Examining Illustration as Intersemiotic Translation: A Study of Alice in the Wonderland in Abridged Odia Translation

Abstract

The paper attempts to investigate the impact of illustration in the making of world literature in Odia. Illustration served as a medium of expression, mode of storytelling, an element of embellishment to the narratives, and an agent of advertisement, but remained specific to children’s literature. The current paper attempts to examine whether illustration served as a promotional tool or as a medium of  translation, in a world literature series titled ‘Biswa Sahitya Granthamala’ (collection of the world literary series in Odia translation), published in the twentieth century by a renowned Indian publisher, Granthamandir, Odisha. The author examines the abridged illustrated novel, Bichitra Desha re Alice’ (Alice in Wonderland) based on the theories and techniques of illustration. The article relates to the emergence of the practice of illustration in Odisha, a provincial state of India, and proceeds to discuss its’ significant function in the world literature series. It is a qualitative study based on the primary sources, i.e. the book published under the Biswa Sahitya series. The study revealed that the publishers followed significant patterns and techniques, and observed several informative functions of illustration in the series.

Keywords: Illustration as intersemiotic translation, Odia literature, illustration a promotional tool, Bichitra Desha re Alice, Biswa Sahitya, Indian literature.