Free speech is a controversial topic in the present day. But what are the risks and rewards of speaking freely? And what are the limits of speech?
This event will survey the history of censorship and repression in literature. Censorship has been a major feature of modern society ever since the invention of the printing press. In the Reformation, translations of the Bible were subject to suppression and in the early modern period theatre was regulated by the Lord Chamberlain.
Shakespeare’s plays were subject to comments from the censor that have left their marks on his famous plays. In the 18th century, the Enlightenment expanded the window of free expression but while religious freedom was expanding, political stances and representations of sexual desire and the body continued to be heavily regulated by social conventions. Voltaire and Rousseau were still subject to bans or suppression and women’s voices struggled to be heard.
The 20th century saw a rapid expansion of freedom of expression, accelerated by famous controversies. The publication of James Joyce’s Ulysses in 1922 led to it being banned in the U.S.A. and burned by customs officers. Furthermore, the publication of Vladmir Nabokov’s Lolita in 1955 was prevented from a reputable publisher in the States and ultimately published as pornography in France. But both books went on to become modern classics.
Nevertheless, despite the expanded window of expression, forms of official and unofficial censorship remain. In the final session, we will consider the state of censorship and the freedom to publish in our volatile times today.
Please note: this event will close to enrolments at 23:59 GMT on 28 January 2026.