But there could be an even more interesting possibility still buried in galileos notes and letters. Galileo galilei was born in pisa, italy, on february 18, 1564, to a family of aristocratic lineage but average wealth. In galileos time, new scientific ideas were emerging that challenged centuries of religious understanding of the world. Galileo tried to use the ideas of church fathers and doctors to show that the condemnation of copernicanism would be inappropriate. His telescopes allowed him to reveal the heavens and enforce the astounding argument that the earth moves around the sun.
Inspired by a long fascination with galileo, and by the remarkable surviving letters of his daughter maria celeste, a cloistered nun, dava sobel has crafted a biography that dramatically recolors the personality and accomplishments of a mythic figure whose earlyseventeenthcentury clash with catholic doctrine continues to define the schism between science and religionthe man albert einstein. A historical memoir of science, faith, and love, brings the famous scientist vividly to life while offering a unique perspective on his trial for. The life of galileo summary from litcharts the creators of. The eldest of galileos children was his daughter virginia, who took the name suor maria celeste in the convent. Sobel reveals that this first letter is one of the 124 letters that survived both father and daughter. If there is a sparknotes, shmoop, or cliff notes guide, we will have it listed. I have been reading a lot of biographies lately something i had sworn, i would never have an interest in, and this one is unique because it primarily focuses on the relationship between. An important contribution to the history of science by walter gilberti 1 march 2000 dava sobel, galileo s daughter. Galileo s daughter dramatically recolors the personality and accomplishment of a mythic figure whose seventeenthcentury clash with catholic doctrine continues to define the schism between science and religion. The memory keepers daughter is divided into seven major parts designated by the years in which the events in the novel occur 1964, 1965, 1970. Oct 21, 2009 the eldest of galileo s children was his daughter virginia, who took the name suor maria celeste in the convent. Galileo s daughter is organized around a series of letters that suor maria celeste wrote to galileo from may 1623, when galileo was 59 and already celebrated throughout europe, until april 1634, when she died of dysentary.
The cardinal inquisitor speaks with galileos daughter virginia. One hundred and twenty letters from maria to her famous father survive, and these are the. When he was seventeen, his father, a noted musician who also earned money in the wool trade, sent him to study medicine at the university of pisa. A historical memoir of science, faith and love by dava sobel for those of you aware of the fact that galileo galilei, developed the first reliable telescope, dropped cannonballs off the leaning tower of pisa in his study of gravity, and was convicted by the inquisition for holding a heretical belief that the earth. Did the book change any of your opinions, and if so, how. The book is about the heretical scientist galileo galilei, based on letters from his daughter. Find all available study guides and summaries for galileos daughter by dava sobel. Dive deep into dava sobels galileos daughter with extended analysis.
We follow the development of galileo s ideas and writings and how they were thwarted. Galileos notebooks may reveal secrets of new planet date. Galileos daughter by dava sobel begins with a letter written on may 10, 1623 from suor maria celeste to her father, galileo. The program is based on dava sobel s bestselling book, galileo s daughter, which reveals a new side to the famously stubborn. Inspired by a long fascination with galileo, and by the remarkable surviving letters of galileo s daughter, a cloistered nun, dava sobel has written a biography unlike any other of the man albert einstein called the father of modern physics indeed of modern science altogether. Dava sobel explores the life and times of galileo galilei in her partly epistolary, partly historic book galileos daughter. The life of galileo summary from litcharts the creators of sparknotes. If there is a galileo s daughter sparknotes, shmoop guide, or cliff notes, you can find a link to each study guide below.
The life of galileo study guide from litcharts the creators. But an equally intriguing drama existed in the discovery of that swing. Galileo galilei was born in pisa italy in the same year as shakespeare, 1564, of father vincenzio galilei and giulia ammannati galilei. Galileos notebooks may reveal secrets of new planet. A historical memoir of science, faith, and love summary, chapterbychapter analysis, book notes, essays, quotes, character descriptions, lesson plans, and more everything you need for studying or teaching galileos daughter. Yes, galileo had a daughter, in fact two daughters and a son, the illegitimate offspring of a liaison with a venetian beauty. Galileos daughter, born of his long illicit liaison with the beautifulmarina gamba of venice, entered the world in the summerheat of a new century, on august, 1600the same year thedominican. Galileos daughter, born of his long illicit liaison with the beautifulmarina gamba of venice, entered the world in the summerheat of a new century, on. Galileos daughter, born of his long illicit liaison with the beautiful marina gamba of venice, entered the world in the summer heat of a new century, on august, 1600the same year the dominican friar giordano bruno was burned at the stake in rome for insisting, among his many heresies and blasphemies, that the earth traveled around the. In the first scene, he is a lecturer at the university of padua, living with his daughter virginia and housekeeper, mrs. Galileos daughter summary and analysis like sparknotes. It details the relationship between renaissance scientist galileo and his daughter suor maria celeste, a nun. Galileos daughter is the story of both galileo and his wise and intelligent older daughter. It is based on the surviving letters of galileo galileis daughter, the.
Freebooknotes found 9 sites with book summaries or analysis of galileos daughter. This is the story of galileo s life with actual historical record commentary from vatican documents and the letters written by galileo s daughter in a convent, the nun sister maria celeste. Galileo, however, soon turned to a career in mathematics. The letter to the grand duchess christina is an essay written in 1615 by galileo galilei. It is based on the surviving letters of galileo galilei s daughter, the nun suor maria celeste, and explores the relationship between galileo and his daughter. Inspired by a long fascination with galileo, and by the remarkable surviving letters of galileos daughter, a cloistered nun, acclaimed writer dava sobel has written a biography unlike any other of the man albert einstein called the father of modern physicsindeed of modern science altogether. A reasonable work and interesting for trying to convey the life and times of galileo s daughter as well as the life of the great man himself. Sobel, a wellknown science writer, based the book on maria celeste s 124 surviving letters. Unfortunately, none of the physicist s corresponding letters to his daughter have survived. This book, entitled galileos daughter is a dual biography, both of galileo and of his eldest daughter, a cloistered nun of the poor clares. Nov 01, 2000 dava sobel has had a lifelong fascination with galileo and her latest book,galileos daughter.
A historical memoir of science, faith, and love is a book by dava sobel. A historical memoir of science, faith and love by dava sobel about the book dava sobel has had a lifelong fascination with galileo and her latest book,galileos daughter. What impressions or ideas did you have about galileo before reading sobels book. Galileo galilei was the foremost scientist of his day. Galileos daughter summary and analysis like sparknotes free.
The intention of this letter was to accommodate copernicanism with the doctrines of the catholic church. It is a mystery as to what happened to galileo s letters to maria. Galileo study guide contains a biography of bertolt brecht, literature essays. Galileo s daughter, born of his long illicit liaison with the beautiful marina gamba of venice, entered the world in the summer heat of a new century, on august, 1600the same year the dominican friar giordano bruno was burned at the stake in rome for insisting, among his many heresies and blasphemies, that the earth traveled around the sun. Nova galileos battle for the heavens tv episode 2002 imdb. It is also in part a fascinating chronicle of a 17th century clash between science and catholic doctrine. Galileos daughter is the story of both galileo and his wise and intelligent older daughter, maria celeste. Galileos daughter summary and analysis free book notes. Though he never left italy, his inventions and discoveries were heralded around the world. Oct 01, 1999 galileo s daughter is the biography of the great philosopher and astronomer, with some loving letters by his daughter interspersed throughout the narrative. One hundred and twenty letters from maria to her famous father survive, and these are. With simon callow, john fraser, cornelius garrett, alexa jago.
The first is the time in which the play is set galileos italy in the 1600s, and the second is the time in which the play was written brechts europe in the 1930s. Galileo s daughter by dava sobel begins with a letter written on may 10, 1623 from suor maria celeste to her father, galileo. With maria celeste, apparently his most gifted child, galileo carried on a long. Our summaries and analyses are written by experts, and your questions are. Sobel, author of the bestselling longitude 1995, has elegantly translated the letters galileo s eldest child, virginia, wrote to him and uses them as a leitmotif to illuminate their deep mutual love, religious faith, and dedication to science. A historical memoir of science, faith, and love, brings the famous scientist vividly to life while offering a unique perspective on his trial for heresy and subsequent years under house arrest.
It is a mystery as to what happened to galileos letters to maria celeste. There is an immense drama in the stars, in the way the planets swing around one another. Moving between galileo s grand public life and maria celeste s sequestered world, sobel illuminates the florence of the medicis and the. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of galileos daughter by dava sobel. If there is a galileos daughter sparknotes, shmoop guide, or cliff notes, you can find a link to each study guide below. On a snowy night in lexington, kentucky, in 1964, dr. In what ways did the insertion of the fulllength letters of suor maria celeste, and the excerpts from the rule of saint clare and the testimony from galileo s trial, affect the narrative flow of the story. Galileo teaches in pisa, and reportedly makes his famous velocity experiment, dropping objects off the leaning tower to disprove aristotles theory that heavier objects fall faster than lighter ones. Dava sobel explores the life and times of galileo galilei in her partly epistolary, partly historic book galileo s daughter. She also supplied the class with her translations of all 124 letters from maria celeste to galileo.
152 26 1075 993 1407 67 1084 1224 1304 97 141 1365 618 1559 480 963 1 1269 1171 979 1181 1014 474 1365 780 1024 230 378 1399 893 230 823 327 1518 942 22 390 1091 49 652 964 283 967 414 877 1420 796 660 1148 295 554