William Godwin

William Godwin
William Godwin
	Portrait by Henry William Pickersgill
Born	3 March 1756; Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, England
Died	7 April 1836 (aged 80); Westminster, Middlesex, England
Education	Hoxton Academy
Notable work	Enquiry Concerning Political Justice; Things as They Are;
Spouses	; Mary Wollstonecraft (m. 1797; died 1797) ; Mary Jane Clairmont (m. 1801)
Era	Modern philosophy Age of Enlightenment; 19th-century philosophy; ;
Region	Western philosophy British philosophy; ;
School	Philosophical anarchism; Utilitarianism;
Main interests	Society; Politics; Ethics;
Notable ideas	Anarchism; Poet as legislator;
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William Godwin (3 March 1756 – 7 April 1836) was an English journalist, political philosopher and novelist. He is considered one of the first exponents of utilitarianism and the first modern proponent of anarchism.^[1] Godwin is most famous for two books that he published within the space of a year: An Enquiry Concerning Political Justice, an attack on political institutions, and Things as They Are; or, The Adventures of Caleb Williams, an early mystery novel which attacks aristocratic privilege. Based on the success of both, Godwin featured prominently in the radical circles of London in the 1790s. He wrote prolifically in the genres of novels, history and demography throughout his life.

In the conservative reaction to British radicalism, Godwin was attacked, in part because of his marriage to the feminist writer Mary Wollstonecraft in 1797 and his candid biography of her after her death from childbirth. Their daughter, later known as Mary Shelley, would go on to write Frankenstein and marry the poet Percy Bysshe Shelley. With his second wife, Mary Jane Clairmont, Godwin set up The Juvenile Library, allowing the family to write their own works for children (sometimes using noms de plume) and translate and publish many other books, some of enduring significance. Godwin has had considerable influence on British literature and literary culture.

^ Philp, Mark (20 May 2006). "William Godwin". In Zalta, Edward N. (ed.). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

[1] Philp, Mark (20 May 2006). "William Godwin". In Zalta, Edward N. (ed.). Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy.

[1]

William Godwin
Portrait by Henry William Pickersgill
Born	(1756-03-03)3 March 1756 Wisbech, Cambridgeshire, England
Died	7 April 1836(1836-04-07) (aged 80) Westminster, Middlesex, England
Education	Hoxton Academy
Notable work	Enquiry Concerning Political Justice Things as They Are
Spouses	Mary Wollstonecraft (m. 1797; died 1797) Mary Jane Clairmont (m. 1801)

Era	Modern philosophy Age of Enlightenment 19th-century philosophy
Region	Western philosophy British philosophy
School	Philosophical anarchism Utilitarianism
Main interests	Society Politics Ethics
Notable ideas	Anarchism Poet as legislator

Signature