As public tastes change, so does the nature of popular drama. In the fifth century BC, Aristophanes's "Lysistrata" attracted censors for its themes of wifely rebellion and sex. From the 15th to the 18th centuries, plays were censored primarily for religious or political reasons. In the 19th century, social and sexual reasons for censorship emerged, and modern moralists have objected to works by such playwrights as Arthur Miller, Eugene O'Neill, and Lillian Hellman. This guide outlines the censorship history of 125 classic plays from ancient times to the present. Each entry presents the name(s) under which the play has appeared, the date it was produced and country of original production, a summary of the play, its censorship history, and suggestions for further reading. Among the works covered are: "Angels in America - Millennium Approaches" (Tony Kushner, 1991); "The Children's Hour" (Lillian Hellman, 1934); "An Enemy of the People" (Henrik Ibsen, 1882); "Henry IV" (William Shakespeare, 1597); "Jesus Christ, Superstar" (Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, 1973); "Oedipus Rex" (Sophocles, 460 BC); "Oh! Calcutta" (Kenneth Tynan, 1968); and "Salome" (Oscar Wilde, 1893).
- ISBN10 0816040184
- ISBN13 9780816040186
- Publish Date 9 December 2003
- Publish Status Out of Print
- Out of Print 11 April 2014
- Publish Country US
- Imprint Facts On File Inc
- Edition New edition
- Format Hardcover
- Pages 352
- Language English