general readers.