William Godwin

Raised in a strict Calvinist household, William Godwin eventually shed his ministerial path and religious beliefs after extensive reading. He emerged as a pivotal Enlightenment thinker, advocating for anarchism and a morality independent of religion, a stance that initially caused considerable scandal. Godwin masterfully introduced his radical ideas through both philosophical treatises and pioneering fictional works, most notably a groundbreaking adventure-detective story that reached a wide audience. His intellectual prowess and daring views positioned him among the era's most influential authors, leaving a lasting legacy that extended to his own daughter, Mary Shelley.