Introduction
History knows an abundance of examples of bans and restrictions imposed on pieces of art and their creators. Reasons may vary from a political agenda and ideological controversies to religious and moral objections. However, the issue of admissibility of any limitations in art usually generates much debate. While children should be prevented from reading particular novels and watching certain movies, banning any pieces of art completely intervenes with the development of art and conflicts with the values of democracy.
Main text
Certain artworks have been severely criticized and banned on the grounds of contradicting the established moral and ethical norms. The two most well-known examples are a novel by D.H. Lawrence Lady Chatterleys Lover (1928) and a novel by Vladimir Nabokov Lolita (1955). Lady Chatterleys Lover was privately published in Italy, in 1928. In England, however, it was published only in 1960 by Penguin Books after the publishing agency won the trial – it was prosecuted under the Obscene Publications Act (Dillon). The outrage over the novel was related to the explicit sexual content of the piece (Lessing). In the novel, a female character, Constance, is married to Sir Clifford Chatterley, who, while being intelligent and handsome, is a rather neglectful husband; moreover, he is paralyzed from the waist down. Unsatisfied with her married life, Constance starts an affair with a man from a different social class, the estates gamekeeper, who triggers her sexual awakening (Dillon). While the scenes of intercourse in Lady Chatterleys Lover were considered obscene, Lolita was even more controversial due to its depicting of the sexual relationship between a middle-aged man and a 12-year-old girl (Anderson). The book was initially banned in France, England, New Zealand, and South Africa (Anderson). Now, however, it (as well as Lady Chatterleys Lover) is considered a classic novel though undoubtfully groundbreaking. Both books, while controversial, have literary value and contain philosophical ideas worth discussing. There are more sexually explicit novels with lesser literary significance, such as modern romance stories or The 120 Days of Sodom by Marquise de Sade, but even banning them seems to be irrational. Although children should undoubtfully be prevented from reading such novels, adults can decide for themselves.
Apart from moral reasons, some books have been denied publication because of some political controversies. For example, a famous novel by Boris Pasternak Doctor Zhivago was banned in the USSR due to the authors independent portrayal of the October Revolution and the following events. The novel was published in Italy, and Pasternak was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature but had to refuse in light of political pressure from the ruling Communist Party. The books unique portrayal of the epoch and the life of an individual during such disturbing times have attracted international attention and deserved praise and acclaim (“Boris Pasternak – Facts.”). The novel now has several theatrical and movie adaptations.
Nonetheless, imposing restrictions is not a thing of the past for modern Russia as well. A satirical film The Death of Stalin (2017), portraying the death of the USSRs ruler, was banned under the pretext of humiliating Russian culture and history (Kozlov). However, while the movie, indeed, may not be historically accurate, it does not aspire to be so. The movies main objective is to emphasize the ridiculousness of totalitarian regimes (The Death of Stalin). While some viewers can disagree with the film, it is undoubtfully capable of provoking discussions and facilitating dialogue on some important topics. Banning any political satire seems to be unwise and can often be seen as a sign of an authoritarian regime. For example, Charlie Chaplins movie The Great Dictator (1940) was banned in Nazi Germany. The Chinese government is also infamous for banning Western, particularly American films, including Back to The Future (1985), The Dark Night (2008), and Deadpool (2016). Some movies, like The Da Vinci Code (2006), were banned for religious reasons, others, as Brokeback Mountain (2006) and Call Me By Your Name (2017), for the portrayal of the homosexual relationship (Epstein). However, in democratic societies, it is essential that people can decide for themselves whether they want to see certain movies or read particular books; they should be allowed to discuss their content, both disagree and agree with the ideas they promote.
Banning pieces of art contradicts freedom of speech and freedom of expression. Pornography for the sake of pornography or artworks created entirely to shock or scandalize will be criticized and soon forgotten. At the same time, true art will only develop if artists do not face restrictions. Governments should not act as overprotecting parents trying to guard their citizens against novels, movies, or performances, which they presume are dangerous for public morals or political stability. On the contrary, people should be trusted with a chance to determine whether a piece of art is worth acquaintance with; they should be able to discuss and judge them as they see fit. In some cases, governments use banns against foreign artworks to protect and facilitate local culture. However, it also seems unproductive: art should be free from any boundaries, including national borders. Overprotecting local culture is like overprotecting a child – it will probably just make it weak and deprive it of development opportunities.
Conclusion
Thus, while some governments, communities, and religious organizations make attempts to impose restrictions on particular pieces of art, they not only ban these artworks – they confine the development of art itself. They also limit democratic freedoms, undermining trust between the state and the citizens who are denied the right to express their ideas and to learn others. Therefore, any restrictions in the art should be avoided – people will eventually be able to judge what is worth their attention, and art will flourish.
Works Cited
Anderson, Mic. “Bad Words: 7 Banned Books Through Time”. Encyclopædia Britannica. Web.
“Boris Pasternak – Facts.”NobelPrize.org. Web.
Dillon, Sarah. “Lady Chatterley’s Lover “. Encyclopædia Britannica. Web.
Epstein, Adam. “Call Me By Your Name Joins an Illustrious List of Great Films Censored in China.” Quartz, 2018. Web.
Kozlov, Vladimir. “Russia’s Culture Ministry Sues Movie Theater for Screening Armando Iannucci’s The Death of Stalin.“The Hollywood Reporter, 2018, Web.
Lessing, Doris. “Testament of Love.”The Guardian, 2006. Web.
The Death of Stalin. Directed by Armando Iannucci, performances by Steve Buscemi, Andrea Riseborough, Jeffrey Tambor. Gaumont Film Company, 2017.