THE ROLE OF TRANSLATION IN THE FORMATION OF THE CANON

THE WOMEN OF THE OULIPO GROUP AND LITERARY ISOLATION

Abstract

The article is based on the principle that for a work to be translated and achieve the desired transatlantic circulation, it is not enough for it to possess literary quality, poetic expressiveness, or relevance in its country of origin. There are a number of extraliterary factors that hinder, or even prevent, certain works from circulating in other countries, such as sexism, racism, colonialism, social inequalities, and various forms of prejudice, in addition to commercial issues (CASANOVA, 2002). In light of this, the aim of this paper is to analyze the causes and discuss the non-translation of works by female authors from the OuLiPo group (Ouvroir de littérature potentielle) in Brazil, a situation that leads to the isolation of literary talents, unlike what happens with its celebrated members, such as Raymond Queneau, Georges Perec, and Italo Calvino, who are spokesmen for the group and widely translated. To this end, Pascale Casanova's works (2002) will be used to reflect on the causes of this situation, as well as authors who have examined the condition of women writers in France, particularly the female members of OuLiPo, such as Reggiani (2016), Bloomfield (2017), Tahar (2020), among others.