Family Shakspeare

The Family Shakspeare was a version of William Shakespeare's plays edited by Thomas Bowdler, first published anonymously in 1807 and later solely credited to him in 1818. Bowdler's aim was to remove any content that might offend a "religious or virtuous mind," making the plays suitable for family reading. This involved expurgation and paraphrase to eliminate perceived "blemishes" while preserving Shakespeare's "beauties." While criticized for altering the original text, Bowdler's work made Shakespeare accessible to a wider audience. The term "bowdlerize," meaning to expurgate, derives from his name and remains his most enduring legacy.12