Obscenity
From The Art and Popular Culture Encyclopedia
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The first conviction for "obscenity" can be observed in Great Britaiin in 1725 when ''[[The Whitehall Evening Post]]'', claims that [[Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend|Lord Townshend]] was responsible for having [[Edmund Curll]] arrested in 1725 because he published "obscene Books and Pamphlets, tending to encourage Vice and Immorality". | The first conviction for "obscenity" can be observed in Great Britaiin in 1725 when ''[[The Whitehall Evening Post]]'', claims that [[Charles Townshend, 2nd Viscount Townshend|Lord Townshend]] was responsible for having [[Edmund Curll]] arrested in 1725 because he published "obscene Books and Pamphlets, tending to encourage Vice and Immorality". | ||
==Famous obscenity trials== | ==Famous obscenity trials== | ||
- | The book ''[[Obscene: The History of an Indignation]]'' discusses the obscenity trials of [[Friedrich Schlegel]]'s ''[[Lucinde]]'' (Jena, 1799), [[Gustave Flaubert]]'s ''[[Madame Bovary's trial|Madame Bovary]]'' (Paris, 1857), [[Arthur Schnitzler]]'s [[La Ronde (play)|''Round Dance'']] (Berlin, 1920), [[D. H. Lawrence]]'s ''[[Lady Chatterley's Lover]]'' (London, 1960), and [[Henry Miller]]'s [[Tropic of Cancer (novel)|''Tropic of Cancer'']] (Los Angeles, 1962). A chapter is also devoted to the crusade of [[Anthony Comstock]] and the [[New York Society for the Suppression of Vice]]. | + | The book ''[[Obscene: The History of an Indignation]]'' discusses the obscenity trials of [[Friedrich Schlegel]]'s ''[[Lucinde]]'' (Jena, 1799), [[Gustave Flaubert]]'s ''[[Madame Bovary's trial|Madame Bovary]]'' (Paris, 1857), [[Arthur Schnitzler]]'s [[La Ronde (play)|''Round Dance'']] (Berlin, 1920), [[D. H. Lawrence]]'s ''[[R v Penguin Books Ltd.|Lady Chatterley's Lover]]'' (London, 1960), and [[Henry Miller]]'s [[Tropic of Cancer (novel)|''Tropic of Cancer'']] (Los Angeles, 1962). A chapter is also devoted to the crusade of [[Anthony Comstock]] and the [[New York Society for the Suppression of Vice]]. |
Other famous trials include [[The Fleurs du mal trial|The ''Fleurs du mal'' trial]] and the [[Vizetelly trial]] | Other famous trials include [[The Fleurs du mal trial|The ''Fleurs du mal'' trial]] and the [[Vizetelly trial]] |
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Obscenity (in Latin obscenus, meaning "foul, repulsive, detestable", possibly derived from ob caenum, literally "from filth"). The term is most often used in a legal context to describe expressions (words, images, actions) that offend the prevalent sexual morality of the time.
Despite its long formal and informal use with a sexual connotation, the word still retains the meanings of "inspiring disgust" and even "inauspicious; ill-omened", as in such uses as "obscene profits", "the obscenity of war", and the like. It can simply be used to mean profanity, or it can mean anything that is taboo, indecent, abhorrent, or disgusting.
The definition of obscenity differs from culture to culture, between communities within a single culture, and also between individuals within those communities. Many cultures have produced laws to define what is considered to be obscene, and censorship is often used to try to suppress or control materials that are obscene under these definitions, usually including, but not limited to pornographic material. Because the concept of obscenity is often ill-defined, it can be used as a political tool to try to restrict freedom of expression. Thus, the definition of obscenity can be a civil liberties issue.
Contents |
By region
- United Kingdom obscenity law
- United States obscenity law
- Censorship of obscenity in the United States
- Censorship in the United States
- First Amendment to the United States Constitution
Etymology
Numerous sources give something on the lines of: from the Latin word obscenus, meaning "foul, repulsive, detestable", and possibly derived from ob caenum, literally "from filth". The book Obscene: The history of an indignation dedicates several pages exploring the different possibilities regarding its etymology.
The first conviction for "obscenity" can be observed in Great Britaiin in 1725 when The Whitehall Evening Post, claims that Lord Townshend was responsible for having Edmund Curll arrested in 1725 because he published "obscene Books and Pamphlets, tending to encourage Vice and Immorality".
Famous obscenity trials
The book Obscene: The History of an Indignation discusses the obscenity trials of Friedrich Schlegel's Lucinde (Jena, 1799), Gustave Flaubert's Madame Bovary (Paris, 1857), Arthur Schnitzler's Round Dance (Berlin, 1920), D. H. Lawrence's Lady Chatterley's Lover (London, 1960), and Henry Miller's Tropic of Cancer (Los Angeles, 1962). A chapter is also devoted to the crusade of Anthony Comstock and the New York Society for the Suppression of Vice.
Other famous trials include The Fleurs du mal trial and the Vizetelly trial
See also: notes on the ineffability of censored material in the obscenity trials.
See also
References
- "Explanation Concerning Obscenities" (18c) by Pierre Bayle
- The Reinvention of Obscenity, 2002, a study by American scholar Joan DeJean
- The Traffic in Obscenity from Byron to Beardsley, 2006, a study by Colette Colligan