Key statements:
- On one level, Brecht depicts Galileo as someone who, when faced with the instruments of torture/death, would sacrifice their principles and favour survival.
- The conflict tests Galileo’s resilience; he admits that he succumbs to physical pressure and gives in to the church when he sees the instruments of torture. (It is hard to be resilient when one sees the instruments of torture.)
- Many people refuse to adapt to change because they may lose power and status (church authorities).
- Many people (church authorities) cling to outdated or traditional views because they fear the erosion of power.
- However, Brecht also suggests that we often act in contradictory ways or may not always be aware of the unintended consequences of our actions. Sometimes we sacrifice our principles but this might turn out for the best; Galileo completes his life’s work.
The ideological clash between views and values: conflict often occurs when progressive views held by individuals threaten the status quo: in this case, powerful social, political and religious institutions may react brutally as they seek to defend traditional and conservative views and values.
Causes: What appears to be a simple clash between science and religion is more complicated: it becomes a clash between a church that is desperate to protect its power base, and a scientist who wants to empower the peasants and encourage them to take interest in, and gain knowledge of, a world, and ideas, that directly affect them.
Consequences: in such cases powerful institutions work swiftly to silence individuals who threaten their power base. Often this clash leads to violent threats and personal or professional smear campaigns; this involves a high degree of pain, grief and suffering on behalf of notable individuals such as Galileo.
In many ways, Cardinal Bellarmin and Cardinal Barberini seek to depict Galileo as arrogant because he questions the intentions of the higher Being. “We have shifted the responsibility for such occurrences as we cannot understand – life is made up of them – to a higher Being, and argued that all of them contribute to the fulfilment of certain intentions, that the whole thing is taking place according to a great plan… but now you come along and accuse this higher being of not being quite clear how the stars move, whereas you yourself are.”
What are the consequences?
Prophetically the Inquisitor states: “and greatness is occasionally a difficult burden for those on whom God has bestowed it”.
- Church: pursues a narrow-minded and arrogant course to protect its power base; ensure its dominance of the people by keeping them ignorant;.
- Galileo; the search for scientific truth has personal and professional consequences
- Virginia; becomes a (by-passer casualty) victim of Galileo’s conflict and must sacrifice her proposed marriage to Ludovico because of the position adopted by Galileo; the Inquisitor seeks to influence Virginia, hoping that she will pressurise her father. Virginia is preparing for her imminent marriage; the Inquisitor knows that if the earth is more vast than one originally believes, then “a cardinal might get lost in such vast distances and the Almighty might lose sight of the Pope himself” so it is important to remain “close to your great father whom we all esteem so highly, my dear child”.
GALILEO: the scientist and his theories
Galileo’s theory contradicted the Catholic Church’s belief (at the time) that the Earth was at the centre of God’s universe which reinforced the central position of the Pope in the world. Galileo’s views reflect those of Copernicus that the earth is just one planet that revolves around the sun. According to the church, this theory was blasphemous (goes against God) and the Inquisitor (and the church) insist that he recant his views.
The church believes that Galileo’s theory threatens their authority.
“Mr Galileo (Ballarmin tells him), tonight the Holy Office decided that the doctrine of Copernicus, according to which the sun is motionless and at the centre of the cosmos, while the earth moves and is not at the centre of the cosmos, is foolish, absurd, heretical and contrary to our faith”. I have been charged to warn you that you must abandon this view.” Galileo is entitled to his scientific views as long as they are simply a hypothesis; they must not be presented as fact. The Cardinal wishes that Galileo would wear his “mask” for his own protection and so that he can appear as a lamb, and a good “orthodox thinker”.
The church’s theory is that the earth is the centre of the universe. The sun revolves around the earth. This means that human beings are the most important thing in God’s creation. They are central to God’s design.
Galileo pursues his interest in science, because he believes that eventually the authorities will be forced to recognise the truth. He wants people to understand which is “why I go on working and buying expensive books instead of paying the milkman”, but his believe in man’s reason is problematic.
Galileo hopes that if he continues his work quietly he will be unnoticed by the authorities. He underestimates the extent of his threat to the authorities. (“I’ve written a book about the mechanics of the universe, that’s all. What people make of it or don’t make of it isn’t my business.” (88)
THE INQUISITOR
The Inquisitor represents the views of the church authorities. They believe that if the peasants start talking about the “phases of Venus” they may even start to question the work of God. They may not see God as responsible for all miracles. ((92) They are annoyed that Galileo writes his theories of astronomy in the “idiom of fishwives and merchants”. (92) If the workers talk about these theories they may start to question God’s authority.
LUDOVICO’S THEORIES (SCENE 9) / Opposition
Ludovico explains the perspective of the landowners and farmers. They do not want the peasants talking about the change to the universe. They believe that it would disrupt their livelihood and the status quo. (normal divisions)
“They could be upset if they heard that frivolous attacks on the church’s sacred doctrines were in future to go unpunished” (79) Even the ballad singer, states “for independent spirit spreads like foul diseases”… Who wouldn’t like to say and do just as he pleases?” (84)
CLASH OF IDEOLOGY/ CONFLICT INVOLVES A CLASH OF INTERESTS
Conflict often occurs when progressive views held by individuals threaten the status quo. In this case powerful social, political and religious institutions may react brutally as they seek to defend traditional and conservative views and values. They often seek to silence individuals who threaten their power base. Often this clash leads to violent threats; this involves a high degree of pain, grief and suffering on behalf of Galileo.
INDIVIDUAL’S RESPONSE TO CONFLICT/ DIFFICULT CHOICES
“Someone who doesn’t know the truth is just thick-headed. But someone who does know it, and calls it a lie is a crook”. (Andrea quotes Galileo’s views.) (95) Andrea’s comments imply that Galileo is a fraud because he does not stick to the truth.
Faced with the threat of death, Galileo recants (confesses).
- Galileo admits that “I recanted because I was afraid of physical pain.” (107). “they showed me the instruments.”
- He is depicted as a person who fears for the loss of his life. He is someone who values the sensuality and physical nature of life.
- Brecht depicts Galileo as someone who loves the simple pleasures of life and does not want to give them up. His food and wine are a constant source of pleasure to him.
- The Inquisitor rightly concludes that G is a “man of flesh” and would “give in immediately” (93)
- The Pope also describes G as a sensual person:.. “he enjoys himself more than any man I have ever met. His thinking springs from sensuality.” (93)
RESPONSE ** Every essay on Galileo
- Galileo believes that he has shamefully compromised his principles and betrayed science.
He believes that he has diminished his status in society and he no longer counts himself as a “member” of the “world of science” . “I betrayed my profession” (108-9) “A man who does what I did cannot be tolerated in the ranks of society.” “As a scientist I had a unique opportunity to change things.” “If one man had put up a fight it might have had tremendous repercussions.” (109) - He believes that his work could have been as important as the doctor’s Hippocratic oath – “a vow to use their knowledge exclusively for mankind’s benefit” (109)
- Prophetically, he believes that if scientists are brought “to heel by self-interested rulers” then this will “cripple” science.
- After Galileo recants, science is paralysed. Even Andrea noticed, “it caused a setback most gratifying to the church”
- Retrospectively, Galileo believes he should have stuck to his core values and defended his scientific principles.
Andrea’s response (separate point)
Galileo gives Andrea his “Discorsi” which contains many of his new theories that he has been doing in secret. Andrea believes that Galileo has been particularly calculating. He believes that Galileo recanted in order to continue his masterful work and exploration.
- Andrea seeks to excuse Galileo’s decision by stating that “fearing death is human”. “Human weaknesses don’t matter to science.” (107)
- Andrea praises Galileo and believes that he is, “even in matters of ethics”, “centuries ahead of us”.
- He believes that Galileo has cleverly trumped the enemy. His motto was, “better stained than empty”. (He has stained his name, but at least his submission has yielded ground-breaking theories.)
- He repeats, “”you were simply backing out of a hopeless political wrangle in order to get on with the real business of science.” (106)
- (Galileo has been able to conduct scientific studies “on a modest scale under clerical supervision.” (103) Andrea states that if he had given in to them, “at the stake in a halo of flames the other side would have won” . (106)
Impact on others: Virginia for example : Galileo’s theories and exploitation do have an impact upon his daughter, Virginia, and her marriage to Ludovico. The housekeeper, Mrs Sarti, chastises (criticises) Galileo and tells him that “you have no right to trample all over your daughter’s happiness with your great feet” (78)
Best parallels:
- Raif Badawi – individual versus state/religious dictatorship – state – run theology – Saudi Arabia
- Many commentators such as the British conservatives label climate change deniers as the modern-day “flat earthers”
- Blasphemy laws… it is a crime to defame Mohammed/ prophet (Charlie Hebdo). In countries like Pakistan, Christians are persecuted because they are charged with the crime of blasphemy.
In times of conflict people show us what is worth fighting for
“They put an AK474 to my head, but I laughed at them” says Souad Nofal a school teacher who stood up to ISIS. So enraged was Ms Nofal at the hypocritical religious beliefs of the ISIS militants that she stood for more than two months outside the ISIS headquarters in Raqqa carrying placards. Each placard criticised the group’s ideology and behaviour. “Show us your religion through decency, compassion and good deeds, ” was one such demand.
LINK TO PROMPT: Ms Nofal ‘s courage shows that during times of conflict individuals are often forced to defend their principles in the face for death. She also exposes the gulf between a group’s pretended ideals and their real values. She said that the group also practice slavery and intolerance towards all infidels or “non-believers.” EXAMPLE…
Also refer to: Background to Galileo and the context
Best parallels with Galileo
Back to conflict summary page