Quite a number of scholars from western to eastern have been arguing about the question of translatability and untranslatability of poetry. Robert Frost, the well-known American poet once said,"Poetry is what gets lost in translation."Even though, practice of translating poetry has never ceased. This paper argues that poetry is untranslatable from the aesthetic point of view. Poetry's language function is to convey the aesthetic effect, thus the purpose of rendering poetry is to reach the aesthetic effect. However, aesthetic effect is based on its language form; the inerasable differences between languages determine that the translation of poetry is impossible, which tends to change language form of one language to another.
Henry David Thoreau, the most influential American writer, naturalist, philosopher in 19th century, who was also an important representative figure of the American Transcendentalism Movement, the outcast of social mainstream thoughts. For over 150 years, his thoughts have inspired people to seek a return to nature. As for his attitude towards life, he believed that human beings should live in their own way, listen to their own heart, and do what they believe is right. The purpose of this essay is to analysize Thoreau's idea of Individualism and his involvement in the crucial social issues. The analysis will first consider the nature of individualism and make distinction between Thoreau's individualism and individualism in American society. Then it will present an intensive study of Thoreau's embracing of some notions of individualism in Civil Disobedience and Walden. And the effects of his individualism have given to society not only in America but in other countries.
