Language, Individual & Society, Volume 18, 2024

Abstract: The article addresses an understudied topic – translations of the Latvian classic poet Vilis Plūdons, whose 150th anniversary is being celebrated this year. Due to historical and political constraints, most of the poet’s works have been translated into Russian. The first translations of Latvian classics appeared at the beginning of the 20th century when Latvia was still part of the Russian Empire – Plūdons was published alongside other Latvian writers in the first collection of Latvian literature translated into Russian and prepared in close collaboration with the Russian Symbolists. The poet’s works were also included in the anthologies of Latvian poetry published in Russian during the first independence period. However, Plūdons was mostly translated during the Soviet years – during the occupation of Latvia, when anthologies, poetry collections, and selections were purposely published to introduce Latvian literature to Soviet readers in the context of general Russification. Plūdons’ children’s poetry, which was relatively free from censorship, was translated particularly extensively during this period. The most recent translations were published in Bauska, the poet’s birthplace, in the 21st century. The present article chronologically examines the translations listed in the Latvian Library Union catalogue, focusing on the analysis of the translations of the poet’s best-known poems in the context of the history of literature. The article reveals how the poet’s work is treated in every given period and how this influences the choice and interpretation of the source texts. It also focuses on the personalities of the key translators. The study concludes that, in general, the translations of Plūdons’ poetry attest to the historical trends in the translation of Latvian classical poetry, and that contemporary translations tend to showcase the poet as a man of his region and as an author of children’s poetry.