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adarkrainbow · 5 months

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"Frauds on the Fairies" was a text by Charles Dickens, published in an 1853 issue of his magazine "Household Words". I discovered it while reading Palacio's study of fin-de-siècle fairytales, since it is a good illustration of what became of fairytales in 19th century England. And it contains a full Cinderella parody!

I will be copy-pasting the content of a website that you can find here.

First, a little introduction to explain the context behind the article:

Although he was an old friend as well as colleague of Charles Dickens, illustrator George Cruikshank (1792--1878) earned the novelist's Horatian satire for his re-writing traditional fairy tales in a moral manner designed to inveigh against the evils of alcoholism, which the reformed dipsomaniac had explored in a cautionary series of plates entitled The Bottle (1847) and its sequel, The Drunkard's Children (1848). Dickens's initial response to this social realism was initially positive, but as one who favoured reasoned moderation rather than absolute teetotalism, Dickens gradually came to regard Cruikshank's temperance propaganda as fanaticism. "As a child he had detested books which had discounted the wonderful and the bizarre in favour of precept or homily, and now his old faith in the stories of his youth was crystallised in this little essay" (Peter Ackroyd, Dickens [1990), page 689). By 1 October 1853, when "Frauds on the Fairies" (written in Boulogne, France) appeared in Dickens's weekly journal Household Words, relations between the novelist and his former illustrator had become somewhat strained. However, re-writing fairy tales as moral (particularly teetotalism) was nothing new in 1853: Dr. Thomas Bowdler (1754-1825) who in retirement on the Isle of Wight issued the sexually sanitized Family Shakespeare in 1818 had also re-written traditional fairy tales.

Then the article itself:

We must assume that we are not singular in entertaining a very great tenderness for the fairy literature of our childhood.What enchanted us then, and is captivating a million of young fancies now, has, at the same blessed time of life, enchanted vast hosts of men and women who have done their long day's work and laid their grey heads down to rest. It would be hard to estimate the amount of gentleness and mercy that has made its way among us through these slight channels. Forbearance, courtesy, consideration for poor and aged, kind treatment of animals, love of nature, abhorrence of tyranny and brute force--many such good things have been first nourished in the child's heart by this powerful aid. It has greatly helped to keep us, in some sense, ever young, by preserving through our worldly ways one slender track not overgrown with weeds, where we may walk with children, sharing their delights.

In an utilitarian age, of all other times, it is a matter of grave importance that Fairy tales should be respected. Our English red tape is too magnificently red ever to be employed in the tying up of such trifles, but every one who has considered the subject knows full well that a nation without fancy, without some romance, never did, never can, never will, hold a great place under the sun. The theatre, having done its worst to destroy these admirable fictions--having in a most exemplary manner destroyed itself, its artists, and its audiences, in that perversion of its duty--it becomes doubly important that the little books themselves, nurseries of fancy as they are, should be preserved. To preserve them in their usefulness, they must be as much preserved in their simplicity, and purity, and innocent extravagance, as if they were actual fact. Whosoever alters them to suit his own opinions, whatever they are, is guilty, to our thinking, of an act of presumption, and appropriates to himself what does not belong to him.

We have lately observed, with pain, intrusion of a Whole Hog of unwieldy dimensions into the fairy flower garden. The rooting of the animal among the roses would in itself have awakened in us nothing but indignation; our pain arises from his being violently driven in by a man of genius, our own beloved friend, MR. GEORGE CRUIIKSHANK. That incomparable artist is, of all men, the last who should lay his exquisite hand on fairy text. In his own art he understands it so perfectly, and illustrates it so beautifully, so humorously, so wisely, that he should never lay down his etching needle to "edit" the Ogre, to whom with that little instrument he can render such extraordinary justice. But, to "editing" Ogres, and Hop o'-my-thumbs, and their families, our dear moralist has in a rash moment taken, as a means of propagating the doctrines of Total Abstinence, Prohibition of the sale of spirituous liquors, Free Trade, and Popular Education. For the introduction of these topics he has altered the text of a fairy story; and against his right to do any such thing we protest with all our might and main. Of his likewise altering it to advertise that excellent series of plates, "The Bottle," we say nothing more than that we foresee a new and improved edition of Goody Two Shoes, edited by E. Moses and Son; of the Dervish with the box of ointment, edited by Professor Holloway; and of Jack and the Beanstalk edited by Mary Wedlake, the popular authoress of Do you bruise your oats yet.

Now, it makes not the least difference to our objection whether we agree or disagree with our worthy friend, Mr. Cruikshank, in the opinions he interpolates upon an old fairy story. Whether good or bad in themselves, they are, in that relation, like the famous definition of a weed; a thing growing up in a wrong place. He has no greater moral justification in altering the harmless little books than we should have in altering his best etchings. If such a precedent were followed we must soon become disgusted with the old stories into which modern personages so obtruded themselves, and the stories themselves must soon be lost. With seven Blue Beards in the field, each coming at a gallop from his own platform mounted on a foaming hobby a generation or two hence would not know which was which, and the great original Blue Beard would be confounded with the counterfeits. Imagine a Total abstinence edition of Robinson Crusoe, with the rum left out. Imagine a Peace edition, with the [97/98] gunpowder left out, and the rum left in. Imagine a Vegetarian edition, with the goat's flesh left out. Imagine a Kentucky edition, to introduce a flogging of that 'tarnal old nigger Friday, twice a week. Imagine an Aborigines Protection Society edition, to deny cannibalism and make Robinson embrace the amiable savages whenever they landed. Robinson Crusoe would be "edited" out of his island in a hundred years, and the island would be swallowed up in the editorial ocean.

Among the other learned professions we have now the Platform profession, chiefly exercised by a new and meritorious class of commercial travellers who go about to take the sense of meetings on various articles: some, of a very superior description: some, not quite so good. Let us write the story of Cinderella, "edited" by one of these gentlemen, doing a good stroke of business, and having a rather extensive mission.

ONCE upon a time, a rich man and his wife were the parents of a lovely daughter. She was a beautiful child, and became, at her own desire, a member of the Juvenile Bands of Hope when she was only four years of age. When this child was only nine years of age her mother died, and all the Juvenile Bands of Hope in her district--the Central district, number five hundred and twenty-seven--formed in a procession of two and two, amounting to fifteen hundred, and followed her to the grave, singing chorus Number forty-two, "O come," &c. This grave was outside the town, and under the direction of the Local Board of Health; which reported at certain stated intervals to the General Board of Health, Whitehall.

The motherless little girl was very sorrowful for the loss of her mother, and so was her father too, at first; but, after a year was over, he married again--a very cross widow lady, with two proud tyrannical daughters as cross as herself. He was aware that he could have made his marriage with this lady a civil process by simply making a declaration before a Registrar; but he was averse to this course on religious grounds, and, being a member of the Montgolfian persuasion, was married according to the ceremonies of that respectable church by Reverend Jared Jocks, who improved the occasion.

He did not live long with his disagreeable wife. Having been shamefully accustomed to shave with warm water instead of cold, which he ought to have used (see Medical Appendix B. and C.), his undermined constitution could not bear up against her temper, and he soon died. Then, this orphan was cruelly treated by her stepmother and the two daughters, and was forced to do the dirtiest of kitchen work; to scour the saucepans, wash the dishes, and light the fires--which did not consume their own smoke, but emitted a dark vapour prejudicial to the bronchial tubes. The only warm place in the house where she was free from ill-treatment was the kitchen chimney-corner; and as she used to sit down there, among the cinders, when her work was done, the proud fine sisters gave her the name of Cinderella.

About this time, the King of the land, who never made war against anybody, and allowed everybody to make war against him--which was the reason why his subjects were the greatest manufacturers on earth, and always lived in security and peace--gave a great feast, which was to last two days. This splendid banquet was to consist entirely of artichokes and gruel; and from among those who were invited to it, and to hear the delightful speeches after dinner, the King's son was to choose a bride for himself. The proud fine sisters were invited, but nobody knew anything about poor Cinderella, and she was to stay at home.

She was so sweet-tempered, however, that she assisted the haughty creatures to dress, and bestowed her admirable taste upon them as freely as if they had been kind to her. Neither did she laugh when they broke seventeen stay-laces in dressing; for, although she wore no stays herself, being sufficiently acquainted with the anatomy of the human figure to be aware of the destructive effects of tight-lacing, she always reserved her opinions on that subject for the Regenerative Record (price three halfpence in a neat wrapper), which all good people take in, and to which she was a Contributor.

At length the wished for moment arrived, and the proud fine sisters swept away to the feast and speeches, leaving Cinderella in the chimney- corner. But, she could always occupy her mind with the general question of the Ocean Penny Postage, and she had in her pocket an unread Oration on that subject, made by the well known Orator, Nehemiah Nicks. She was lost in the fervid eloquence that talented Apostle when she became aware of the presence of one of those female relatives which (it may not be generally known) it is not lawful for a man to marry. I allude to her grandmother.

"Why so solitary, my child?" said the old lady to Cinderella.

"Alas, grandmother," returned the poor girl, "my sisters have gone to the feast and speeches, and here sit I in the ashes, Cinderella !"

"Never," cried the old lady with animation, "shall one of the Band of Hope despair! Run into the garden, my dear, and fetch me an American Pumpkin! American, because some parts of that independent country, there are prohibitory laws against the sale of alcoholic drinks in any form. Also, because America produced (among many great pumpkins) the glory of her sex, Mrs. Colonel Bloomer. None but an American Pumpkin will do, my child."

Cinderella ran into the garden, and brought [98/99] the largest American pumpkin she could find. This virtuously democratic vegetable her grandmother immediately changed into a splendid coach. Then, she sent her for mice from the mouse-trap, which she changed into prancing horses, free from the obnoxious and oppressive post-horse duty. Then, to the rat- trap in the stable for a rat, which she changed to a state-coachman, not amenable to the iniquitous assessed taxes. Then, to look behind a watering-pot for six lizards, which she changed into six footmen, each with a petition in his hand ready to present to the Prince, signed by fifty thousand persons, in favour of the early closing movement.

"But grandmother," said Cinderella, stopping in the midst of her delight, and looking at her clothes, "how can I go to the palace in these miserable rags?"

"Be not uneasy about that, my dear," returned her grandmother.

Upon which the old lady touched her with her wand, her rags disappeared, and she was beautifully dressed. Not in the present costume of the female sex, which has been proved to be at once grossly immodest and absurdly inconvenient, but in rich sky-blue satin pantaloons gathered at the ankle, a puce-coloured satin pelisse sprinkled with silver flowers, and a very broad Leghorn hat. The hat was chastely ornamented with a rainbow-coloured ribbon hanging in two bell-pulls down the back; the pantaloons were ornamented with a golden stripe; and the effect of the whole was unspeakably sensible, feminine, and retiring. Lastly, the old lady put on Cinderella's feet a pair of shoes made of glass: observing that but for the abolition of the duty on that article, it never could have been devoted to such a purpose; the effect of all such taxes being to cramp invention, and embarrass the producer, to the manifest injury of the consumer. When the old lady had made these wise remarks, she dismissed Cinderella to the feast and speeches, charging her by no means to remain after twelve o'clock at night.

The arrival of Cinderella at the Monster Gathering produced a great excitement. As a delegate from the United States had just moved that the King do take the chair, as the motion had been seconded and carried unanimously, the King himself could not go forth to receive her. But His Royal Highness the Prince (who was to move the second resolution), went to the door to hand from her carriage. This virtuous Prince, being completely covered from head to foot with Total Abstinence Medals, shone as if he were attired in complete armour; while the inspiring strains of the Peace Brass Band in the gallery (composed of the Lambkin Family, eighteen in number, who cannot be too much encouraged) awakened additional enthusiasm.

The King's son handed Cinderella to one of the reserved seats for pink tickets, on the platform, and fell in love with her immediately. His appetite deserted him; he scarcely tasted his artichokes, and merely trifled with his gruel. When the speeches began, and Cinderella, wrapped in the eloquence of the two inspired delegates who occupied the entire evening in speaking to the first Resolution, occasionally cried, "Hear, hear!" the sweetness of her voice completed her conquest of the Prince's heart. But, indeed the whole male portion of the assembly loved her--and doubtless would have done so, even if she had been less beautiful, in consequence of the contrast which her dress presented to the bold and ridiculous garments of the other ladies.

At a quarter before twelve the second inspired delegate having drunk all the water in the decanter, and fainted away, the King put the question, "That this Meeting do now adjourn until to-morrow." Those who were of that opinion holding up their hands, and then those who were of the contrary, theirs, there appeared an immense majority in favour of the resolution which was consequently carried. Cinderella got home in safety, and heard nothing all that night, or all next day, but the praises of the unknown lady with the sky-blue satin pantaloons.

When the time for the feast and speeches came round again, the cross stepmother and the proud fine daughters went out in good time to secure their places. As soon as they were gone, Cinderella's grandmother returned and changed her as before. Amid a blast of welcome from the Lambkin family, she was again handed to the pink seat on the platform by His Royal Highness.

This gifted Prince was a powerful speaker, and had the evening before him. He rose at precisely ten minutes before eight, and was greeted with tumultuous cheers and waving of handkerchiefs. When the excitement had in some degree subsided, he proceeded to address the meeting: who were never tired of listening to speeches, as no good people ever are. He held them enthralled for four hours and a quarter. Cinderella forgot the time, and hurried away so when she heard the first stroke of twelve, that her beautiful dress changed back to her old rags at the door, and she left one of her glass shoes behind. The Prince took it up, and vowed--that is, made a declaration before a magistrate; for he objected on principle to the multiplying of oaths-- that he would only marry the charming creature to whom that shoe belonged.

He accordingly caused an advertisement to that effect to be inserted in all the newspapers: for, the advertisement duty, an impost most unjust in principle and most unfair in operation, did not exist in that country; neither was the stamp on newspapers known in that land-- which had as many newspapers as the United States, and got as much good out of them. Innumerable ladies answered the [99/100] advertisement and pretended that the shoe was theirs; but, every one of them was unable to get her foot into it. The proud fine sisters answered it, and tried their feet with no greater success. Then, Cinderella, who had answered it too, came forward amidst their scornful jeers, and the shoe slipped on in a moment. It is a remarkable tribute to the improved and sensible fashion of the dress her grandmother had given her, that if she had not worn it the Prince would probably never have seen her feet.

The marriage was solemnized with great rejoicing. When the honeymoon was over, the King retired from public life, and was succeeded by the Prince. Cinderella, being now a queen, applied herself to the government of the country on enlightened, liberal, and free principles. All the people who ate anything she did not eat, or who drank anything she did not drink, were imprisoned for life. All the newspaper offices from which any doctrine proceeded that was not her doctrine, were burnt down. All the public speakers proved to demonstration that if there were any individual on the face of the earth who differed from them in anything, that individual was a designing ruffian and an abandoned monster. She also threw open the right of voting, and of being elected to public offices and of making the laws, to the whole of her sex; who thus came to be always gloriously occupied with public life and whom nobody dared to love. And they all lived happily ever afterwards.

Frauds on the Fairies once permitted, we see little reason why they may not come to this, and great reason why they may. The Vicar of Wakefield [in Goldsmith's novel] was wisest when he was tired of being always wise. The world is too much with us, early and late. Leave this precious old escape from it, alone.

#charles dickens #fraud on fairies #cinderella #cinderella parody #fairytale parody #household words #full text #nineteenth century fairytales

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princessmadafu · 2 years

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My kids don’t do woke

One day, about 45 years ago, I was in A Level French class. The teacher (call him Mr Smith) dished out some practice exam papers and we began reading. Then he quickly recalled the papers, saying they were the wrong ones, scooped them back up and gave us different papers. Papers about insects. After class, myself and my best friend Rozzer (short for Rosemary; not an alias, Rozzer knows who she is!!!) we lingered - being Francophiles and loving French literature - and we asked Mr Smith what the "other paper" was. He showed us, and it was about the death of a man. Knowing that one of our class (I'll call her Jane) had recently and unexpectedly lost her father, Mr Smith pulled the paper quickly in case Jane got upset.

That was kind and caring of Mr Smith, who knew each member of his class and took the trouble to accommodate personal circumstances. The class read the "other paper" three months later when Jane was in a better place; and we all went on to Uni the following September, 1980-ish - though myself and Rozzer took a gap year. It was the olden days when you had to fill up a few months after 7th term Oxbridge.

Now our schools and universities seem to operate like wokey businesses, afraid to expand their students' minds in case they lose lots of money when they inadvertently make unknown students cry and demand compensation. There is no Mr Smith who knew Jane's deceased father personally and wanted to give her space and time to grieve.

Now it's all "Let's Not Teach Anybody Anything in case Jane gets upset and sues us."

And now, yet again, I'm reading about trigger warnings on literature. All literature. Including fairytales like Beowulf.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11078663/Monstrous-Old-English-classic-Beowulf-gets-slapped-trigger-warning-monsters.html

I have Sweet's Anglo-Saxon Reader in front of me. I studied English at A Level too, and was more concerned with de-cyphering all the words than I was about who did what to a fictitious monster.

What? You mean English Literature students only study modern translations of Beowulf? Not the old weird language with squiggly bits? Wtf...

Wait, I have a 1912 first edition of Ebbutt's Hero-Myths and Legends of the British Race... Beowulf, Beowulf, ah here it is, page 16! And written in 1912 English - with a nice picture of Grendel getting his arm ripped off. Other illustrations available, including variations on the theme of decapitation.

There was a fashion in the 19th century for Bowdlerising books; https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Expurgation

"The term derives from Thomas Bowdler's 1818 edition of William Shakespeare's plays, which he reworked in ways that he felt were more suitable for women and children."

I mean how much more patronising can you get!

OK, protect small children from the yucky bits of Shakespeare, but women? Women? Honestly? Do I need protecting from Shakespeare? And don't even try and protect Mad from Shakespeare; she may have metallic purple hair and look like an eccentric granny whose perm has gone wrong but I've seen her subdue an out-of-control Rottweiler at the Rescue Shelter and she's not someone to be messed with.

Infants: newborns and wobblies; they cry, eat, poop and sleep

Toddlers: toddly with a desire to eat mud and put wasps in their nappies

Children: walking, running, massively curious and dangerously inventive

Teenagers: eat pizzas, want to learn how to snog and be an influencer

Young adults: not as stupid as you think but they still like to annoy old people

Women: adult females who deserve respect and who get a bit cross when other adults try and infantilise them

It's the infantilising bit that bugs me.

Regardless of your gender and all the other things we are ordered not to talk about these days, if you are not an infant or small child who needs to learn that worms aren't sweeties, why do you need trigger warnings? If you're old enough to be at University, you are old enough to be responsible for yourself. You don't need other people putting nappies on your head so you don't hear the yucky bits where Beowulf finds severed portions of Aschere in his path. It's just a story.

I refuse to believe that students are now so useless.

Could it be that the useless ones are the tutors who don't want to help our next generation of students grow their minds and live like adults? Is it a minority of activists who want to hog-tie our students until they agree with all their Ridiculosities of Wokedom? Is it just idiot journalists reeling me in for clickbait?

Fairy stories? Read the real Brothers Grimm and realise that life isn't a Disney cartoon full of bluebirds and snuggly rabbits. Read Beowulf, red in tooth and claw. Here's Beowulf finding Aschere's head...

And if anybody is still reading, would you like a quick look at the story of Laegaire and Uath...

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writer59january13 · 3 months

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Pleasant spring like day February 9th, 2024

A scent (and sixth sense predominates), when apple boughs and other aromatic flora laden with blossoms and fruit

gently assail cilia of the nostrils, aside from aiding distinguishing pleasant or unpleasant smells additionally incorporate complex structures of the paranasal sinus mucosa in which function critical linkedin to respiratory defense. Cilia beat in a coordinated manner

to clear the paranasal sinus cavities

and upper airway of the mucus blanket

that contains the pathogens and debris

continually inspired in normal respiration.

Avast extent of following poem crafted a couple plus years ago, when foretaste of temperate weather covered swath of eastern seaboard.

Courtesy climate change (think global warming),

I would forever wish to exchange

unseasonably warm temperature

(10 plus degrees Celsius

in Schwenksville, Pennsylvania today) for brutally cold subzero windchill factor,

no matter unseasonably warm degrees way out of expected range,

of established “normal” far to balmy, undoubtedly for the likes of old man winter furious his blizzard snowbound

weather forecasts shortchanged.

Once thermometer readings rise even smidgen one moost not minimize

Earth way out of balance,

an inconvenient truth I haint gonna catastrophize

as bajillion acres plus one after another ocean dries

even the skeptic cannot turn third eye blind and believe contrary lies,

when every species practically extinct

and self proclaimed éminence grise doth trumpet and stubbornly tries

to claim plethora unearthed resources

as sudden goldmine against wages of sin former traitor joe

(biden his time) redeemers actualize to catalyze nth industrial revolution

teaching as heresy ecocentric, which material basket

of deplorables power mongers bowdlerize

concurrence toward meteorological trend most all people agree toward adapting, experiencing,

and witnessing increase - fair in height degree

bestowed upon Thomas Newcomen, Richard Arkwright, Samuel Crompton, Edmund Cartwright and James Watt first Industrial

Revolution conferred as honoree

appellation not necessarily

in retrospect donned as noble pedigree,

now hundred of years later downside we see

of belching, coughing, disorging... yes siree

foul, (née deadly) cancerous, gaseous, malodorous,

noxious, poisonous... pollutants.

Decreased dissension grudgingly did abate and one doubting Thomas less nasty toward the braying donkeys in general, when Democratic contender clinched the electorate majoritty

unclouded protests muted trumpeting base aggressivity, depravity, and incendiary proclivity for hunted prey (slapped

with felony charges that H_ lied on a federal form when he claimed being drug-free at the time unnamed person purchased a Colt Cobra 38SPL revolver in October 2018) hastening Grand Poobah to abdicate

irrefutable proof generates contentious voices to accumulate

additionally disappointment

resolving global warming

activists linkedin over Green Party blessedly to administrate

hoop fully figurative tide will turn and aerate

political atmosphere whereby progressive minds will affiliate

otherwise business as usual, cuz spewing deadly particulate will only aggravate

dire straits, where

webbed wide world series of unfortunate events will airdate

prophetic apocalyptic fate

especially if nonprogressive stodgy former el presidente number Cuarenta y cinco commander in chief re-elected flush with bigotry and hate

increased chance (chants) ripe state

for revolution avast swath of population to amalgamate,

and overthrow anachronistic government

absolute zero survival unless dramatic

nondestructive strategy eschewed

to supplant exploitation and mandate

radical transformation, which dramatic shift off grid if lucky requisite Earth friendly manufacturing can possibly ameliorate.

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brookstonalmanac · 10 months

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Birthdays 7.11

Beer Birthdays

John Gardiner (1825)

Joseph "Papa Joe" Griesedieck (1863)

Harry A. Poth (1881)

Don Younger (1941)

Lisa Morrison (1963)

Mike “Scoats” Scotese (1965)

William Reed

Jennifer England; St. Pauli Girl 2011/12 (1978)

Five Favorite Birthdays

Andrew Bird; pop musician, violinist, songwriter (1973)

Yul Brynner; actor (1920)

Suzanne Vega; pop singer (1959)

James McNeil Whistler; artist (1834)

E.B. White (writer)

Famous Birthdays

John Quincy Adams; 6th U.S. President (1767)

Georgio Armani; Italian fashion designer (1934)

Harold Bloom; writer, critic (1930)

Thomas Bowdler; editor (1754)

Liona Boyd; classical guitarist (1949)

Jeff Hanna; rock guitarist (1947)

Tab Hunter; actor (1931)

Lil' Kim; rapper (975)

Peter Murphy; pop singer (1957)

William Osler; physician (1849)

Lisa Rinna; model, actor (1963)

Richie Sambora; rock guitarist (1959)

Leon Spinks; boxer (1953)

Mindy Stirling; actor (1953)

Suzanne Vega; pop singer (1959)

Harry von Zell; radio and television announcer (1906)

John Wanamaker; merchant (1838)

Sela Ward; actor (1956)

#Birthdays

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swhelpley-blog · 1 year

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LA RAZONES CAMBIAN, PERO LA NECEDAD ES LA MISMA En 1807, la Sra Harriet Bowdler editó The Family Shakespeare, una versión del Bardo de la que se había borrado cualquier cosa vagamente lasciva, u ofensiva. Se cuenta que la segunda edición, se refirieron a Shakespeare como "Nuestro Bardo Inmoral". Aunque el trabajo lo hizo ella, lo firmo su hermano Thomas: a las mujeres no se le ocurrían esas cosas..... en esos tiempos. La razón era obvia: Presentar un Shakespeare para la familia, y sus valores, suprimiendo lo ofensivo: Palabras desagradables, juramentos, burlas al cuerpo, frases con doble sentido, obscenidades, e incluso escenas fueron objeto de tijera de la piadosa señora, que se escandalizaba al parecer con todo. Dio origen a un verbo To bowdlerize, cuya traducción aproximada es expurgado. Viendo lo sucedido con Roald Dahl e Ian Fleming, concluyes que la necedad y la tontería moral brotan siempre..... https://www.instagram.com/p/CpbJ-foLHhm/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

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ladygavgav · 1 year

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'Those expressions are omitted...'

New blog post: 'Those expressions are omitted...'.

The major literary news story of the week was an announcement that Puffin Books would revise selected passages in new editions of books by Roald Dahl. The Telegraph provides a decent background of the reaction this has provoked. One word that keeps cropping up is bowdlerising, a reference to Thomas Bowdler. Beginning in 1807, he produced a series of books titled The Family Shakspeare [sic] that…

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#blogging #bowdlerising #editing #fiction #novel #prose #puffin books #Roald Dahl #writing

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fat-ugly-bus-driver · 1 year

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Francis Clara Censordoll is the librarian of Thomas Bowdler Library and an overarching antagonist.

NEVER ME T HE R.

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historyhermann · 2 years

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Francis Clara Censordoll, censorship, and the non-neutrality of librarians

Censordoll literally dipping a "bad" book in kerosene, so it can be burned, in the show's first episode!

Francis Clara Censordoll is the town librarian (voiced by David Herman and Jay Johnston), employed at the Thomas Bowdler Library in the town of Moralton, the capital of the imaginary state of Statesota (in the Western part of what we would call Missouri) in the series Moral Orel. She sounds like a someone who literally violates existing library codes of ethics, with the fandom site for the show calling her "a puritanical individual who spends her time censoring and destroying books she considers immoral ," with the initials of her name being FCC, protesting in front of the local movie theater, and will even violate her "code of ethics" if it gets her what she want. The same fandom site describes her as the "main antagonist of the show," is one of two female characters, in the show, "to be voiced by a man," and may have "otherworldy abilities." Since she appears in 11 episodes, [1] I thought it would be worthwhile to do a post about this, to review it as a whole, as it also debunks, in a lot of ways, that librarians are "neutral," as libraries are not neutral spaces in any way, shape, or form.

In the show's first episode, "The Lord's Greatest Gift," she is protesting The Wizard of Oz in front of the movie theater. Orel and his friend go to the library, which has the motto of "purifying literaure since 1818," they talk to her and she is making a list of special books (like Animal Farm, Fahrenheit 451, Necronomicon, How Stell Got Her Goove Back, and others) to burn, dipping them in karosene. She says the books teach us "too much." Of couse, Orel grabs one of the books, causing the rest to fall on a little girl nearby who is also at the library. He gets the idea to dig up some dead people as he reads the Necronomicon, with his friend Doughy helping him. She is later shown burning a bunch of "bad" books in a bible, and says she will only burn the "Jewish parts" of the Bible.

In the show's fifth episode "The Blessed Union," the fifth episode of the series, Orel visits Censordoll in the library, asking her about what makes a woman happy and she says this is junk, saying she will picket in front of the church in protest. Then, in the show's 10th episode, "The Best Christmas Ever," she is protesting in front of the movie theater, which is showing It's A Wonderful Life, chanting with two others: "everytime you hear a bell, an angel burns in hell." In the first episode of the show's second season, in the episode "God's Image," Censordoll is on the town council, complaining that the Figurellis would want their separate book burnings. Later, the segregation of them reaches such a level that someone torches their house. Orel's father says he has made it inconvient for the racists by segregating them, with the segregation of the Figurellis coming an end. In the episode "Offensiveness," Mr. Sal Figurelli, who runs the corner store, worries about Censordoll, as she likes her eggs a specific way and is very picky about them. Apparently its the only thing she eats! Yikes. She says eggs are one of life's only pleasures, apart from protesting, picketing, and purifying. She then threatens Sal, saying he is safe from her "moral sanction" for now.

So, Orel decides to spend more time at the library, sees that Censordoll is writing signs for a Saturday picket at the movie theater against The Greatest Story Ever Told. Later, she takes the books out of his hand (Understanding the Human Body, The Little Prince, The Planet of the Apes, and Charles Darwin's The Origin of the Species), putting them in a metal barrel with the label "BOOK DEPOSITORY." While he is a bit terrified by this, she gives him a pickled egg. He goes to the picket that Saturday and finds out that Censordoll is 40 years old (even though she looks older) as that is her birthday. They proceed to picket a Blood Bank, a Coffee Shop, and a Protestant hospital. Orel is so caught up with the crowd Censordoll has cultivated that he even pickets, with others, at Sal's corner store, and as a result, a resolution is passed which outlaws all eggs in the town! Censordoll later sneaks in somewhere (a club-like atmosphere in a barn) so she can eat some eggs.

Censordoll writes a picket sign in the episode "Offensiveness"

She later appears in the episodes "Be Fruitful and Multiply" (at the church) and "Geniusis." In the latter she is part of the mob that goes after the "missing link" monkey which gets frozen in ice. Later, she appears in the episodes "Orel's Movie Premiere" watching Orel's new movie. In "Alone," we finally see Censordoll in her apartment, with a fridge filled with nothing but eggs! She also is scheming to gain more power in the town, even with a diorama of the whole town. She talks to her mother angrily, blaming her for not raising her right, and saying she is not holier-than-thou but is holier than her. Censordoll lives in an apartment complex with other "spinsters" called The Aloneford. She later declares she is the "matriarch of Moralton" as she rubs a church steeple, in her diorama, in a phallic way.

In another episode, "Help," there is a flashback to Censordoll when she is younger, with Orel's mother, Roberta, embarassed by Orel who declares she will never get married. Later, Roberta and Clay get to know each other better, with Robert conjoling Clay into marrying her. The final episode she appears in is "Nesting," which begins with her. There is a flashback to three months before, with a protest against eggs in front of Sal's corner shop, which Censordoll is part of. It turns out that Orel's dad, Clay, is the mayor of the town and he isn't so sure about getting rid of eggs, pulling out a note from his desk with a warning from her saying that if eggs are outlawed than his days in office are numbered. In the present, Censordoll begins a campaign for mayor to legalize eggs in the town, able to use her skills to brainwash Orel into joining her in this effort. Orel becomes Censordoll's campaign manager, annoying Clay, who usually runs unopposed in the race for Mayor. He calls Censordoll a "mad woman" and at the debate, he says he only banned the "inhuman" eggs, the "vile" ones, not all eggs. Censordoll concedes to her "worthy opponent" and says she has no business to run for office "when there are books to burn," telling Orel to see her at the library. Clay tries to make up with Orel, but it goes badly, with Clay ultimately saying he is "glad" he shot him! Oh no. The episode ends with Censordoll and Clay (who was about to kiss Daniel Stopframe), with Censordoll beginning her manipulation of Clay. The fandom page for Censordoll says her character would have been explored more with an affair between Clay in a fourth season. That would have added another interesting plot thread, to say the least.

Censordoll campaigns for mayor. I think this scene is definitely a reference to the famous scene in Citizen Kane, but that's only my theory.

Censordoll has been described as "the uptight town librarian...on a loopy parade of ridiculous rants," "intolerant librarian," and she censors all, as implied from her name, and although she works as an "agent of repression she is more than willing to engage in acts that suit her needs, whether that be seducing the mayor or gaining access to the object(s) of her obsession." Others call her a puritanical woman who spends her time censoring and destroying books that she deems immoral, a barren librarian, a "book-burning librarian," and a library whose "job is to protect children from 'filthy thoughts'."

Clearly she fulfills library stereotypes, especially when it comes being puritanical, punitive, and unattractive, to summarize the stereotypes section of the Librarians in popular culture Wikipedia page. While she is middle-aged, bun-wearing, and "comfortably shod," she is not a "shushing librarian" that Gretchen Keer wrote about in 2015 for American Libraries. The town itself is a place where "religion and rules reign supreme and the appearance of piety," as one blogger points out, and Censordoll is no "wayward librarian." Rather she is a central part of the town's moral fabric. Not only is she anything but neutral, but she is a contradiction in and of itself. Of course, other shows should not follow the example of Censordoll and have librarians like her, who are literally villainous and brainwash people. However, there should be librarians who are shown to not be not neutral, but are rather active proponents of change, or alternatively supporting the status quo, as both could engender interesting discussion when it comes to the role of librarians in society.

Notes

[1] "The Best Christmas Ever," "The Lord's Greatest Gift," "The Blessed Union," "God's Image," "Offensiveness," "Be Fruitful and Multiply," "Geniusis," "Orel's Movie Premiere," "Alone," "Help," and "Nesting."

Reprinted from Pop Culture Library Review and Wayback Machine

#moral orel #librarians #libraries #pop culture #reviews #library patrons #white people

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