This paper deals with how translation should be approached in the classroom and why. It argues in favour of a stylistic approach which allows for a full comprehension of a text and the devices by which meaning is conveyed in the text so that the ‘best’ equivalent translation may be found. In order to illustrate the process two Italian translations of a Joycean extract are examined to determine in certain instances what meanings the translators conveyed and how these compare to the meanings in the source text. Hypotheses are advanced as to why certain solutions were adopted in the light of translation theory.