Abstract

This paper aimed at comparing two Arabic translations of Shakespear's sonnets. It shed light on the challenges of translating verse (Skespear's sonnets in this regard) into Arabic by two translators. One by the translator Badr Tawfiq, and the other produced by the researcher (Bushra Ayoob, the second author of this paper). The research examined the poetic elements—such as rhyme, rhythm, figurative language, and cultural connotations and how such elements transferred into Arabic without compromising their artistic and aesthetic value. The method adopted in this research paper was the qualitative comparative research and the design used was the qualitative content analysis. The sample of this study was a purposive sampling of two sonnets with its two Arabic translations. The findings revealed that Badr Tawfiq’s translation tended to be committed to the structure and content of the source text, while the Bushr's translation was more domesticated in order to suit the Arabic poetic tradition. The study found that poetry translation is a creative process and it requires a delicate balance between accuracy and artistic innovation, particularly when conducting rich literary texts such as Shakespeare’s works. This research paper advanced the field of literary translation by emphasizing the importance of aesthetic awareness and cultural sensitivity in achieving effective poetic translations.