A SIX
UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN, LAWRENCE, KANSAS
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 27, 1950
Today's Mail
Students Aroused By Attack On Chaucer's Vulgarity
Censorship Foolish
Dear Editor:
It was suggested in a recent letter to the Kansas that the English department should clean up literature before presenting it for study in a course. During the Victorian era, bowdlerized editions of Shakespeare were published in which all lines which might be considered offensive were expurgated. Most people would now concede that these emasculated versions compare very unfavourably with the originals.
Humour was robust in Chaucer's and Shakespeare's time, and must be judged in the light of common usage in their day. Something obscene is that which is repulsive, filthy, or lewd. Literature does not endure as great if it contains those elements.
It is obviously reasonable to cut out certain passages of literature which is to be in a form suitable for younger children, but students at university level are expected to be more mature. Censorship of the type advocated would set an unpleasant precedent, besides placing a real obstacle in the way of original thought.
Satirical Reply
David Morgan-Grenville Graduate Student
Dear Editor:
We are delighted to have found two disgusted sophomores with our own opinion regarding the vulgarity of literature which is studied here at K.U. One of us is a fair maid whose cheek has reddened even while her blood ran cold (which is a difficult feat) at the obscenity brought forth in the classrooms. Therefore we would like not only to register our disgust, but to present a few modest proposals for cleaning up all the courses on the Hill.
First, we must expurgate the Bible, retaining, however, the cleaner portions. We are sure the School of Religion will support us in this noble aim. Some of Plato, much of Semeca and Plautus, and most of Greek and
Roman mythology must be cast away entirely. In fact, we must clean up the mythology and folk literature of all countries, along with all literary efforts based upon them. The task will be great, especially when we come to the opera; but we will manage if we trust, without mutilating the musical compositions toc much.
We will leave only a few sample extracts from Cellini and Boccaccio, and the lives of saints and martyrs must be thoroughly fumigated. In fact, all biographies and all history books must be overhauled, as these contain more scandalous goings-on than all the literature ever written.
As for Bayle, Rabelais, Voltaire, Rousseau, Balzac, Flaubert—well, you know the reputation of the French. When we have removed all off-color episodes, little more than titles will remain to be taught in French literature. Goethe's "Faust" cannot possibly be allowed except in very brief extracts to show his verse forms.
Our modern literature will, of course, require no expurgation. Today we know what ought and ought not to be written. As shining examples to youth we hold up Earnest Hemingway, John Steinbeck, Erskine Caldwell, and just any issue of the "Bitter Bird."
But on to English literature, since we can only mention a few examples and this needs our attention most because it is most widely taught. Shakespeare, Swift, most Restoration dramatists, Byron, and Swinburne are more improper than Chaucer ever thought of being. Almost all ballads will have to go; they are, if not outright dirty, at least extremely suggestive.
We will carry on mopping-up operations in the biology department, where students will be allowed to study only those animals and plants which reproduce asexually. (We will also coin a name for this without using the word sex.)
When we have done this, dear sophomores, our university will be a better and brighter place; and no
longer will it shock coeds who prefer to learn the facts of life elsewhere. Two Disgusted Seniors (Names withheld by request)
Back The Jay Janes HOMECOMING
Bailey Chemical laboratory was named for Dr. Edward H. S. Bailey, who was head of the chemistry department from 1863 until he retired from active service in 1921.
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