Henrietta Maria Bowdler facts for kids
Henrietta Maria Bowdler (1750–1830) was an English writer. She was also known as Mrs. Harriet Bowdler. She became famous for editing books to remove parts she thought were unsuitable. Her most well-known work was editing the plays of William Shakespeare.
Early Life and Family
Henrietta Maria Bowdler was born in Conington, Huntingdonshire. Her parents were Thomas and Elizabeth Stuart Bowdler. She had several brothers and sisters.
Her brother, Thomas Bowdler, later became very famous. Her sister, Jane, was also a writer. Jane wrote religious Poems and Essays. These books were published after her death and were very popular.
Her Writing and Editing Work
Henrietta Bowdler wrote a book called Sermons on the Doctrines and Duties of Christianity. This book was published without her name on it. It was so popular that it was printed almost 50 times! A bishop named Beilby Porteus even thought a clergyman had written it. He offered the unknown author a job.
Bowdler is best known for editing William Shakespeare's plays. She worked on the first "cleaned up" version of his works. This collection was called The Family Shakspeare (published in 1807). She removed anything that seemed disrespectful or improper. About 10% of the original plays were taken out.
This edited version was published under her brother Thomas Bowdler's name. Because of this, the act of removing parts from a book to make it "cleaner" became known as bowdlerisation.
In 1810, Bowdler also edited another popular book. It was called Fragments in Prose and Verse by the late Miss Elizabeth Smith. This book was very popular among religious groups.
A novel she wrote, “Pen Tamar, or the History of an Old Maid”, was published after she died. Henrietta Maria Bowdler passed away in Bath on February 25, 1830.
The Bluestocking Society
Henrietta Bowdler might have been part of a group called the Blue Stockings Society. This was a group of educated women who met to discuss literature and art. They were known for their intelligence and interest in learning.
Someone who knew her, Gilbert Elliot, described her strict views. He said that she would close her eyes during opera dances. When asked why, she said it was "so indelicate she could not bear to look." This shows her strong beliefs about what was proper.
