Things as They are, or, The Adventures of Caleb Williams; Volume 3

by William Godwin

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364 pages, Paperback

First published March 1, 2010

About the author

William Godwin was the son and grandson of strait-laced Calvinist ministers. Strictly-raised, he followed in paternal footsteps, becoming a minister by age 22. His reading of atheist d'Holbach and others caused him to lose both his belief in the doctrine of eternal damnation, and his ministerial position. Through further reading, Godwin gradually became godless. He promoted anarchism (but not anarchy). His Political Justice and The Enquirer (1793) argued for morality without religion, causing a scandal. He followed that philosophical book with a trail-blazing fictional adventure-detective story, Caleb Williams (1794), to introduce readers to his ideas in a popular format. Godwin, a leading thinker and author ranking in his day close to Thomas Paine, was enormously influential among famous peers.

He and Mary Wollstonecraft, author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman, secretly married in 1797. She died tragically after giving birth to daughter Mary in 1797. Godwin's loving but candid biography of his wife, Memoirs of the Author of A Vindication of the Rights of Woman (1798), further scandalized society. Godwin, caring not only for the baby Mary, but her half-sister Fanny, remarried. He and his second wife opened a bookshop for children. Godwin, out of necessity, became a proficient author of children's books, employing a pseudonym due to his notoriety. His daughter Mary, at 16, famously ran off with poet Percy Shelley, whose Necessity of Atheism was influenced by Godwin. Mary's novel Frankenstein also paid homage to her father's views. Godwin's life was marked by poverty and further domestic tragedies. Godwin's prized manuscript attacked the Christian religion and was intended to free the mind from slavery. The Genius of Christianity Unveiled: in a Series of Essays was published only many years after his death.

Reviews

[Maria · Rating 4 out of 5]

The story itself was engaging and the narrative was pleasant to read, right up until the last few bits.

I know this is not a very modern book and it therefore should not be judged by modern day sentiments, but I can't help but remark that the main character was kind of indoctrinated by the society he lived in. He judged his antagonist by the amount of esteem his antagonist received by society as did the rest of society. In other words reputation was the grounds on which even in the court of justice people were condemned or protected. Of course the main character was also personally in awe of this personage, but knowing what actions were done by this personage, I find it strange that his judgment didn't change, but instead he felt like he himself became a criminal for going against what the society believed and exposing the deeds of one with a high reputation.
In other words, MC felt guilt for spoiling the reputation of a man, because this man was worthy of such a good reputation, even though his deeds would certainly blemish this good reputation.

In today's modern age, a crime so heinous it destroys a person's good reputation is enough for someone to not be worthy this good reputation, but in the story people could be worthy of a good reputation despite their heinous deeds.

The difference seems to be in what was it that can deem a person worthy of a good reputation. This story claims a man with good manners, wisdom and benevolence is a worthy man, apparently worthy enough that his misdemeaners, how gravely they'd be, can and should be excused, because revealing them has consequences to the reputation of the one who exposes them. In today's world a man worthy of a good reputation is one who does good to people and is always polite and kind. Any misdemeanor is a blemish and the people have the right to know about it. The ones trying to conceal rather than expose those are sure to lose a bit of their good reputation.

If only our protagonist was living in modern times!