Leviathan · Character
Cardinal Bellarmine
Rome's sharpest controversialist, the theologian Hobbes spends much of Leviathan arguing against — often without naming him.
supporting
Also known as Bellarmine
First appearance: part i of man
As a supporting figure in Leviathan, Cardinal Bellarmine is not background color—the story leans on what they do once the chapter opens.
Hobbes engages directly with Bellarmine's arguments in 'De Summo Pontifice' to refute the Pope's claim to supreme ecclesiastical power over civil sovereigns.
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Bellarmine defended the papacy's claim to indirect temporal power, the position Hobbes treats as the great rival to sovereign authority. Hobbes's counter-move is to redefine the kingdom of God as a civil kingdom,…
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See Cardinal Bellarmine in part i of manCharacter Web
18 connectionsA slice of how Cardinal Bellarmine sits in the book — open the reader for the full interactive map.
Relationship types
- Other
Character groups
- Historical and theological exemplars
- Protagonist
- Biblical and religious leaders
- Early Christian and adversarial figures
+13 more in the full Character Web
Open in readerNarrative 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…
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Cardinal Bellarmine appears across 1 companion beat. Open any chapter in the free preview to see the notes beside the text.
Chapter companion notes
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See Cardinal Bellarmine in part i of man