New Pléiade translation of Melville's Moby Dick by Philippe Jaworski

A new translation of Herman Melville's Moby Dick by Philippe Jaworski has been published by Gallimard in the Bibliothèque de la Pléiade collection, as part of the ongoing publication of Melville's complete works. Jaworski's translation is praised for its strength, beauty, and power, capturing the salty sea flavor of Melville's writing. The translation addresses technical maritime vocabulary from mid-19th century American whaling by consulting French whalers' accounts, including those of ship surgeons. The famous incipit "Call me Ishmael" is rendered as "Appelez-moi Ismaël," a direct and rich solution that previous translations struggled with, such as Jean Giono's 1941 version and Armel Guerne's 1954 version. The article criticizes French critics for focusing on trivial issues like the whale's gender, noting that Jaworski consistently uses "cachalot" to emphasize Moby Dick's species and male sex, highlighting the virile struggle between Ahab and the whale. The translation includes a luxurious critical apparatus, allowing readers to fully engage with the novel.