Definition

1. Verb:
   • To remove or change parts of a written work that are considered offensive, vulgar, or improper, especially to make it suitable for a wider or more sensitive audience.

Usage and Examples

• Verb:
  • The publisher decided to bowdlerize the classic novel for the school edition.
  • Some early film adaptations heavily bowdlerized the original plays to meet strict censorship codes.
  • He was criticized for bowdlerizing the historical text, removing all references to political conflict.

Advanced Usage

• "to bowdlerize something": This is the standard construction. The object is the text being censored.
  • The editor was asked to bowdlerize the manuscript before publication.
• The act of bowdlerizing often implies a loss of artistic integrity or historical accuracy for the sake of propriety.

Variants and Related Words

• Bowdlerization (noun): The act or result of bowdlerizing a text.
  • The bowdlerization of Shakespeare's works was common in the 19th century.
• Bowdlerizer (noun): A person who bowdlerizes.
  • He was known as a notorious bowdlerizer of folk tales.

Synonyms

• Censor: To examine and suppress unacceptable parts.
• Expurgate: To remove objectionable matter from a text (a more formal synonym).
• Sanitize: To make something acceptable by removing unpleasant or controversial elements (often used figuratively).

Antonyms

• Unabridged: (Adjective) Complete and not shortened.
• Uncensored: (Adjective) Not having had any part suppressed or altered.

Notes on Meaning and Context

The term bowdlerize originates from Thomas Bowdler, who published an expurgated edition of Shakespeare's works in 1818 titled The Family Shakespeare. The word carries a generally negative connotation, suggesting unnecessary, prudish, or heavy-handed censorship that damages the original work. It is primarily used in the context of literature, film, and other media.

Verb

1. edit by omitting or modifying parts considered indelicate
   • bowdlerize a novel