Shaping Quill and Ink: To What Extent Can ‘Translation Act’ Affect The History Of English Literature?

This study aims to analyse the function and role of the 'translation act' in shaping English literature from the 5th to the 15th century, specifically from the point of its effect on the development of English literature drawing upon Stephen Greenblatt’s New Historicism. This period encompasses the Old English period (c. 5th century - 1066) and the Middle English period (1066 - late 15th century). Through an analysis of the act of translation within this time span, this study seeks to determine the extent to which translation has influenced and shaped the foundations of literature, particularly English literature—an esteemed body of work recognised for its rich and diverse canon and its significant global influence. This influence stems not only from the expansive reach of the British Empire but also from the incorporation of diverse voices from writers across the world, contributing to the perception of literature written in English as a vital component of English literary tradition. By utilizing Greenblatt’s New Historicism, which views literature as a product of its historical context, and by treating the ‘translation act’ as the basis of historical context herein in this paper, the rich interplay between this act and the beginnings of the history of English literature is expected to be revealed in this study, with an emphasis on how the 'translation act' interacts with the evolution of English literature.