World Literatures 234 - Banned! Art and Censorship

What makes a book too dangerous to read? A film too obscene to watch? Who decides what stories should be silenced—and why? This course explores the history of censorship, artistic rebellion, and the power of “forbidden” narratives. The course starts from Plato’s decision to ban poets from his Republic, and from there surveys a range of banned books across time and space. From Don Quixote to Ulysses, the course examines why certain books and films have been deemed too shocking, subversive, or politically volatile for public consumption. What effects did censors fear these texts would have on readers or spectators? How can artistic form itself be perceived as dangerous? This course challenges students to think critically about the stakes of censorship, artistic freedom, and what makes art worth defending. (E)