TRANSLATION STUDIES IN ENGLISH LITERATURE: A HISTORICAL AND THEORETICAL SURVEY

Translation Studies has evolved from a marginal, practice-oriented activity into a robust, interdisciplinary field that critically interrogates the linguistic, cultural, and political dimensions of cross-lingual transfer. Within the ambit of English literature, translation has played a decisive—though often under acknowledged—role in shaping the canon, enabling literary innovation, and negotiating postcolonial identity. This paper traces the historical trajectory of translation in English literary history, from its foundational role in religious and classical dissemination to its institutionalization as an academic discipline in the late 20th century. It examines key theoretical paradigms—including equivalence theory, descriptive translation studies, poly system theory, and the domestication/foreignization binary—and highlights the transformative impact of postcolonial and feminist interventions. Special attention is given to the contributions of Indian bilingual writers like Dilip Chitre, whose translational praxis exemplifies a decolonial, culturally embedded model. By synthesizing historical overview with critical theory, this paper argues that translation is not ancillary to English literature but constitutive of its very formation and global mobility.