Translating Teresa : Muero porque no muero in the 17th-century France

Abstract

The literary legacy of Teresa of Avila outside her native Spain has rarely been examined, the few exceptions that have attracted scholarly attention being mainly Teresa's prose. In this article, the "travels" of Teresa's most famous poem, "Muero porque no muero", will be examined as it was published, both translated and untranslated, in 17th-century France. It will be shown that while Teresa's prose captured the attention of 17th-century French readers, at least one of her poems was also seen as an important part of her literary output. It will also be shown that the poem and its translations were a source of pride, ridicule and contention for French translators, who differed regarding the poem's status among Teresa's collected Works. Finally, it will be shown that the poem was assimilated into a broader corpus of French religious poetry at the end of the century, as Teresa is integrated as a "French" poet.