The Life of Galileo Themes

Both Brecht and Galileo lived in societies that were characterized by the desire to do things differently than they’d been done in the past. In Galileo’s time, science introduced knowledge and ideas that were at odds with centuries of religious teachings about the nature of the world. In Brecht’s day, this desire for change was political. People were tired of wars and the political systems that caused them: they wanted change and some believed that…

Modern readers are accustomed to the rigors of free scientific debate, which allows for a variety of viewpoints, so long as data exist to reinforce one’s positions. Even in more esoteric worlds like philosophy and politics, few arguments are taboo as long as they are presented both with good intent and reason. Such freedoms, though, are a modern victory—sometimes a very modern one. In Brecht’s day, citizens of the United States faced severe repercussions, including…

Brecht’s Galileo is a genius who wants nothing more than to keep his eyes firmly trained on the night sky, looking for answers to large-scale questions about existence and thinking about the way the universe works. He sees this labor as his true calling. Yet, as astronomy isn’t a well-paid profession in Galileo’s time, he finds himself constantly torn between his passion and the banal requirements of day-to-day life, like making money to pay for…

The “Great Man” theory of historical progress, which was developed in the nineteenth century, argues that history is shaped not by the cumulative lives of everyday people, but by a handful of individuals (who, despite the name, need not be men). According to this theory, such people are possessed of greater thoughts and are capable of greater deeds than their peers, and they move humanity forward in a way of which they alone are capable…