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By the late nineteenth century, Epicurean philosophy was not only known in Victorian Britain but was seen as a tool that could be used to argue in favor of agnostic and atheistic beliefs. This project will consider the extent to which Epicureanism played in the increase of non-believers across Britain in the nineteenth century. I will argue that this philosophy played an underappreciated role in this unprecedented loss of faith because its focus on natural laws was influential to the development of scientific inquiry. Consequently, it will be necessary to examine a wide selection of literature from the Early Romantic and Victorian periods for evidence of Epicurean influence. An exploration of novels and poetry will determine if and how Epicureanism influenced Victorian reception to the advancement of science.

Over the course of the summer, I will conduct a study on the rise of agnosticism in Britain over the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and compile a list of reasons for why this occurred. Concurrently, I will study the European reception to De Rerum Natura after its rediscovery in 1417 and use this to examine examples of art and literature from the nineteenth century for evidence of Epicurean influence. Finally, I will synthesize all that I have learned to determine how significant Epicurus really was to the Victorians. This will provide fresh insight into the rise of atheism in the modern period.