ISSN 1226-8682

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Polite Invitation to the Literature of Moral Truth

Bora Im

Pages : 45-60

DOI : http://dx.doi.org/10.21559/aellk.2023.49.3.003

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Abstract

Im, Bora. ¡°Polite Invitation to the Literature of Moral Truth.¡± Studies in English Language & Literature 49.3 (2023): 45-60. This paper aims to explore the literary scope of William Godwin, one of the outstanding writers of Britain in the eighteenth century. Godwin composed works such as The Enquirer, St Dunstan, and Caleb Williams. Godwin¡¯s major text is Political Justice, where he examines and tries to establish moral truth. In Political Justice, Godwin highlights the importance of reason, truth, justice, private judgment, public debate and discussion. Godwin¡¯s intriguing ideas and belief had responses from the major Romantic poets like Samuel Taylor Coleridge, Percy Bysshe Shelley and William Wordsworth. Godwin wanted his own country to witness the better society where public debate and discussion flourished. Godwin¡¯s emphasis on the increase of knowledge and virtue as well as the dissemination of truth in his Political Justice contributed to the formation of Britain in the eighteenth century. (Jeonbuk National University)

Keywords

# moral truth # Political Justice # Britain # literature # the eighteenth century

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