BOWDLERISATION Meaning and
Definition
-
Bowdlerisation, also spelled as "Bowdlerization," refers to the deliberate act of removing or altering material from a literary or artistic work in order to make it less offensive or objectionable. The term originated from the English physician and editor, Thomas Bowdler, who published the first bowdlerised edition of William Shakespeare's works in 1818, wherein he removed or modified various elements that he deemed inappropriate.
The process of bowdlerisation typically involves excising or modifying portions of text that contain explicit or controversial themes such as violence, sexual content, profanity, or political dissent. This edit may be made to safeguard the work against potential censorship or to ensure its accessibility to a wider audience, particularly children or more conservative readers.
However, bowdlerisation has often been met with criticism due to the potential infringement on artistic integrity and the risk of distorting the author's original intentions. It raises questions about the limits of censorship and whether it is justifiable to alter a work to fit societal norms or personal ideologies.
While bowdlerisation has historically been associated with literary works, the term has expanded to include any form of censorship or modification in other artistic mediums, such as films, music, or visual art. It remains a topic of debate, as proponents argue for its role in protecting sensitive audiences, while opponents advocate for the preservation of artistic freedom and the acceptance of a work's original, unadulterated form.
Common Misspellings for BOWDLERISATION
- vowdlerisation
- nowdlerisation
- howdlerisation
- gowdlerisation
- biwdlerisation
- bkwdlerisation
- blwdlerisation
- bpwdlerisation
- b0wdlerisation
- b9wdlerisation
- boqdlerisation
- boadlerisation
- bosdlerisation
- boedlerisation
- bo3dlerisation
- bo2dlerisation
- bowslerisation
- bowxlerisation
- bowclerisation
Etymology of BOWDLERISATION
The term "bowdlerisation" is derived from the name of Thomas Bowdler, an English physician and editor. He is famous for creating a censored version of William Shakespeare's plays, known as "The Family Shakespeare". Published in 1807, Bowdler's edition aimed to remove or modify any content that he considered inappropriate or offensive, particularly in terms of sexuality and violence. Bowdlerisation, or the act of expurgating or sanitizing literature to make it more suitable for a wider and more morally-conservative audience, subsequently took its name from Thomas Bowdler. The term was first used in this context in the mid-19th century.
Similar spelling word for BOWDLERISATION
Infographic
Add the infographic to your website:
