The allure of Spanish Dancing has captivated audiences for centuries, its passionate movements and fiery rhythms embodying a rich cultural tapestry. Rainer Maria Rilke’s poem “Spanish Dancer” attempts to capture this very essence, not through literal depiction of Spanish dancing steps, but through a metaphorical exploration of energy, transformation, and eroticism witnessed in a Paris nightclub. However, translating this iconic poem, particularly a single, pivotal line, reveals the intricate dance between languages and interpretations. This essay, inspired by a conversation with translator Silvia Kofler, delves into the challenges of rendering Rilke’s nuanced German into English, specifically focusing on a seemingly small pronoun that dramatically shifts the poem’s focus and our understanding of Spanish dancing as Rilke envisioned it.
The Pronoun Puzzle: “Er” and the Shifting Gaze
The core of our exploration lies in a single German line: Und plötzlich ist er Flamme ganz und gar. This line, positioned as a solitary stanza after the initial description of the dancer preparing to ignite, has been consistently translated into English using the pronoun “it.” The rationale is grammatically sound: in German, der Tanz (the dance) is masculine, thus its corresponding pronoun is er, which translates to “he” or “it” depending on context. Therefore, translators have logically assumed er refers back to der Tanz, rendering the line as “And suddenly it is altogether flame.”
However, Silvia Kofler, a native German speaker and poet, raised a crucial point: this translation, while grammatically correct, misses a layer of potential interpretation accessible to a native German reader. She argues that in the erotic and visually charged atmosphere Rilke creates, er could also be interpreted as “he,” subtly introducing a masculine presence, perhaps the gaze of an observer, into the poem’s fiery core.
This reading isn’t simply about grammatical possibility; it’s about poetic sensibility. Rilke’s work is known for its musicality and layered meanings, often defying rigid, literal interpretations. To understand the potential impact of “he” versus “it,” we must consider the poem’s context and Rilke’s poetic intent when portraying Spanish dancing.
Eroticism and Observation: Reconsidering the Spectator
“Spanish Dancer” is undeniably charged with erotic energy. The poem unfolds in a Paris nightclub, a space inherently imbued with performance and spectatorship. The opening stanzas depict the dancer as a match about to ignite, her movements described as “twitching tongues” spreading heat and light. The dance is not just an act, but a spectacle observed by a Kreis naher Beschauer – a circle of close watchers.
If we consider er as “he,” the poem subtly shifts from solely focusing on the dance itself to incorporating the experience of a male observer. This interpretation doesn’t negate the dance’s power but adds a layer of interpersonal dynamic. The “flame” then becomes not just a description of the dance’s intensity but also a reflection of the observer’s ignited passion, mirroring the dancer’s fiery performance.
This reading is amplified by the poem’s structure. Rilke isolates the line Und plötzlich ist er Flamme ganz und gar as a stanza of its own. This deliberate pause forces the reader to consider the line independently. Disconnected momentarily from der Tanz, er becomes more readily ambiguous, allowing for the “he” interpretation to surface subliminally.
The effect is akin to a cinematic zoom-in. Imagine a film director focusing on a face within the audience during a passionate Spanish dancing performance. The intensity of the dance is reflected and amplified by the observer’s captivated expression. Translating er as “he” can achieve a similar effect, personalizing the eroticism and creating a dialogue between dancer and observer within the poem.
Translating Ambiguity: Finding Resonance in English
The challenge for a translator then becomes: how to convey this inherent ambiguity in English, a language with fewer grammatical genders and thus less inherent pronoun flexibility in this context? Directly translating er as “he” might seem like the most straightforward solution, but it risks losing the original German reader’s initial hesitation and the subtle interplay between “he” and “it.”
One approach could be to sidestep the pronoun issue altogether, opting for a more abstract rendering like “and suddenly, completely, fire.” However, this sacrifices the potential for personal resonance and the “zoom-in” effect. Another option might be to amplify other elements of the poem to compensate. For instance, translating Beschauer (spectators) as “voyeurs” could heighten the erotic tension and implicitly introduce a masculine gaze.
Ultimately, the translation provided alongside the original German in the source article, by Art Beck, takes a bold approach: “And suddenly he and the dance are altogether fire.” This choice explicitly embraces the ambiguity, forcing the English reader to confront the “he/it” duality directly. By adding “and the dance,” Beck clarifies that er can refer to both the dance and an implied masculine presence, capturing the layered interpretation Silvia Kofler highlighted.
Conclusion: The Ongoing Dance of Translation
Translating poetry, especially a work as nuanced as Rilke’s “Spanish Dancer,” is not simply about finding literal equivalents. It’s about capturing the poem’s spirit, its ambiguities, and its potential for multiple interpretations. The seemingly small question of “he” or “it” in Rilke’s poem reveals the profound impact of linguistic choices and the translator’s role in guiding the reader’s experience. While “Spanish dancing” serves as the poem’s vibrant subject, the true dance lies in the intricate process of translation, striving to convey not just the words, but the layered meanings and emotional resonance of the original work across languages and cultures.
