Leviathan · Chapter
Dedication explained
Thomas Hobbes dedicates his work 'Leviathan' to Mr.
What happens
Thomas Hobbes dedicates his work 'Leviathan' to Mr. Francis Godolphin, honoring his deceased brother Sidney Godolphin and explaining his intent to navigate between excessive liberty and excessive authority in advancing civil power.
Free preview opens on this chapter — companions, themes, and character notes appear beside the text.
Narrative arc
Story tension across the book — this chapter sits in Exposition.
- Setup
- Escalation
- Breaking point
- Aftermath
- Closing
This is the story's dramatic climax because it reveals the sovereign's right to punish is not a gift from subj…
Full beat labels and climax notes unlock in the reader.
Follow the arc while readingThemes in this chapter
- Liberty and Obligation
Hobbes acknowledges the contention between 'too great liberty' and 'too much authority' as a central challenge in his work.
- Sovereignty and Absolute Power
The dedication emphasizes advancing civil power and defending the 'seat of power' against those who impugn it.
Characters to notice
- King James
Referenced indirectly through the context of the English monarchy and civil power.
Key passages
“For in a way beset with those that contend, on one side for too great liberty, and on the other side for too much authority, ’tis hard to pass between the points of both unwounded.”
Navigating the conflict between advocates of excessive freedom and proponents of excessive control is difficult without facing criticism from both sides.
Hobbes frames his work as a careful balance between competing political extremes.
“I speak not of the men, but, in the abstract, of the seat of power (like to those simple and unpartial creatures in the Roman Capitol, that with their noise defended those within it, not because they were they, but there)”
I discuss the concept of authority itself, not specific individuals, similar to the geese on the Roman Capitol that protected the people inside simply because they were there, not because of who they were.
Hobbes emphasizes his focus on the abstract nature of power rather than personal attacks.
