Godwin, William
Achievements: Laid the ground for socialism
Born: March 3, 1756; Wisbech, Isle of Ely, Cambridgeshire, England
Died: April 7, 1836; London, England (Aged 80)
Field & Discipline: Literature; Social Philosophy, Politics; Writer
Language: English
Father: John Godwin
Mother: Ann Hull
Siblings: 11 brothers; 1 sister
Spouse: 1. Mary Wollstonecraft; 2. Jane Clairmont
Children: 1 daughter: Mary (became Mary Shelley)
Education: Village dame school; Village school, Hiindolveston; Privately tutored, Norwich; Hoxton Academy
Major Work: "An Enquiry concerning Political Justice, and its Influence on General Virtue and Happiness" (1793)
Life & Times:
After five years studying for the free-church ministry, in 1778 Godwin took a job as a candidate minister in Hertfordshire. He spent the following five years in obscure rural locations becoming progressively more alienated from his congregations. In 1783 he left the ministry and went back to London to make his living as a writer. To earn a living meanwhile, he rented a house and opened a school. He began to turn out sermons, pamphlets and novels, and was soon being reviewed and praised in leading journals. He became a contributor to the "Quarterly Review" (owned by the distinguished publisher [publisher was] John Murray*), which reviewed British, American and European authors and included biographical sketches.
Through Murray he met other writers and dissenters and eventually found regular work on "The New Annual Register". He was engaged to write the British and foreign history section, for which he needed an in-depth knowledge of events and prominent individuals in Britain, Europe, India and America, and also a familiarity with parliamentary debates. Over the next few years, Godwin became something of an expert in these areas. He became editor of a political journal (the "Political Herald, and Review") established to promote the liberals in Parliament but his principals caused him to refuse a salary from the Whig party and he closed the journal in 1787.
Godwin was now a republican and an atheist. He was well-known to leading Whig politicians like Charles Fox and [a pal of] Sheridan*, and he mixed with supporters of the American Declaration of Independence and of the abolition of slavery. Like most liberals of his time, he saw the French Revolution of 1789 as the beginning of true enlightenment and the end of political repression. He hoped that political reform in Britain would be triggered by events on the continent and was bitterly disappointed when Parliament did not pass an act to repeal the laws against Free-churchmen in 1790.
Godwin helped to publish [helped to publish work of] Thomas Paine's* "Rights of Man" in February 1791 and in April of that year saw the defeat of William Wilberforce's attempt in Parliament to address the question of slavery. Meanwhile, the course of the revolution in France was becoming more violent and less rational. Godwin was disillusioned with events there but still convinced that the original principle had been correct. In July 1791 he got a commission to write a treatise on political principles and was able to give up journalism.
He began work immediately on the work for which he is remembered: "An Enquiry concerning Political Justice, and its Influence on General Virtue and Happiness". It was published in February 1793, just two weeks after revolutionary France had declared war on Britain, and was a huge success.
Godwin became a celebrity overnight. He gave a copy to the French ambassador in London, it was copied and distributed in Germany, and pirated editions appeared in America. Reviewers were virtually unanimous in praising the work. Even the more conservative writers [an admirer was] Lamb* and Hazlitt were enthusiastic on first reading it. The Prime Minister [was a threat to] Pitt* met with his cabinet to discuss the publication and decided not to prosecute Godwin or his printer because the high price of the work would put it out of reach of the common man.
However, pirated editions which came out in Ireland and Scotland were bought by the lower classes, and mechanics and labourers banded together to buy the book by subscription and read it aloud at their meetings.
Godwin became a leading symbol of reform and was also seen as a dangerous radical by [considered dangerous by] Burke*. Godwin's most famous disciples were the Romanic poets Robert [influenced] Southey*, [influenced] Coleridge* and [influenced] Wordsworth*. In 1794 Godwin wrote his best novel, "Things as They Are; or, The Adventures of Caleb Williams". It is a political allegory of great imagination, sometimes referred to as the first psychological novel. Two years later he renewed his acquaintance with Mary [married] Wollstonecraft* and they became close. They married and Mary died in childbirth in 1797. From the turn of the century, Godwin was not politically active. He married again but fell out with his daughter [father of] Mary Shelley* when she eloped with the young poet [father-in-law of] Percy Bysshe Shelley*.
Godwin became a rather obscure figure, although he was still seen as a champion of liberty and moral idealism by young men such as [admired by] Robert Owen* who shared Godwin's idea of decentralised and independent societies. Godwin encouraged Owen in his plans for found an utopian community in America and corresponded with him.
Extra Connections: Knew [knew] Robert Dale Owen*
He corresponded with Lady [corresponded with] Caroline Lamb*
He admired [was a fan of] Bulwer-Lytton*
Assessment: Godwin achieved fame with his work on “Political Justice” and although he died in obscurity his work was influential for reformers.
Oneliner: William Godwin, influential English socialist
Bibliography:
Marshall, Peter H.,William Godwin, Yale University Press, New Haven & London, 1984.