The Translation of Horror Splatter for Children in Italy

Darren Shan and his Demonata Saga in Translation

Abstract

Shavit (1986) pioneered in treating children’s literature as texts received in the context of target literature, highlighting the specific constraints this genre faces and how these constraints lead to deviations from the source text. Taboo topics, such as sex and violence, are often excluded from children’s literature within a given society. Central to Shavit’s historical argument is the assertion that modifications to source texts align with prevailing notions of what is deemed educationally ‘beneficial for the child’ in the cultural context of the time. In recent decades, translators have tended to place greater trust in children’s ability to engage with differences; however, the adaptation of cultural details remains apparent, particularly in the translation of cultural references (e.g., food). What remains crucial is the role of the intended child reader in the translation process (O’Sullivan 2005) and its impact on the final product. In contemporary contexts, deviations from the source text have diminished, as exemplified by the Demonata Saga by Irish author Darren Shan, translated into Italian between 2007 and 2010. Unlike the Goosebumps series by American author R. L. Stine, Shan’s novels draw inspiration from splatter horror, and their success suggests that Gothic elements which gained popularity in adult culture are beginning to influence children’s literature as well (Buckley 2017). Shan utilizes tropes and imagery from splatter supernatural narratives, including demons that torment humans, themes of madness, and unsettling visions. This paper examines the translation of the first book, Lord Loss (2005), noting that it underwent no adaptations, which likely contributed to the series not being fully published; only six of the ten books in the series were translated. This assertion is supported by an interview with the author and the fact that the books are now out of print.