Did Lady Chatterley’s Lover corrupt wives and servants?

Ben takes Rich back to the landmark case study of a book that was accused of changing the world forever by containing descriptions of sex and swearwords. Join us for a 150-year history of obscenity laws, the power of literature to corrupt, swinging 60s, explicit fan fiction, and whether you’d want YOUR wife or servant reading this filth.  

Show Notes: 

Chandos, John (1962) To deprave and corrupt...”. Original Studies in the Nature and Definition of 'Obscenity' Associated Press. 

Erlanson, Erik, et al. (2020) Forbidden Literature: Case Studies on Censorship. Kriterium. 

[Video] Hawes, James (2006) The Chatterley Affair, BBC 

Hilliard, Christopher (2013). “Is It a Book That You Would Even Wish Your Wife or Your Servants to Read?” Obscenity Law and the Politics of Reading in Modern England. The American Historical Review, 118(3), 653-678. 

[Video] 1960: Lady Chatterley's Lover Goes on Sale 

Ozimek, John and Julian Petley (2009) ‘Our outdated obscenity law’, The Guardian, 1st July. 

Roberts, M. J. D. (1985). ‘Morals, Art, and the Law: The Passing of the Obscene Publications Act, 1857’, Victorian Studies, 28(4), 609-629. 

Rolph, C. H. (1991). The Trial of Lady Chatterley: Regina V. Penguin Books Limited: The Transcript of the Trial. Penguin 

Thomas, Nick (2013). “‘To-Night's Big Talking Point is Still that Book’ Popular Responses to the Lady Chatterley Trial”, Cultural and Social History, 10(4), 619-634. 

Note: Journal articles are often behind paywalls. If you don't have institutional access but would like a copy of these papers please email Illeffectspod@gmail.com and we will happily send you one. 

Credits: 

Hosts – Rich McCulloch and Ben Litherland  

Music by -  Brutalust (Colin Frank and Maria Sappho), recorded and mixed by Joe Christman 

Creative producer – Rachel Wood 

Technical producer – Caroline Pringle 

Technical production – Colin Frank