Even when creativity and culture are highly celebrated, certain ideas or topics may be deemed unsuitable for widespread circulation, resulting in the need for censorship. Censorship is not a solely modern practice. While we see instances of censorship in many forms of media in the modern day, the practice itself dates back many centuries.
The invention of the printing press in Europe in the 15th century increased the need for censorship. Print media was soon heavily regulated, so that books could not be published without official authorisation, whether from the Church or the government. Governing bodies and institutions often had censors to review and regulate pieces of literature before they were published. In other cases, they reviewed already existing works. In most cases of works that would eventually become censored, the censors reviewing the works deemed their content to be disruptive and detrimental to society, hence the need for censorship.
By exercising some degree of control over the publication of various literary and scientific works, the governing body in charge of issuing licenses to print could limit what readers were exposed to. In turn, they could limit the influence of various topics of discussion. This served as a means of limiting the circulation of controversial materials, controlling what the wider public was able to read and know.
There can be many possible reasons for censorship, ranging from the likes of political regulation, religious doctrine, the suppression of scandalous rumours, and controversial philosophical discourses, to scientific arguments and cultural disputes. In some societies, certain knowledge and discourse was barred from public circulation for fear of causing chaos and disruption by introducing potential revolutionary ideas. One of the most well-known and propagated texts, the Bible, was not spared either. Certain translations of the text were deemed blasphemous and heretical, earning their place in lists of forbidden readings.
Censorship can manifest in various ways. In this exhibition, the works displayed aim to show different instances of censorship: from editing existing copies via various means, to compiling lists of books that should not be read.
ITEMS IN THIS SECTION
A Full Answer to the Depositions; and to all other the Pretences and Arguments whatsoever, Concerning the Birth of the Prince of Wales (1689)
This book supports the ‘Warming-Pan Scandal’ of 1688, the Protestant allegation that the newborn Catholic Prince of Wales was not his mother’s child but was smuggled into the birthing chamber in a warming pan. The book includes a map of St. James’s Palace showing the supposed route taken by the smugglers. Of interest is page 8 of the book where one paragraph has been censored by overprinting the text with type ornaments and the letter m. From what is discernible, the censored text contains information about the paths supposedly taken by the Queen, Mary of Modena, to bring the baby into her chamber.
Somerset Maugham, The Painted Veil (1925)
The text of The Painted Veil was repeatedly altered because of the idea that it was inappropriate to make use of real life examples when creating fictional characters. This specimen is the second issue, printed after the alterations due to deliberate censorship. The first issue was all but destroyed and only 74 copies remain. The Author’s Note in this issue directly addresses censorship and faintly resembles the modern disclaimer that ‘all characters are fictitious and have no relation to actual living people’. This was one of the earliest instances in which a book had to be altered and reissued due to threats of legal action due to libel, coming moreover from two different parties – the state of Hong Kong, and a group of individuals who shared a name with one of the characters.
Index Librorum Prohibitorum or ‘List of Prohibited Books’ (1667)
The Index, regularly produced by the Catholic Church until 1966, lists banned works from named authors. These range from a single work to sometimes even all works by the author, depending on the severity and degree of controversy the work might cause. Many texts listed in versions of the Index are well known. For example, Simone De Beauvoir’s The Second Sex appeared on the final Index, while Galileo Galilei’s findings on astronomy and René Descartes’ works on philosophy and other metaphysical topics appeared on earlier versions. Clearly, these works were deemed to be disruptive in their time, and hence where included on the Index.