Godwin, Fénelon, and the disappearing teacher

The connection between Godwin and Fénelon has traditionally been restricted to the famous and controversial moment in the first edition of Political Justice (1793) in which Godwin presents an example of the interdependence of rationality and ethical action. This paper argues, however, that Fénelon, and particularly his political and educational treatise Telemachus (1699), plays a significant role in a number of Godwin's subsequent fictional works. Employing Telemachus to explore the theories of education presented by Godwin in the various editions of Political Justice and The Enquirer (1797), this paper explores the manner in which Godwin's version of the Enlightenment transcendence of pedagogical power comes up against its limits. Reading this issue in relation to Godwin's argument, in ‘Of Choice in Reading’, that literature remains outside of socio-ethical corruption, three of Godwin's major novels are shown to demonstrate that Telemachus provides the chance for meta-textual moments in which the appeal to reason (the reader's rational capacity or ‘private judgement’) is at once reflected upon and produced. Reading educational theories and problems into Godwin's major fiction in this fashion helps to clarify aspects of the Godwinian (or ‘Jacobin’) novel.

Éducation des filles / de Fénelon ; précédée d'une introduction par Oct. Gréard,...

Collection : Bibliothèque des dames ; 11

Oeuvres diverses de FÉNELON.

Contient : « Lettre à Mr... sur le culte intérieur et extérieur. » ; « La nature de l'homme expliquée par les simples notions de l'être en général. » ; « Traité de l'existence de Dieu. » ; Lettre du 12 juin 1705 (Correspondance, t. III, p. 59) ; « Discours prononcé au sacre de l'Électeur de Cologne, le 1er mai 1707. »

Fénelon; études historiques.

Mode of access: Internet.

Mme Guyon et Fénelon, précurseurs de Rousseau,

At head of title: Les éducateurs mystiques de l'ame moderne.

Vie de Fénelon : écrite en faveur de la jeunesse /

Frontisp. y tít. grabados.

Les maitres de la critique au xviième siècle: Chapelain--Saint-Évremond--Boileau--La Bruyère--Fénelon.

Mode of access: Internet.

Oeuvres de Fénelon, Archevèque de Cambrai

T. I. (691 p.) -- T. II. (700 p.)-- T. III (727 p.)