Spanish censorship of literature

[John K]

Our Spanish readers might find this article of interest.

The Conversation

Between 1936 and 1966, every single book published in Spain had to be submitted to a national board of censors for examination. To this day, translations of many world classics and works of Spanish literature are being reprinted using expurgated texts approved by the dictator’s censors – often without publishers even realizing it, let alone readers.

[HarryT]

Societies throughout history have censored books and other forms of literature. Plays in Shakespeare's time, for example, had to be officially approved by the censor before they were permitted to be performed.

Many current English publications of French classics that were translated in Victorian times still most commonly use expurgated texts. In this case, not because of official censorship but because of self-censorship by translators and publishers to remove material that wouldn't have been acceptable to Victorian England's moral standards. A good example is Alexander Dumas' "The Count of Monte Cristo", by far the most commonly published translation of which is a heavily censored translation commissioned by the publishers Chapman and Hall in 1846. Fortunately there are now modern, unexpurgated translations available.

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by John K

Our Spanish readers might find this article of interest.

The Conversation

Well, my only problem is: if you publish a book, you don't know what you've published? I understand that the reader is not aware, but the publisher? As censorship hasn't never been something "intelligent" or hidden (censorship made Clark Gable and Ava Gardner brother and sister in "Mogambo", so, instead of love out of the marriage, you have incest).

[ZodWallop]

Originally Posted by Terisa de morgan

Well, my only problem is: if you publish a book, you don't know what you've published? I understand that the reader is not aware, but the publisher?

If the publisher is reprinting translated work or very old Spanish texts, they may not be aware of the censorship, due to lack of access to the unadulterated original in Spanish.

[barryem]

This forum censors certain types of discussion. I don't think I'm allowed to say what type.

Barry

[Terisa de morgan]

Originally Posted by ZodWallop

If the publisher is reprinting translated work or very old Spanish texts, they may not be aware of the censorship, due to lack of access to the unadulterated original in Spanish.

But the article doesn't talk about very old texts, that's the strange thing, it doesn't make sense at all. All the authors which are mentioned, Spanish and foreigners, are authors who have written their books in the XX century.

[Thasaidon]

Originally Posted by barryem

This forum censors certain types of discussion. I don't think I'm allowed to say what type.

Barry