本文藉由比較Ciril Birch和汪榕培的《牡丹亭》英譯本，透過實例的分析研究，主要針對戲曲唱詞的語言分析，包括意義、聲韻、和形式等方面，還有文化義涵的部份，特別是有關典故的翻譯，以及風格再現等問題，包含語義的接近、語句的特色、和押韻效果的研究。從兩譯本的分析比較，歸納出譯者的翻譯原則和翻譯策略，以探討不同語言文化的可譯性、尋求最接近的對等效果、和兩種語言在轉譯時填平文化鴻溝的方式。
經由兩譯本的分析比較後，筆者發現世間沒有完美的翻譯方法，因為每一種翻譯方法與策略都有它的侷限。如果譯者選擇異化(foreignization)為主要的翻譯策略，能使譯文更接近源語文化與風格，保留對譯文讀者的外來感(foreignness)；但由於語言、種族、習俗、文化或歷史等因素，異化式的翻譯無法進行，譯者自然改採同化(domestication)的翻譯方式。經由兩種《牡丹亭》英譯本的比較分析，可以發現Birch基本上達到譯文轉換的美學要求，包括音韻、句構和意境之美，顯示對原文的尊重；整體而言，他採取異化策略帶領目的語讀者接近中國古典戲曲文學。相反的，汪榕培在他的翻譯中並不想保持異化的風貌，他試著讓他的譯文具有可讀性並讓目的語讀者容易理解原文。

The thesis is a comparative study of two English versions of The Peony Pavilion, by Ciril Birch and Wang Rongpei. The meanings, sounds, and forms of culture-loaded elements, especially those with allusions, as well as the style, syntax, and rhyming effects of examples from the two translations, mostly the translations of the dramatic verses, were analyzed and compared. By comparing the two translations, this study generalizes the two translators’ principles and strategies used in the process of translation and tries to explore the translatibility of cultural and linguistic elements, so as to find the best way to reach the equivalent effects and the solutions to the obstacles of cultural elements on message transference between source texts (STs) and target texts (TTs).
After examining Birch’s and Wang’s translations, it is found that there is no perfect approach in translation because each method and strategy has its own limitation. If the translator chooses foreignization as his main strategy, he would be closer to the end of preserving the features of the source text/culture. If foreignization won’t work owing to linguistic, racial, customary, cultural or historical factors, naturally the translator will turn to domestication. Through a comparative analysis of the two translations of The Peony Pavilion, it is found that Birch has generally fulfilled the task of transferring the original aesthetic elements, including beauty in sound, in syntax, as well as in imaginative ambience while showing a lot of respect to the original text. On the whole, he adopts the strategy of foreignization to bring the target readers closer to classical Chinese dramatic literature. In contrast, Wang does not have any strong desire to maintain a foreign flavor in his translation. He tries to make his translation readable and easily understood to the target readers.

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