bobd
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"He is a man, He is a child" What does that mean?Hey guys. I'm working o my Chess Pa Svenska DVD English subtitles. The most challenging song to translate will be Svetlana's new song in Act II, "HAN ÄR EN MAN, HAN ÄR ETT BARN" (He is a man, he is a child). The song never existed in English, and the existing literal translation is very rough.
Can anyone explain what exactly she means when she says "He is a man, he is a child?" It seems like she's saying that Anatoly is both a man, but also still a bit immature, but no other lyrics seem to connect with that idea. Here is the literal translation:
| Quote: | He is a man, he is a child
and he has been lying at my breast
I gave my summer and my spring
And thousand words of consolation
I give my winter and my autumn
To a year, a year is added
And every season leaves new traces |
So anyone know what the first line is supposed to mean?
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High-baritonne
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This is my own translation:
He is a man, he is a child!
And I have got a child with him!
And now I’m out here in the wild
There’s nothing left to do
Is he a man, is he a child?
No matter what
The man I used to know is gone!
I lost the true meaning of life!
But then he took me in my hand!
He wanted me to be his wife!
Of course I said I do!
It was a sign from the heaven
And now I’m here
I’m lost in this cave
I could just die!
He is a man, he is a child
But who am I?
A babushka
Is that all he can see?
One who allways is there, but he hardly can notice
A babushka
No more “Honey I’m home”
Only woman in kitchen, with heart beats that dies fast
Violent fury of rejected person
He versus my heart
Hate to be hated!
Heaven help me!
My heart is dying now!
Though he thinks I am cute, I just wan’t to defeat him!
Beat my heart, beat!
But he’ll never know what
I am thinking and wanting, I'll allways be hunting
Violent fury of rejected person
He versus my heart
Hate to be hated!
He is a man, he is a child is a metaphor, I think they want to show how a grown up man is playing games like a little child. In Svetlana's eyes, chess is just a childish game, not a job.
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navada
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| High-baritonne wrote: |
"He is a man, he is a child" is a metaphor, I think they want to show how a grown up man is playing games like a little child. In Svetlana's eyes, chess is just a childish game, not a job. |
Maybe. Perhaps she is the mirror image of Florence, who tires of Freddie's toddler tantrums and seeks a man with more depth and complexity. I think Svetlana and Florence are designed to be the light and the dark Queens of the game, just as Anatoly and Freddie are the light and the dark Players. Both women are frustrated and seeking more than their obsessive chess-playing partners are able to give them, and both are ready and willing to make their own moves in the game.
I think it's clear in this song that Svetlana still loves Anatoly despite her frustration with his character flaws, and I think she is deeply saddened because she knows she will continue to love him even though they will never be able to make their relationship work.
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