July 11
BOWDLERIZE DAY
To bowdlerize means to self-righteously remove or modify passages one considers vulgar or objectionable. A medical doctor by the name of Thomas Bowdler, whose birthday was this day in 1754, gave new meaning to expurgation.
Dr. Bowdler gave up his medical practice to practice surgery on the works of William Shakespeare. He removed all those words “...which cannot with propriety be read aloud in a family” or which are “...unfit to be read aloud by a gentleman to a company of ladies.” He removed all the words and expressions which he considered to be indecent or impious from his ten volumes of Shakespeare’s writings.
But that wasn’t enough to satisfy Bowdler. He moved on to Edward Gibbon’s History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire, and then he boldly bowdlerized the Old Testament. In doing so, he irritated a lot of people - so many that his name became synonymous with these acts.
We’re glad he isn’t around to censor today’s literature and movie scripts. We think we’d be left with nary a word if Dr. Bowdler had his way.
Those Were the Days, the Today in History service from 440 International
No portion of these files may be reproduced without the express, written permission of 440 International Inc.
