Translating Ideas of a Movement? Sturm und Drang in Albanian Translations of Goethe's Prometheus

Abstract

Goethe’s Prometheus is widely considered to be one of his most renowned poems and a particularly significant work within the Sturm und Drang literary movement. Through both its content—embodied in Prometheus's rebellious stance toward the gods—and its non-uniform structure, the poem reflects the era’s rejection of conventional forms. Regarded as a representative example of this era, this poem is frequently employed in academic and classroom settings to illustrate the prevailing motifs of this period. In institutions of higher education where German is not the native language, academic staff members may rely on translations when working with students, should the need arise. In these cases, it is of the utmost importance that the translations remain faithful to the original meaning and accurately convey the intended ideas. This paper aims to analyse two translations of this poem in Albanian, those of Skënder Luarasi and Robert Shvarc. The main objective is to analyse whether the translators have remained true to Goethe’s original concepts by preserving the poem’s structure, expressive nuances and its essence. Preliminary findings indicate that, while both translations effectively capture the rebellious spirit and thematic core of Sturm und Drang, they differ in their approach to expressive detail and structural fidelity. This paper deals with the complexities of rendering Sturm und Drang works into other languages, analysing the Albanian translations and contributes to a deeper understanding of how translation practices influence the dissemination of this movement’s defining characteristics.

Received: 21 November 2024 / Accepted: 20 February 2025 / Published: 06 March 2025