Through the Lens of Bourdieu: Analyzing Cultural Dynamics in the English Translation of The Blind Owl

In this study, Pierre Bourdieu’s sociological theories and concepts—such as cultural capital, symbolic violence, translation as a social practice, habitus, and sociological field—are examined in the English translation of Sadeq Hedayat’s literary work, The Blind Owl. The novel provides valuable insights into the anxieties of ۲۰th-century Iran and is rich with cultural nuances that explore existential themes. This study broadens our sociological perspective by investigating cultural dynamics, social power, and the reception of Hedayat’s original work in the target literary context. It also discusses the concept of cultural capital and different types of that. By analyzing selected cultural nuances that play a crucial role in translation, this research sheds light on concepts like cultural identity and social power while enhancing our understanding of how Iranian literature is perceived within a global literary framework. Furthermore, specific cultural elements from the source text of The Blind Owl are compared with their English translation by Iraj Bashiri, based on Venuti’s suggested strategies of domestication and foreignization, taking into account the expectations of both Western and Iranian audiences. Applying the concept of habitus provides deeper insights into how Bashiri’s identity and experiences influence histranslation choices. Ultimately, the study concludes that Bashiri’s translation choices distinctly reflect the influence of his habitus.

کلیدواژه ها:

cultural capital ، habitus ، domestication ، foreignization