Skip to content
William Godwin

File:William_Godwin_by_Henry_William_Pickersgill.jpg · Wikimedia Commons · See Wikimedia Commons

EntityQ188569· pop 73· linked from 1,704 articles

William Godwin

Sign in to save

English journalist, political philosopher and novelist

OverviewAI-generated

William Godwin (1756–1836) was a male writer, novelist, philosopher, and journalist born in Wisbech. A native French speaker who wrote in English, he is associated with the political ideologies of anarchism and philosophical anarchism. His notable works include *Mandeville*, *The adventures of Caleb Williams, or, Things as they are;*, *Uncollected writings*, and *Godwin's Political Justice*. He was married to Mary Wollstonecraft and had two children, Mary Shelley and Claire Clairmont.

Godwin’s writings addressed political philosophy and atheism. He is described in sources such as the *Brockhaus and Efron Encyclopedic Dictionary*, *The Nuttall Encyclopædia*, and the *Encyclopædia Britannica* 11th edition. He died in London and was buried at St Pancras Old Church in Camden. His country of citizenship included the Kingdom of Great Britain and the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland.

Synthesized by Vinony from 33 facts across 8 sources: Wikidata, Crossref, Open Library, MusicBrainz, Last.fm, Wikiquote, Europeana Sparql, Vinony graph. Generated from structured data (not the Wikipedia text) and checked against those facts — may still contain errors.

Person · Open Library

Works
240

via Open Library + Wikidata

Wikidata facts

Instance of
human
Given name
William
Gender
male
Place of birth
Wisbech
Place of death
London
Languages spoken
English language
Native language
French
Religion
atheism
Image
William Godwin by Henry William Pickersgill.jpg
Political ideology
anarchism
Show 9 more facts
Commons category
William Godwin
date of birth
1756-00-00
date of death
1836-00-00
Commons gallery
William Godwin
name in native language
William Godwin
writing language
English language
Sources (2)

via Wikidata · CC0

Works in European collections

36 objects attributed to William Godwin, held across European museums, libraries & archives · via Europeana

Lives of Necromancers : or, an account of the most eminent persons in successive ages, who have claimed for themselves, or to whom has been imputed by others, the exercise of magical power

Lives of Necromancers : or, an account of the most eminent persons in successive ages, who have claimed for themselves, or to whom has been imputed by others, the exercise of magical power

Saint Leon : a tale of the sixteenth century

Saint Leon : a tale of the sixteenth century

History of the Commonwealth of England : from its commencement to the restoration of Charles the second, 4. Oliver, Lord Protector

History of the Commonwealth of England : from its commencement to the restoration of Charles the second, 4. Oliver, Lord Protector

History of the Commonwealth of England : from its commencement to the restoration of Charles the second, 3. From the death of Charles the First to the Protectorate

History of the Commonwealth of England : from its commencement to the restoration of Charles the second, 3. From the death of Charles the First to the Protectorate

Les avantures de Caleb Williams, ou Les choses comme elles sont

Les avantures de Caleb Williams, ou Les choses comme elles sont

Les avantures de Caleb Williams, ou Les choses comme elles sont

Les avantures de Caleb Williams, ou Les choses comme elles sont

The enquirer reflections on education, manners and literature, in a series of essays

The enquirer reflections on education, manners and literature, in a series of essays

Caleb Williams ou les choses comme elles sont

Caleb Williams ou les choses comme elles sont

Lives of Edward and John Philips, Nephews and Pupils of Milton

Lives of Edward and John Philips, Nephews and Pupils of Milton

History of the Commonwealth of England : from its commencement to the restoration of Charles the second, 1. Containing the Civil War

History of the Commonwealth of England : from its commencement to the restoration of Charles the second, 1. Containing the Civil War

Enquiry concerning political justice, and its influence on morals and happiness, 1

Enquiry concerning political justice, and its influence on morals and happiness, 1

History Of The Commonwealth Of England. From Its Commencement, To The Restoration Of Charles The Second. 4. Oliver, Lord Protector

History Of The Commonwealth Of England. From Its Commencement, To The Restoration Of Charles The Second. 4. Oliver, Lord Protector

The adventures of Caleb Williams or, things as they are. by William Godwin

The adventures of Caleb Williams or, things as they are. by William Godwin

History Of The Commonwealth Of England. From Its Commencement, To The Restoration Of Charles The Second. 3. From The Death Of Charles The First To The Protectorate

History Of The Commonwealth Of England. From Its Commencement, To The Restoration Of Charles The Second. 3. From The Death Of Charles The First To The Protectorate

History Of The Commonwealth Of England. From Its Commencement, To The Restoration Of Charles The Second. 1.2. The Civil War 2

History Of The Commonwealth Of England. From Its Commencement, To The Restoration Of Charles The Second. 1.2. The Civil War 2

History Of The Commonwealth Of England. From Its Commencement, To The Restoration Of Charles The Second. 1.2. The Civil War 1

History Of The Commonwealth Of England. From Its Commencement, To The Restoration Of Charles The Second. 1.2. The Civil War 1

Recherches sur la population et sur la fakulté d'accroissement de l'espèce humaine : contenant une réfutation des doctrines de M. Malthus sur cette matière, 2

Recherches sur la population et sur la fakulté d'accroissement de l'espèce humaine : contenant une réfutation des doctrines de M. Malthus sur cette matière, 2

Life of Geoffrey Chaucer, the early English poet : including memoirs of his near friend and kinsman, John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster ; with sketches of the manners, opinions, art literature of England in the fourteenth century ; in four volumes, 3

Life of Geoffrey Chaucer, the early English poet : including memoirs of his near friend and kinsman, John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster ; with sketches of the manners, opinions, art literature of England in the fourteenth century ; in four volumes, 3

The Enquirer : Reflections on education, manners, and literature ; In a series of essays

The Enquirer : Reflections on education, manners, and literature ; In a series of essays

Life of Geoffrey Chaucer, the early English poet : including memoirs of his near friend and kinsman, John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster ; with sketches of the manners, opinions, art literature of England in the fourteenth century ; in four volumes, 4

Life of Geoffrey Chaucer, the early English poet : including memoirs of his near friend and kinsman, John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster ; with sketches of the manners, opinions, art literature of England in the fourteenth century ; in four volumes, 4

The adventures of Caleb Williams or, things as they are

The adventures of Caleb Williams or, things as they are

Saint-Leon Histoire Du Seizieme Siecle, 2

Saint-Leon Histoire Du Seizieme Siecle, 2

Enquiry concerning political justice, and its influence on morals and happiness, 2

Enquiry concerning political justice, and its influence on morals and happiness, 2

History of the Commonwealth of England : from its commencement to the restoration of Charles the second, 2

History of the Commonwealth of England : from its commencement to the restoration of Charles the second, 2

Recherches sur la population et sur la fakulté d'accroissement de l'espèce humaine : contenant une réfutation des doctrines de M. Malthus sur cette matière, 1

Recherches sur la population et sur la fakulté d'accroissement de l'espèce humaine : contenant une réfutation des doctrines de M. Malthus sur cette matière, 1

Life of Geoffrey Chaucer, the early English poet : including memoirs of his near friend and kinsman, John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster ; with sketches of the manners, opinions, art literature of England in the fourteenth century ; in four volumes, 1

Life of Geoffrey Chaucer, the early English poet : including memoirs of his near friend and kinsman, John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster ; with sketches of the manners, opinions, art literature of England in the fourteenth century ; in four volumes, 1

Saint-Leon Histoire Du Seizieme Siecle, 3

Saint-Leon Histoire Du Seizieme Siecle, 3

Denkschrift auf Maria Wollstonecraft Godwin, die Vertheidigerin der Rechte des Weibes : aus dem Englischen übersetzt und mit einigen Anmerkungen begleitet

Denkschrift auf Maria Wollstonecraft Godwin, die Vertheidigerin der Rechte des Weibes : aus dem Englischen übersetzt und mit einigen Anmerkungen begleitet

Life of Geoffrey Chaucer, the early English poet : including memoirs of his near friend and kinsman, John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster ; with sketches of the manners, opinions, art literature of England in the fourteenth century ; in four volumes, 2

Life of Geoffrey Chaucer, the early English poet : including memoirs of his near friend and kinsman, John of Gaunt, Duke of Lancaster ; with sketches of the manners, opinions, art literature of England in the fourteenth century ; in four volumes, 2

Les Choses Comme Elles Sont, Ou Les Averntures De Caleb Williams, 3

Les Choses Comme Elles Sont, Ou Les Averntures De Caleb Williams, 3

Artwork

Untitled

Artwork

Untitled

Artwork

Untitled

Artwork

Untitled

Artwork

Untitled

Artwork

Untitled

~38 min read

Encyclopedic overview

Theory and practice

Anarchy

Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “William Godwin” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.

Gallery (7)