Galileo Literary Elements

History, Drama, Epic Theater

Originally German, translated into English

The events described in the story take place in a time period from 1606 to 1633 in Padua, Florence, Rome and in countryside near Florence.

There is no narrator.

The tone is often didactic, rhetorical, and intellectual, with moments of dramatic tension.

Galileo is the protagonist of the story. The Inquisitor is the antagonist of the story.

The major conflict of this story is that Galileo's theories present a threat to the Roman Catholic society in which he lives and are therefore controversial. While Galileo wants to push science forward and be an innovative thinker, the church wants to suppress his ideas, and he is punished for his work.

The moment when Andrea and his other pupils hear the proclamation of Galileo’s recantation is the climax of the play.

A mention of the Copernican system foreshadows events of the story, for a reader understands that this play is going to be dedicated to Galileo’s attempt to prove that the Copernican system is correct. Virginia's discussion with the Inquisitor foreshadows the fact that Galileo is going to be brought in for questioning.

Galileo's response to the plague is an example of understatement, in that he does not take the danger of the outbreak seriously, privileging his work over his safety.

Giordano Bruno, Aristotle, Copernicus, the Bible, astrology.

Even though Galileo is proving principles of science in an empirical way, people still do not believe him, choosing to believe in the ineffable principles of religion rather than science.

Andrea is Galileo's parallel, in that he is his protege and carries on his intellectual legacy.

Projections are used to show some of Galileo's written work.