Analysis of Thomas Mores Utopia Essay - 527 Words

What is it about Thomas Mores Utopia that makes it as accessible and relevant to a 21st century westernized Catholic teenage boy as it did to an 18th century middle aged Jewish women? Utopia, a text written 500 odd years ago in differing country and language, is still a valid link to a contemporary understanding of society, human nature and morals. Through Mores Utopia, it becomes evident that the trans-historical and trans-cultural nature of the text emerges through Mores conscious and subconscious inclusion of universal human truths, in particular those of happiness, money and values, which allows the reader a higher quality of textual engagement and insight. Whilst More may be intending to simply tell the story of a travellers†¦show more content†¦This interpretation continued instinctively throughout the text to its conclusion and, with the newly acquired knowledge of Mores personal characteristics, was only transformed until I was presented with the moral working of both characters during my re-reading. More, as a character, was portrayed as cold, critical and clinical in his manner whilst Raphael was depicted as a man of high moral value and of independent opinion. With friend and theorist Erasmus describing him as quot;Born and framed for friendship, and...no one is less led by the opinions of the crowd, yet no one departs less from common sensequot;. With this description, as well as numerous others, an understanding of More comes through quite strongly, as a man of independence; a man of morality and a man quot;so free from vicequot; (Erasmus). With this awareness of More, the human author, and the personal attributes like ned to him and the near identical traits clearly emerging through the character Raphael; I, the reader, make the conscious agreement that More, the author, is transparent through Raphael. Due to the highly controversial opinions that More was making in the text: * quot;...As long as there is property and money, no nation will be ruled justly, or be happy.quot; * quot;There are dreadful punishments enacted against thievesquot; (Raphael against laws of the time) and the pressures of society at the time to be of the same mind to theShow MoreRelatedKirstie Williams. Benson. English 271 Distance Education.1481 Words   |  6 PagesUtopia’s role in the common laws, the religious freedoms, and dystopia/utopia similarities throughout More’s literature. I. Introduction A. Imagine you are a sailor, sailing the vast emptiness of the ocean. B. To your dismay, the storm thrashes waves against your boat. C. You find yourself on the island of Thomas More’s Utopia D. Some facts about Thomas More II. Common Law / Commonplace / Customs A. The commons in Thomas More’s Utopia are drastically different from the society in which he lived. B. ThusRead MoreAnalysis Of `` Inferno And Thomas More s Satirical Dialogue `` Utopia ``1366 Words   |  6 Pages characters, and theme.. Dante’s Inferno and Thomas More’s Utopia are perfect examples of the use of irony as they utilized the various techniques throughout their stories. There are a plethora of accounts where irony is apparent, including the sceneries, dialogue, and titles that are portrayed in their work. This essay will examine and compare the uses of irony in Dante Alighieri’s narrative poem, Inferno and Thomas More’s satirical dialogue, Utopia. 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In Queen Elizabeth’s speech to her troops at Tilbury, she evinces herRead MoreThe And The Handmaid s Tale By Margaret Atwood1260 Words   |  6 Pagestwo of the most well known fundamentalist societies in literature history: Utopia by Sir Thomas More, and The Handmaid’s Tale by Margaret Atwood. Both authors acknowledge that property represents a significant threat to governments that aim to have an equal society where every citizen contributes to the well being of the nation. Thus, property is restricted because it fosters individualism. First, through the analysis of More’s ideal society, one can understand the importance of restricting privateRead More Is Mores Utopia a Product of Its Time? Essay2077 Words   |  9 PagesSir Thomas More in 1516 first conceived utopia while he served as an ambassador For England on a party expedition to Flanders. In England his vocation was law and he held the position of Under-Sheriff his knowledge in this area is an obvious influence in Utopian society. Utopia is a chronicle of Mores fictitious meeting with Raphael Hythlodaeus a traveller who has lived in Island, republic society of Utopia for five years. Almost five hundred years after its writing utopia is still the subject ofRead MoreEssay Utopia4252 Words   |  18 PagesUtopia In the year 1515, a book in Latin text was published which became the most significant and controversial text ever written in the field of political science. Entitled, ‘DE OPTIMO REIPUBLICATE STATU DEQUE NOVA INSULA UTOPIA, clarissimi disertissimique viri THOMAE MORI inclutae civitatis Londinensis civis et Vicecomitis’, translated into English would read, ‘ON THE BEST STATE OF A COMMONWEALTH AND ON THE NEW ISLAND OF UTOPIA, by the Most Distinguished and Eloquent Author THOMAS MORERead MoreEssay on Comparing Societies: Why Utopian Freedom is Best2107 Words   |  9 Pagesfreedom maintains certain features regardless of how it is interpreted. The relationship between freedom, justice and societal goals is one of these features. Through this relationship we will explore both the nature and the quality of freedom in Thomas More’s Utopia. What relationship exists between freedom, justice and societal goals? To answer this question we, like Plato, should look to a model society. Our model society will have a goal: a characteristic that makes a model citizen and which the populaceRead MoreAnalysis Of Aurobindo s Theory For Mandala Essay1819 Words   |  8 Pagesof today’s world, Ruth Levitas, author of perhaps most complete history of the concept of utopia to date, suggest three different bases for defining utopia – â€Å"content, form and function†. She points out that liberal humanist tradition neglects functions and focuses on matter of form and content, in terms of various canons how utopian works. However, the objective behind this research is not to define Utopia. What I am trying to evaluate is a perspective of Auroville for the better world through