Former HUFS president publishes 'Don Quixote II' translation
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Attendees celebrate the publication of former Hankuk University of Foreign Studies President Park Chul’s translation of “Don Quixote II” in Seoul, June 15. From left in the front row are Mexican Ambassador Jose Luis Bernal, Spanish Ambassador Gonzalo Ortiz, Venezuelan Ambassador Yadira Hidalgo de Ortiz, Park, Asociacion Europea de Profesores de los Espanoles President Pilar Celma, Asociacion de Cervantistas President Jose Manuel Lucia Mejias and Professor Chung Kyung-won. / Korea Times photo by Kim Jae-heun
By Kim Jae-heun
Park Chul, the former president of Hankuk University of Foreign Studies (HUFS) and a permanent member of the Royal Spanish Academy, held a conference on Monday at the university in Seoul to celebrate the publication of “Don Quixote 2,” his translation of the original Spanish novel. “Don Quixote I,” the first part one of the translation of the novel, was published 10 years ago.
There have previous Korean translations of “Don Quixote,” including been a 15-page summary by poet and publisher Choe Nam-seon in 1915 and other more recent ones. However, Park’s complete translation of part two is the first to receive official recognition from the Royal Spanish Academy.
“When the Don Quixote story was published in 1605, it became a best seller instantly,” said Jose Manuel Lucia Mejias, the president of Asociacion de Cervantistas, who attended the event to congratulate Park. “The novel has been translated into English, French, Italian and Dutch,” he added.
“At first, the story has been seen only as a novel that makes readers laugh,” Mejias said. “But in 20th century, Don Quixote has become a character, which changed the world, that is for everyone.”
The president of Asociacion Europea de Profesores de los Espanoles Pilar Celma also expanded on the importance of “Don Quixote” in world literature. She believes the series can promote the Spanish language, with which the original novel was written. Celma said she is working on the novel’s digitization.
Spanish Ambassador Gonzalo Ortiz, Mexican Ambassador Jose Luis Bernal, Venezuelan Ambassador Yadira Hidalgo de Ortiz and Panamanian Ambassador Luben Eloy Arosemena Valdes also attended at the event to congratulate Park.
Next year is meaningful for scholars of Miguel de Cervantes, the author of “Don Quixote,” who finished part two of the novel 400 years ago; it will commemorate the 400th anniversary of Cervantes’ death.
“Don Quixote is important in that it created the myth of world literary ideology. Even after the 400th anniversary of the publication of the novel’s part two, the story still delivers values that have validity in modern society. We still have windmills to break down in this world,” Mejias said.
“The values are freedom and will. The story tells of people’s freedom to have the will to change the world,” Mejias added.
Park compared the character Don Quixote to today’s successful IT geniuses, such as Steve Jobs and Bill Gates, who kept challenging themselves despite many adversities.
“In the story, Don Quixote, advices Sancho Panza, who later is promised governorship of an island. The advice still applies to politicians of today,” Park said.