La langue de Shakespeare in David Hawkes’ English Translation of The Story of the Stone

British sinologist David Hawkes’s appropriation of Shakespeare in his English translation of Hongloumeng (The Story of the Stone) is far more than a decorative flourish. Its more important purpose is to evoke emotional resonance among English readers. Drawing on his artistic ingenuity and literary sensibility, Hawkes effectively lets Shakespeare speak on his behalf, engaging in a dialogue with the Anglophone audience and conveying subtle, concealed messages to readers perceptive enough to appreciate the playfulness of his literary game. On the surface, what we read appears to be a translation of a classic Chinese novel; in reality, however, we hear echoes of Shakespeare everywhere. Hawkes’s The Story of the Stone is indeed a Chinese story written in the language of Shakespeare.