Peeriya Pongsarigun; John Viano
on translating Sunthorn Phu
Phra Aphai Mani is a 48,700-line epic poem written by the poet Sunthorn Phu between 1821 and 1845. The male protagonist of the poem is Phra Aphai Mani, a keen musician who plays the flute. Nineteenth-century Thai literature was often centered on male warrior figures known for their martial prowess. For example, I-nao, written during the early Rattanakosin Period, portrays the titular protagonist as an expert in the use of daggers. Kraithong by King Rama II is about a hero who kills crocodiles. Khobut, written by Sunthorn Phu during the reign of King Rama I, is about Kobut, the son of the Sun, who has special power to resurrect the dead. Singha Krai Phop, also written by Sunthorn Phu during the reign of King Rama II and III, is about a child raised by a giant demon who drinks milk from a lion during infancy.
Most of Thai literature during the early Rattanakosin Period—from the reign of King Rama to that of King Rama IV—was written by or for the monarchy. Therefore, the masculine stereotype was emphasized to glorify the King’s power. Male characters were usually heroes and warriors who protected their kingdom. Phra Aphai Mani is different. Originally, Sunthorn Phu wrote the poem due to financial issues, as he was imprisoned after injuring a high-ranking officer. He had the freedom to break such stereotypes. He depicted Phra Aphai Mani as a musician who does not have any superpowers or martial skills. He uses his musical mastery to charm and flirt with women. He is not a fighter and is rather sentimental. In fact, Phra Aphai Mani echoes the personality of Sunthorn Phu himself in many ways. For instance, Sunthorn Phu was famously known as an alcoholic who, when drunk, followed his feelings and passions rather than rationality. Sunthorn Phu was also an incorrigible flirt and had two wives and numerous lovers. In much the same way, Phra Aphai Mani has five wives.
As regards to the rhyme scheme, Phra Aphai Mani is written in Klon Suphap. Each line consists of seven to nine syllables. Each stanza has two lines and each line is divided into two clauses. There is a complex set of rhymes, and Sunthorn Phu’s signature scheme of internal rhyming adds complication to it. He rhymes the syllables within each clause as opposed to rhyming across clauses.
about the author
Sunthorn Phu (1786–1855), widely acclaimed as “Thailand’s Shakespeare,” lived during the Rattanakosin Period between the reigns of King Rama I and King Rama IV. He was famous for his epic poetry and memoirs. He invented “internal rhyming” — rhymes within each half-line in addition to the standard Klon Suphap rhyme scheme — which became his signature. In 1986, he was honored by UNESCO as a world poet, and Thai children study his poems to this day.
We decided to translate this poem because it challenges the male stereotype of warriorship. Sunthorn Phu rejects this stereotype by portraying the lead character, Phra Aphai Mani, as a keen musician instead of a great warrior. We would also like to raise awareness of the works of Thailand’s most celebrated author — Amazon currently has only one listing for Phu’s work. It is nonetheless challenging to transfer the beautiful rhymes of Thai into another language, and most of Sunthorn Phu’s works are lengthy.
about the translators
John Viano and Peeriya Pongsarigun are authors and translators who value the importance of creating English language rhyme schemes which echo that of their sources, while accurately communicating the author’s message. They co-founded the company InterThaiMedia LLC to create media that brings people together across languages and cultures. InterThaiMedia’s first project was Can You Carry Me?, a children’s book by Viano and Pongasrigun about sibling rivalry. Their second project was Calm by Cheewan Wisasa, an IBBY Honor List book that tells the story of children using their superpower of mindfulness to manage their feelings.
Viano and Pongsarigun have translated more than 150 children’s books. They last published with DoubleSpeak in Spring 2021.
