THE TRANSLATION OF ITALIAN POETRY IN DICTATORIAL ALBANIA - THE CASE OF NIKOLLË DAKAJ – BETWEEN RESISTANCE AND PERSECUTION

Abstract

This study explores the life and work of Nikollë Dakaj, one of the most refined and erudite translators in 20th-century Albanian literature, whose activity unfolded in a historical context marked by repression and oblivion. A translator into the Gheg dialect of masterpieces from Italian and Latin poetry (including works by Dante, Petrarch, Leopardi, Manzoni, and Horace), Dakaj succeeded in conveying the expressive power, metrical structure, and emotional impact of the originals in his versions. An analysis of his translations—viewed through the lens of key translation theories (Croce, Steiner, Nida, Bassnett, Eco)—shows that Dakaj engaged in a true poetic recreation, transcending the traditional dichotomy between beauty and fidelity. The Gheg dialect, which he elevated through his work, becomes a vehicle of profound expressive richness. Despite political persecution and the loss of many manuscripts, Dakaj left behind a body of work that bears witness to his hermeneutic mastery and to the ethical and cultural value of translation as an artistic act. His versions are not mere linguistic transpositions but authentic poetic rebirths within the Albanian literary landscape.

Keywords: translator; translation; literature; persecution; Albania.