Religion/superstition/ emotion
V
Science/reason/logic:
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P7 – ‘where faith has been
enthroned doubt now sits’
P7 Builders use logic not
assumptions
Giordano Bruno – burnt at
the stake for putting science
before religion – P15
"Today mankind can write in
its diary: Got rid of Heaven"
(page 24)
P28 Sagredo questions 'then
where is God?'
Sagredo does not believe
that people will put reason
before superstition but
Galileo does p29 and p33
Sagredo p29 says 'Forty
years spent amongst human
beings has again and again
brought it home to me that
they are not open to reason
Galileo p31- don’t tell me
people like that cant grasp
the truth. They grab at it.
Emotion and truth always
exist together- Sagredo calls
truth disastrous p.33
Galileo and the philosopher
Individual freedom/self
V
Social harmony/state(church):
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P7 – ‘the old days are over’
Draught blowing up skirts of
princes and prelates
Marxist thinking = universe has
lost its centre overnight and
woken up to find it has
countless centres
Sagredo is concerned that in
Florence Galileo wont enjoy
the freedom he does in Venice
and he will be burnt at the
stake like Bruno
Virginia wants to look through
the telescope but Galileo
dismisses her (pg31)- she is a
woman- so he wants equality
only in some areas- she must
know her place still
p.43 workers undoubted truth
vs powerful who ignore- cling
to old values
Mrs Sarti stays and works in
plague p. 45
Selfishness in the plague vs
caring for others (woman vs
old woman risks her health
leaving milk for Galileo) p.49
p.52 "Which is better: I ask
Internal conflict
(conflict in the self):
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Galileo in scene 1 =
harmonious internally
Andrea – school vs Galileo
Anxious knowledge is
dangerous, not enough
time to research, not
clever enough
(steals telescope)
selfish/deceitful
vs
desire for knowledge
+equality
Sagredo was afraid to
accept the truth (scene 3
page 24)
Galileo wants equality
between classes but is
happy to be sexist
Galileo is prepared to give
up his honour to gain
money and time for
research (being
sycophantic to gain a
place at the court in
Florence p32- wondering
if his letter is submissive
enough
Andrea- his mother vs
Science
V
Economic
needs/health/family:
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Is research for its own sake 
O.K? – Yes says Galileo No 
says procurator – we want
inventions to make money
(P7)
Galileo is not at all ashamed
that he tricked the
Procurator into thinking he
invented the telescope
'How am I suppose to work
with the bailiffs in the
house?" pg 26
Galileo keeps researching in
the plague p44 (internal
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conflict)
Prioritising research over
health- asks for book p.49
Other:
Plague vs society
The certainty
and support and
meaning that
faith gives versus
the uncertainty
of science p.65
The whole
drama of the
world is
constructed
around them,
(peasants)
Conflict between
what the truth is
and what we’d
like it to be –
Galileo says he
can’t change
facts about
triangles to suit
the church p.68
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have different concepts of
truth- believes in Aristotle
model p. 42
Scene 6- Church investigates
Galileo's theories- monks etc
mock Galileo but apparently 
Galileo wins 'reason has
won'
Monks represent very old
cardinal - entrenched
power/old beliefs p.54
Very old cardinal threatens 
Galileo- you remind me of
Bruno p.53
Little Monk –
science/curiosity versus the
church – end of scene 8 he is
engrossed in Galileo’s papers 
you: to have an eclipse of the
moon happen three days later
than the calendar says, or
never to have eternal salvation
at all?"
Galileo's freedom is
disappearing- he threatens the
power of the established
system- secretaries, cardinal
etc inquisitor hints at danger
(scene 7)- ball
Galileo argues that the
peasants suffer because those
in power do not care – it’s not
about God – the church is used
to keep the rich in power and
the poor poor 66 67
S
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desire to learn (betrayed
vs learning p.49)
Guilt- Andrea's mum sick
The little monk- faithful
to religion or science- p.
54 (Theologians must
change heavens)
Clavius- agrees with
Galileo (despite majority
view)
Barberini is conflictedadmires Galileo but
supports church. Advises
Galileo to use a mask as
he does p. 61
Little Monk – scene 8 He
sees that Galileo is
correct about the moons
of Jupiter but he doesn’t
want to give up his faith
Galileo is in Scene 8 still
believe in reason but
realises truth has to be
forced through and relies
on people thinking. Not
suffering internally
apparently scene 8 –
prepared to suffer for
truth? Says if he kept
quiet would be a coward
p67
Religion/superstition/ emotion
V
Science/reason/logic:
Individual freedom/self
V
Social harmony/state(church):
(Even class conflict?)
Internal conflict
(conflict in the self):
Science
V
Economic
needs/health/family:
Other:
Virginia and Mrs Sarti discuss
star signs – superstition is more
important than reason to them
p.71
Manufacturers are seen to be
allied with reason p. 87 – Vanni
Barberini becomes the symbol
of this conflict when he
becomes pope scene 12 The
inquisitor says ‘Are we to base
human society on doubt and no
longer on faith?’ Points out the
dangers to the church of
Gallileop. 92
Yet the inquisitor argues that
the Galileo’s star charts should
be used for business’ sake p.93
Andrea and Little Monk state
that once the truth is known
and discovered ‘no force will
help them (the church) to make
what as been seen unseen.’
P.96
By recanting Galileo set science
back by many years – p.103
Galileo has secretly completed
the Discorsi (p. 105 – 106
Galileo openly states that
Galileo confronts Ludovico’s
conservative views about the
peasants and threatens to stir
them up and write his ideas in
Italian – the language ordinary
people will understand p.79
Scene 10 p. 82depicts the concept
that Galileo’s ideas might disrupt
the social order via a ballad (like a
pop song in that time that
ordinary people sang and
enjoyed). Galileo Galilei the bible
buster
11 – Galileo is rejected by
authority – Grand Duke and taken
by the Inquisition p. 90
Andrea feels betrayed when
Galileo recants ‘Unhappy the land
that has no heroes’ p.98
Galileo in Scene 14 is writing a
book in support of the church (p.
101 better to hand out soup in
Christian love than pay them
more) and is effectively under
house arrest by the Inquisition
Galileo feels that despite writing
the Discorsi he failed because he
recanted – he was a coward.
Someone who knows the
truth and calls it a lie is a
crook says Galileo p.70
throws out Mucius
Galileo demonstrates a
deliberate ? failure to see the
danger he is in in Scene 11
refusing help from Vanni – is
this internal conflict – not
facing truth?
Barberini is now Pope and
deeply conflicted in that
position in Scene 12. He
doesn’t want to deny science
but he has to be the pope –
only when fully robed as The
Pope does he allow for the
instruments of torture to be
shown to Galileo p.94
Despite the belief of his
followers Galileo recants p.
98 (so contradicts himself –
seep.67 and p.70.
Andrea seems to forgive
Galileo p. 109
Virginia has been neglected by
her father as he just keeps on
‘putting those little bits of ice
on water’ p71
Galileo is keeping quiet about
sunspots etc – doesn’t want to
get burnt at the stake p. 73
Mrs Sarti accuses Galileo of
choosing science over Virginia’s
happiness – p.78 Ludovico
does reject Virginia p.80 and
she faints.\
Galileo refuses help from
businessman Vanni p. 88
Virginia wants Galileo to recant
and avoid death – she prays for
him p. 96
Andrea tries to justify Galileo’s
actions – better stained than
empty p. 106, but Galileo says
he didn’t plan to recant so the
Discorsi could be written he
was just scared.
Galileo says he sold out and
that Science is not honourable
Used to be his pupil
so now he’s his
enemy says Virginia
of Andrea – what
conflicts does this
explore? P. 102
Science aims to turn us all into
doubters.
Supersition, greed and laziness
allow reason through in the last
scene – fear of witches and a
desire to eat mean the Discorsi
make it out of Italy. Ironic. P.
113
Science is involved in the
betterment of mankind ‘Had I
stood firm
the scientists could have
developed a vow ….to use their
knowledge exclusively for
mankind’s benefit. P. 109 So the
way a conflict is handled can have
huge consequences for
generations to come?