Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont Facing Censorship in Spain

Abstract

Many contemporary scholars have described the Spanish 18th century as the “century of translations”. During this rich period, a multitude of translations focused on French educational texts aimed at instructing Enlightenment women. This feminine revival was particularly evident in translations of French educational works by women, notably those by Jeanne-Marie Leprince de Beaumont, a French pedagogue who gained great fame in Spain through her translations. By examining censorship, this article sheds light on the world of Spanish translation in the 18th century, including the censorship process, self-censorship, published translations, adaptations, and more. Finally, in a century marked by significant ecclesiastical intervention in the production and distribution of books, censorship became an established and systematic tool of dissuasion and repression frequently employed by the Church.