From Translation to Video Game: The Intermediality of World Literature

Chengzhou HE

Nanjing University

Page 145-154

Abstract: Translation has so far dominated the discussions of world literature. While some like David Damrosch emphasize the role of translation in the dissemination of a literary work beyond its native context, others are critical about the dominance of English as well as some other European languages in the process of literary translations. In the meantime, the cross-cultural transmission of literature takes place via different media and across media. With the rapid progress of technology and performance art, film, television, animation, and video games have empowered the transmission of literature. Regarding translation, intermedial practices, and world literature, certain questions need to be addressed: What is the relationship between translingual and cross-cultural communication mediated by translation, and the intermedial dissemination of literature? Does literary translation facilitate the intermedial transmission of literature? Conversely, how does the intermedial spread of literature impact translation? While world literature remains inseparable from translation, it has now entered a new era of intermedial dissemination. Consequently, the study of world literature must transcend the translation paradigm and integrate both translation and intermedial perspectives to better conceptualize and understand the nature of world literature. Two typical examples are further discussed, namely, the global circulation of Henrik Ibsen’s works, with a focus on their reception in China, and the international dissemination of Journey to the West, particularly highlighting the role of the recent video game Black Myth: Wukong in amplifying the global reach of this literary classic.

Keywords: translation, world literature, intermediality, video games, dissemination

DOI: 10.53397/hunnu.jflc.202501014

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