An Analysis of “The Gift of the Magi” from the Perspective of Functional Equivalence Theory

Abstract

Henry’s short stories are celebrated for their humorous and vivid language, reflecting the local condition of late 19th-century America. His work has captivated readers worldwide since their publication. Maggie’s gift is one of his masterpieces and reflects his unique language style. At the same time, the Functional Equivalence Theory as a classical theory of translation also can be used to deal with the problems in the process of translating. Guided by Eugene Nida’s Functional Equivalence Theory, this paper conducts a comparative analysis of two Chinese translations of different eras by Wang Yongnian and Cui Shuang in order to explore how the translators accurately convey the author’s thoughts and emotions. Therefore, the readers can understand the unique charm of the original literary style. According to the research, both of the translators’ work achieved the goal of the functional equivalence excellently in their unique ways, representing the reading aesthetics of readers in two different eras.