Le « renouveau » de l’épicurisme en Angleterre au milieu du dix-septième siècle de Walter Charleton à Margaret Cavendish – une histoire franco-britannique
In a pioneering study of 1934 Thomas Franklin Mayo was among the first to suggest the idea of an Epicurean « Renaissance » in England from the year 1650 onwards. Several historians of philosophy and of science, in particular Reid Barbour, Stephen Clucas and Howard Jones, have on the contrary underli...
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| Language: | English |
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Institut du Monde Anglophone
2008-10-01
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| Series: | Etudes Epistémè |
| Online Access: | https://journals.openedition.org/episteme/734 |
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| description | In a pioneering study of 1934 Thomas Franklin Mayo was among the first to suggest the idea of an Epicurean « Renaissance » in England from the year 1650 onwards. Several historians of philosophy and of science, in particular Reid Barbour, Stephen Clucas and Howard Jones, have on the contrary underlined the continuous presence of Epicureanism in England between the end of the XVIth and the beginning of the XVIIIth centuries. While there was no real break, the 1640’s and 1650’s are nevertheless characterized by a strong public interest in Epicurus’ doctrine. This essay purports to retrace the history of this renewal of interest, which owes much to the French context of the same years, and then it turns more particularly to the reception of Epicureanism in the scientific and literary works of Margaret Cavendish as a case study. As will be apparent, a twofold movement can be perceived in her works : first the enthusiastic rediscovery of an author, Epicurus, who had regained the status of a classic thanks to Gassendi’s efforts, followed by a revisionary phase in a hostile context for Epicureanism, in which the public saw the roots of all contemporary evils. For Epicureanism is clearly associated in the period with philosophical libertinism ; and it becomes apparent that the recurring references to Epicurus and Lucretius in Cavendish’s works reflect her interest in heterodoxy as a free thinker. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-097a50c55eb143db911d3fb0a283aaeb |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 1634-0450 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2008-10-01 |
| publisher | Institut du Monde Anglophone |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Etudes Epistémè |
| spelling | doaj-art-097a50c55eb143db911d3fb0a283aaeb2025-08-20T01:55:05ZengInstitut du Monde AnglophoneEtudes Epistémè1634-04502008-10-011410.4000/episteme.734Le « renouveau » de l’épicurisme en Angleterre au milieu du dix-septième siècle de Walter Charleton à Margaret Cavendish – une histoire franco-britanniqueLine CottegniesIn a pioneering study of 1934 Thomas Franklin Mayo was among the first to suggest the idea of an Epicurean « Renaissance » in England from the year 1650 onwards. Several historians of philosophy and of science, in particular Reid Barbour, Stephen Clucas and Howard Jones, have on the contrary underlined the continuous presence of Epicureanism in England between the end of the XVIth and the beginning of the XVIIIth centuries. While there was no real break, the 1640’s and 1650’s are nevertheless characterized by a strong public interest in Epicurus’ doctrine. This essay purports to retrace the history of this renewal of interest, which owes much to the French context of the same years, and then it turns more particularly to the reception of Epicureanism in the scientific and literary works of Margaret Cavendish as a case study. As will be apparent, a twofold movement can be perceived in her works : first the enthusiastic rediscovery of an author, Epicurus, who had regained the status of a classic thanks to Gassendi’s efforts, followed by a revisionary phase in a hostile context for Epicureanism, in which the public saw the roots of all contemporary evils. For Epicureanism is clearly associated in the period with philosophical libertinism ; and it becomes apparent that the recurring references to Epicurus and Lucretius in Cavendish’s works reflect her interest in heterodoxy as a free thinker.https://journals.openedition.org/episteme/734 |
| spellingShingle | Line Cottegnies Le « renouveau » de l’épicurisme en Angleterre au milieu du dix-septième siècle de Walter Charleton à Margaret Cavendish – une histoire franco-britannique Etudes Epistémè |
| title | Le « renouveau » de l’épicurisme en Angleterre au milieu du dix-septième siècle de Walter Charleton à Margaret Cavendish – une histoire franco-britannique |
| title_full | Le « renouveau » de l’épicurisme en Angleterre au milieu du dix-septième siècle de Walter Charleton à Margaret Cavendish – une histoire franco-britannique |
| title_fullStr | Le « renouveau » de l’épicurisme en Angleterre au milieu du dix-septième siècle de Walter Charleton à Margaret Cavendish – une histoire franco-britannique |
| title_full_unstemmed | Le « renouveau » de l’épicurisme en Angleterre au milieu du dix-septième siècle de Walter Charleton à Margaret Cavendish – une histoire franco-britannique |
| title_short | Le « renouveau » de l’épicurisme en Angleterre au milieu du dix-septième siècle de Walter Charleton à Margaret Cavendish – une histoire franco-britannique |
| title_sort | le renouveau de l epicurisme en angleterre au milieu du dix septieme siecle de walter charleton a margaret cavendish une histoire franco britannique |
| url | https://journals.openedition.org/episteme/734 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT linecottegnies lerenouveaudelepicurismeenangleterreaumilieududixseptiemesiecledewaltercharletonamargaretcavendishunehistoirefrancobritannique |