On Translating “Pan Tadeusz”

The national epic of Poland and of the larger former Lithuanian region, Pan Tadeusz has become ingrained in the Polish literary consciousness. Bill Johnston’s translation of this seminal text allows English-language readers to experience the richness, humor, and narrative energy of the original.

The Kosciuszko Foundation is pleased to host an evening with Prof. Bill Johnston, acclaimed translator of literature from Polish to English, winner of 2012 PEN Translation Prize, Three Percent’s Best Translated Book Award, and two-time winner of the Polish Government’s Found in Translation Award. Prof. Johnston will present his translation of Adam Mickiewicz’s Pan Tadeusz, discussing the historical and cultural significance of the book and challenges in translating the poem. He will also address questions of the nature of the work and its relevance for English-language readers in the 21st century.