Joyce’s Ulysses Gets Censored For Cartoon Penis [updated]

James Joyce’s Ulysses is widely considered one of the greatest works of the English language, and one of the most heavily analyzed. Repeating the puritanical acts of the early days of the novel version, a comic book version of the tale has been censored by Apple for nudity.

The app is based on a webcomic adaptation of the seminal novel, and apparently the inclusion of non-sexual nudity is something of a problem. Apparently, Apple requested that panels such as those above be edited to remove the offending genitalia.

The content was in no way sexual, and while Apple was within their rights to request the change, it smacks of bowdlerization, and is borderline offensive to see great works of art changed this way. Will apps for art galleries have to edit classical nudes, too?

You can read more on the situation here.

[via BoingBoing]

UPDATE: Both Ulysses Seen and The Importance of Being Ernest are now being allowed. Apple’s Trudy Miller said:

“We made a mistake. When the art panel edits of the Ulysses Seen app and the graphic novel adaptation of Oscar Wilde’s Importance of Being Earnest app were brought to our attention, we offered the developers the opportunity to resubmit their original drawings and update their apps.”