Would Comparative Literature be replaced by Translation Studies?

This essay will discuss the argument by Susan Bassnett in 1993 as she remains one of the most important and powerful contributions in the field of translation studies to this day. It will focus upon the contribution made by Bassnett to the discipline of translation studies and assess her argument that comparative literature will be replaced by translation studies in the future. In this essay Bassnett’s contributions to the field of translation studies will be assessed, her broad conception of the concept of translation studies will be put forward, her analysis of the relationship between translation studies and comparative literature will be outlined and the assessments of Bassnett’s argument will be examined. The conclusion will argue that the argument made by Bassnett in 1993 that comparative literature would be replaced by translation studies cannot be adequately defended.

Keywords: Academic, Translation, Comparative Literature, Susan Bassnett, Language and Culture.