Rhythmical principles of Walt Whitman’s poetry underlying the approach to translation into Russian of the ‘Leaves of Grass’ (as exemplified by the poem Once I Pass’d through a Populous City)

Humanities & Social Sciences, Vol 7, No 2 (2014)

Rhythmical principles of Walt Whitman’s poetry underlying the approach to translation into Russian of the ‘Leaves of Grass’ (as exemplified by the poem Once I Pass’d through a Populous City)

Irina V. Nikitina

Abstract

The article discusses an alternative approach to translation of the ‘Leaves of Grass’ by Walt Whitman into Russian which is thought to ensure most accurate transfer of ‘the essential model’ of Whitman’s verse. For illustrative purposes the author analyzes the poem ‘Once I Pass’d through a Populous City’ in line with the fundamental rhythmical principle and consequently offers its own translation version.