The Fable of the Bees (Annotated)
Enriched Edition. Philosophical ClassicBy Bernard Mandeville
Length24h 26m
About this audiobook
The Fable of the Bees is Bernard Mandeville's provocative moral and economic satire, centered on the paradox that "private vices" may generate "public benefits." Expanding from the poem "The Grumbling Hive," the work combines verse, prose commentary, social observation, and polemical argument to challenge classical and Christian ideals of virtue. Situated in the early eighteenth-century context of commercial expansion, it scrutinizes luxury, pride, labor, charity, and the emerging structures of market society. Mandeville, a Dutch-born physician who settled in England, brought to English letters the habits of a clinical observer and the skepticism of a moral anatomist. His medical training, cosmopolitan background, and experience of London's mercantile culture informed his unsentimental view of human motivation. Writing amid debates over politeness, commerce, and civic virtue, he exposed the self-interest hidden beneath respectable social conduct. This book is essential for readers interested in the origins of modern political economy, moral philosophy, and satire. It will especially reward those who value difficult, unsettling arguments that force reconsideration of virtue, prosperity, and the foundations of social order.
This enriched edition has been carefully crafted to add value to your reading experience.
- A succinct Introduction situates the work's timeless appeal and themes.
- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.
- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the era's events and influences that shaped the writing.
- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.
- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the work's messages, connecting them to modern life.
- Hand‐picked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.
- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.
Audiobook details
Rating★★★★ 3.9 (536)
Includes Goodreads, Amazon, LibraryThing
GenrePhilosophy
Length24 hrs 26 mins
Narrated byListen with 1,000+ voices
FormateBook with Audio
Publish dateMay 16, 2020
LanguageEnglish
Table of contents
1The Ethics of Immanuel Kant
2Introduction
3Synopsis
4Historical Context
5PART I.
Show all chaptersShow less
6PREFACE.
7THE GRUMBLING HIVE: OR, KNAVES TURN’D HONEST.
8THE MORAL.
9THE INTRODUCTION.
10AN INQUIRY INTO THE ORIGIN OF MORAL VIRTUE.
11REMARKS. (pt. 1)
12REMARKS. (pt. 2)
13REMARKS. (pt. 3)
14AN ESSAY ON CHARITY, AND CHARITY-SCHOOLS.
15A SEARCH INTO THE NATURE OF SOCIETY.
16A VINDICATION OF THE Book, from the Aspersions contained in a Presentment of the Grand Jury of Middlesex, And an Abusive Letter to Lord C——
17PART II.
18PREFACE.
19THE FIRST DIALOGUE. BETWEEN HORATIO, CLEOMENES, and FULVIA.
20THE SECOND DIALOGUE BETWEEN HORATIO AND CLEOMENES
21THE THIRD DIALOGUE BETWEEN HORATIO AND CLEOMENES.
22THE FOURTH DIALOGUE BETWEEN HORATIO AND CLEOMENES.
23THE FIFTH DIALOGUE BETWEEN HORATIO AND CLEOMENES.
24THE SIXTH DIALOGUE BETWEEN HORATIO AND CLEOMENES (pt. 1)
25THE SIXTH DIALOGUE BETWEEN HORATIO AND CLEOMENES (pt. 2)
26Analysis
27Reflection
28Memorable Quotes
More from Bernard Mandeville
Moral Letters to LuciliusLucius Annaeus Seneca24h 26m4.5 (71.7K)$1.99 · $0.00
IlluminationsWalter Benjamin10h 12m4.4 (16.2K)$20 · $0.00
That Bird Has My WingsJarvis Jay Masters9h 49m4.4 (13.7K)$29 · $0.00
Tâo Teh KingLaozi2h 34m4.4 (230.9K)$2 · $0.00
Buddhist Boot CampTimber Hawkeye2h 39m4.4 (8.4K)$18 · $0.00
Enchiridion & The Discourses of Epictetus (Annotated)Arrian Epictetus18h 9m4.4 (3.5K)$2 · $0.00
The Meditations of the Emperor Marcus Aurelius AntoninusEmperor of Rome Marcus Aurelius5h 41m4.4 (1.8M)$1 · $0.00
Crime and PunishmentFyodor Dostoevsky23h 11m4.4 (1.3M)$12 · $0.00
MeditationsMarcus Aurelius5h 52m4.4 (433.7K)$1 · $0.00
Everyday DharmaSuneel Gupta5h 2m4.5 (761)$20 · $0.00
The Joyful Wisdom ("La Gaya Scienza")Friedrich Wilhelm Nietzsche11h 37m4.4 (26.6K)$1 · $0.00
The Art of LivingEpictetus, Sharon Lebell3h 16m4.4 (50.1K)$18 · $0.00
Sadhana: the realisation of lifeRabindranath Tagore3h 49m4.4 (8.6K)$6 · $0.00
SapiensYuval Noah Harari15h 18m4.3 (1.4M)$33 · $0.00
You BelongSebene Selassie8h 35m4.4 (2.7K)$26 · $0.00
The Song Celestial; Or, Bhagavad-Gîtâ (from the Mahâbhârata)Anonymous2h 18m4.4 (3.2K)$2 · $0.00
Chuang Tzu: Mystic, Moralist, and Social ReformerZhuangzi14h 42m4.4 (1.2K)$1 · $0.00
High-RisersBen Austen13h 33m4.4 (2.8K)$33 · $0.00
The Great OmissionDallas Willard7h 45m4.4 (4K)$26 · $0.00
The Grand InquisitorFyodor Dostoyevsky2h 24m4.3 (10.7K)$1 · $0.00
You may also like
Notes on DemocracyH. L. Mencken5h 52m4.1 (864)$2 · $0.00
The Essays of Arthur Schopenhauer; the Art of ControversyArthur Schopenhauer3h 12m3.8 (19.1K)$2.30
Notes on Democracy (Summarized Edition)H. L. Mencken2h 20m4.1 (635)$2
UtopiaSaint Thomas More4h 26m3.7 (102.4K)$2.30
Voltaire's Philosophical DictionaryVoltaire9h 31m4.3 (13.4K)$2.30
The Ministry Of Common SenseMartin Lindstrom7h 16m3.7 (1.2K)$24 · $0.00
The CrocodileFyodor Dostoyevsky2h 58m3.8 (8.5K)$2 · $0.00
When to Rob a BankSteven D. Levitt, Stephen J. Dubner8h 14m3.7 (17.6K)$30 · $0.00
100 People Who Are Screwing Up AmericaBernard Goldberg6h 16m3.5 (2K)$24 · $0.00
Joy of WorkScott Adams1h 20m4.0 (3.3K)$16 · $0.00
Notes on DemocracyH. L. Mencken4h 50m4.0 (823)$15
Notes on Democracy (Annotated)H. L. Mencken6h 9m4.4 (484)$2 · $0.00
An Unpleasant Predicament: A Nasty Story (Unabridged) (Annotated)Fyodor Dostoyevsky4h 4m3.7 (6.6K)$2 · $0.00
Philosophical DictionaryVoltaire9h 15m4.2 (4.2K)$1.20 · $0.00
Christian ScienceMark Twain6h 45m3.5 (567)$2.30
The Collected Plays (Illustrated) (Annotated)George Bernard Shaw175h 18m$2 · $0.00
The Spectator Volumes 1, 2 and 3Joseph Addison101h 20m$2.30
A Political RomanceLaurence Sterne1h 49m3.2 (40)$2 · $0.00
1000 JokesGuy Smith2h 52m$4 · $0.00
The Fable of the Bees; Or, Private Vices, Public BenefitsBernard Mandeville24h 20m3.7 (346)$1 · $0.00