Bulgarian translated fiction and “Bulgarization” during the Bulgarian Renaissance

Translated fiction in Bulgaria reflects in its own way the ideological and cultural peculiarities of the time, the taste and preferences of the reader. The content is one thing in the Middle Ages, when the newly adopted Christian religion had to be sanctioned, and its appearance during the era of national revival is another. However, its character changes relatively slowly, just as the worldview of the people also changes slowly... The economic changes in the Turkish Empire at the end of the 18th and the beginning of the 19th centuries lead to changes in the worldview, ideology and culture. Initially, they are imperceptible, manifest themselves unevenly, often developing in their old forms. However, they always become established - sometimes decisively and quickly, in other cases gradually and painfully. The new elements in the consciousness and psychology of the Bulgarian also require new literature - with themes, ideas and imagery, different from the literature of the Middle Ages. Indeed, in Old Bulgarian literature and in the Damascenes there are individual moments with secular content, with a view to the intimate world of man. However, these are only elements that had to be further developed and enriched, to be subordinated to the new concepts of the time. In this regard, a significant role is played not only by writers, but also by translators. Bulgarian writers understand the need for translated literature - be it artistic, pedagogical or social. This applies especially to the first decades of the Revival, when we did not have a significant original contribution in the field of national culture. Therefore, Revival writers perceive translated literature as an integral part of national literature. In this sense, the ideological and artistic principles that face the original creator are no less of a concern for every cultural translator.