Translations of Works Written by British Romantic Women Writers

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, Italy was a symbolic origin myth for the European imagination. Perceived as a land with a glorious past but a disappointing present under foreign domination, Italy inspired European Romantic sympathies and served as an “enabling geography” (Bandiera and Saglia, British romanticism and Italian literature: translating, reviewing, rewriting. Rodopi, Amsterdam, 2005, pp 18–19) for new literary and cultural experiments. It was also a period of widespread translation in Europe, exemplified by the popularization of Walter Scott’s novels. However, the role of translation in promoting female expression has only recently received attention, particularly in relation to women’s contributions to new translation methods during the Romantic period. Bianca Milesi Mojon stands out as a key cultural mediator who translated Maria Edgeworth’s educational writings into Italian. Milesi was deeply involved in Romantic intellectual circles and progressive educational initiatives. Her translation work, particularly the volume Prime Lezioni, published in 1829 and revised in 1833–34, was highly successful in adapting Edgeworth’s educational ideals to the Italian context. Milesi replaced English cultural references with Italian ones to improve accessibility for Italian children and to promote educational autonomy and a sense of national identity. Milesi’s work, imbued with patriotic ideals, made a significant contribution to the emerging pan-European Romantic culture. At the same time, this translation brought her in contact with a group of women translators who shared her passion for education for the young, and their collaborative work played a pivotal role in disseminating progressive educational concepts across Europe.