The Enlightenment in The Enlightenment in EuropeEurope

Chapter 22, Section 2Chapter 22, Section 2

All humans were naturally selfish All humans were naturally selfish and wicked, therefore and wicked, therefore governments must keep order.governments must keep order.

People should hand over their People should hand over their rights to a strong ruler. This was rights to a strong ruler. This was what Hobbes called a what Hobbes called a social social contractcontract..

Strong ruler should have total Strong ruler should have total power (an absolute monarchy).power (an absolute monarchy).

This powerful government with This powerful government with awesome power is what he awesome power is what he called a leviathan (sea monster) called a leviathan (sea monster) therefore he titled his book therefore he titled his book LeviathanLeviathan (1651). (1651).

Thomas HobbesThomas Hobbes

John LockeJohn Locke

People were reasonable People were reasonable (though still selfish) and (though still selfish) and had the natural rights to had the natural rights to life, liberty, and property.life, liberty, and property.

Purpose of government is Purpose of government is to protect these natural to protect these natural rights.rights.

Government power comes Government power comes from the consent of the from the consent of the people.people.

VoltaireVoltaire Wrote more than 70 Wrote more than 70

books of political essays, books of political essays, philosophy, and drama.philosophy, and drama.

Used satire against his Used satire against his enemies, especially the enemies, especially the clergy.clergy.

Beliefs:Beliefs: ToleranceTolerance ReasonReason Freedom of religious beliefFreedom of religious belief Freedom of speechFreedom of speech ““I do not agree with a word I do not agree with a word

you say but will defend to you say but will defend to the death your right to say the death your right to say it.”it.”

MontesqieuMontesqieu Believed Britain was the Believed Britain was the

best-governed and most best-governed and most politically balanced politically balanced country of his own day.country of his own day.

Proposed the Proposed the “separation of powers” “separation of powers” between executive, between executive, legislative, and judicial legislative, and judicial branches of government.branches of government.

Proposed “checks and Proposed “checks and balances.”balances.”

Jean-Jacques RousseauJean-Jacques Rousseau

Passionately Passionately committed to committed to individual freedom.individual freedom.

Believed man was Believed man was born free and good born free and good but easily but easily corrupted.corrupted.

Believed the only Believed the only good government good government was the “general was the “general will” or direct will” or direct democracy.democracy.

Cesare Bonesana BeccariaCesare Bonesana Beccaria

BeliefsBeliefs Laws existed to preserve Laws existed to preserve

social order, not avenge social order, not avenge crime.crime.

Accused should receive Accused should receive speedy trials.speedy trials.

Torture should never be Torture should never be used.used.

Degree of punishment Degree of punishment should match seriousness of should match seriousness of crime.crime.

Capital punishment (death Capital punishment (death penalty) should be abolished.penalty) should be abolished.

Mary WollstonecraftMary Wollstonecraft

Women should be Women should be equally educated equally educated along with men.along with men.

Women should enter Women should enter professions professions traditionally traditionally dominated by men dominated by men like medicine and like medicine and politics.politics.

Wrote Wrote A Vindication of A Vindication of the Rights of Womanthe Rights of Woman

Mary ShelleyMary Shelley

Daughter of Mary Daughter of Mary Wollstonecraft.Wollstonecraft.

Mistress and later Mistress and later wife of poet Percy wife of poet Percy Bysshe Shelley.Bysshe Shelley.

Author of Author of FrankensteinFrankenstein in the in the summer of 1816, summer of 1816, Later published in Later published in 1818.1818.

Frivolous But Interesting Frivolous But Interesting InformationInformation

Climate and the writing of Climate and the writing of Frankenstein Frankenstein (continued)(continued)

The Shelley’s (Mary The Shelley’s (Mary Wollstonecraft Godwin Wollstonecraft Godwin calling herself Mary calling herself Mary Shelley though she is not Shelley though she is not yet married to Percy) yet married to Percy) spend the summer with spend the summer with Lord Byron at his villa by Lord Byron at his villa by Lake Geneva in Lake Geneva in Switzerland.Switzerland.

The weather being too The weather being too cold to carry out normal cold to carry out normal summer activities, the summer activities, the group reside indoors group reside indoors staying up all night in staying up all night in intellectual discussions. intellectual discussions. They often sit around the They often sit around the fire reading German ghost fire reading German ghost stories.stories.

Illustration from the 1831 edition.

Climate and the writing of Climate and the writing of Frankenstein Frankenstein (continued)(continued)

Lord Byron suggests Lord Byron suggests that to entertain that to entertain themselves indoors themselves indoors each of them write his each of them write his or her own supernatural or her own supernatural tale.tale.

During this time Mary During this time Mary Godwin conceived of the Godwin conceived of the idea for idea for FrankensteinFrankenstein..

Therefore, being shut in Therefore, being shut in due to the weather due to the weather caused by a volcanic caused by a volcanic winter brought about winter brought about the occasion of the the occasion of the writing of this famous writing of this famous novel.novel.

Boris Karloff as the Monster in 1931.