Yes, Galileo had a daughter. Two, in fact, as well as a son — all illegitimate. The girls had such dim prospects that they were deemed unmarriageable and placed at a very young age in a convent. Perhaps in tribute to her father's fascination with the heavens, Virginia, the eldest, took on the name "Maria Celeste" when she became a nun.
Most of what is known about Suor Maria Celeste can be teased from the 124 surviving letters addressed to her father between 1623 and 1633.* While Galileo's Daughter can only paint an imprecise picture of Suor Maria Celeste's personality, it offers a glimpse into the kind of person she was. Intelligent, humble, resourceful, selfless, compassionate, she perpetually struggled with the immensity of her responsibilities as the convent's apothecary and resident problem solver (the Poor Clares, a cloistered order, relies entirely on alms), and her need for silence and solitude.
In spite of its title, most of this book focuses on Galileo: his work, scientific discoveries, publications, frequent — and at times severe — illnesses, and the prolonged ordeal of his trial for heresy. However, we can plainly perceive Suor Maria Celeste's deep devotion to her father and her concern in all his cares. She proved a constant source of spiritual, moral and physical support to him, and showed a keen interest in his scientific findings.
In reading Galileo's Daughter, I developed great admiration for the way in which Suor Maria Celeste, though rigidly confined within the strict rules of her religious order, made the best of the situation into which she was cast. One might even call her an unconventional nun. (Sorry, I couldn't resist!) Of course, I would have liked to get to know her better... but given the phenomenal amount of research and translation work performed by Dava Sobel in order to produce this compellingly written book, it would be ungrateful to wish for more!
* These letters, translated into English by Dava Sobel, have been published as Letters to Father: Suor Maria Celeste to Galileo, 1623-1633
Ça pique la curiosité, tout ça. J'aime bien les oeuvres (livres et films) qui me permettent d'en apprendre plus sur une époque ou sur des personnages qu'on ne connaît que pour un ou deux trucs spécifiques - bref, les oeuvres qui rendent vivantes ces époques ou ces personnes.
ReplyDeleteC'est justement pour ça que j'avais acheté ce livre! J'ai été servie côté ambiance, en tout cas : Grande Inquisition, épidémies de peste, etc.
DeleteOh oui, joyeuse époque que celle-là...
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