Galileo Conflict Essay

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Recommended: The Relations Between Religion and Science

The idea that the human spirit grows strong by encountering conflict is an idea that is very open for debate. While it has been witnessed that people are strengthened in response to overcoming a struggle, there are also times in which others are not so fortunate, being destroyed by their experience. Prime examples of these varying situations include war veterans, adrenaline junkies, and even everyday people. An exceptional case that displays both points of view comes from Bertolt Brecht's Life of Galileo, a historical, yet fictional play inspired by the life of Galileo Galilei, in which both the inter and intra personal conflicts are explored, and how each affected Galileo.

Overcoming fear, the most powerful personal conflict, is one of the …show more content…

Despite the widely held Catholic belief of a geocentric universe, renowned mathematician Galileo Galilei holds firm to Nicolaus Copernicus' theory of the heliocentric universe, even privately tutoring his housekeeper's son, Andrea Sarti about astronomy. Upon the invention of the telescope, Galileo makes a discovery that shakes astronomy to its core: that the universe is in motion. Convinced by his strong belief in 'human reason', Galileo publishes his discoveries, stirring up mass controversy between the Catholic Church and the people of Italy. Because of this, Galileo creates many enemies in the Church, but his doubters only inspire him to work harder to convince the world the truth that the Earth is not the centre of the universe. However, as time goes on, Galileo begins to lose followers, as well as being betrayed by his own daughter, Virginia, due to their differing beliefs, soon falling victim to the Inquisition. Now faced with an even greater conflict, a personal conflict, Galileo crumbles, recanting his theory. Years later, an old and seemingly broken man, Galileo reveals to his former student, Andrea Sarti, that he has been secretly working behind the back of the Church. While Galileo was once strengthened by his opposition, and later seemingly destroyed, he serves as a prime example of the circumstances in which people can be both broken and strengthened by

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