bowdlerization
Bowdlerization is the act of censoring a text by removing or altering passages deemed indecent, inappropriate, or harmful, with the aim of making the work suitable for a particular audience or setting. It often involves deletion, paraphrase, substitution of words, or sanitization of language and themes.
The term is named after Thomas Bowdler, an English publisher who, in the early 19th century, produced
Bowdlerization has appeared in various literary and media contexts beyond Shakespeare. Editors and publishers may bowdlerize
The concept has been the subject of considerable criticism. Critics argue that bowdlerization alters an author's
In contemporary usage, to bowdlerize is often used pejoratively to describe overly censorious edits. The term