LITERARY THEORY IN THOMAS MORES UTOPIA Csaba Maczelka

LITERARY THEORY IN THOMAS MORE’S UTOPIA Csaba Maczelka ELLE Conference 2013, Oradea This research was supported by the European Union and the State of Hungary, co-financed by the European Social Fund in the framework of TÁMOP 4. 2. 4. A/2 -11 -1 -2012 -0001 ‘National Excellence Program’.

1. THE TWO EXTREMES “Macchiavelli’s Prince and More’s Utopia are the two great books that inaugurate modern political theory. Neither author could have foreseen how dramatically his ideas would shape modern conceptions of politics. ” (Cousins-Grace: A Companion to Thomas More, 2009) “[L]iterary utopias, regardless of the political biases of their authors, are first and foremost intellectual and literary games, created by the author who invites readers to join in, to play with him/her and enjoy themselves. ” (Pintér: The Anatomy of Utopia, 2010)

2. PARATEXTS IN THE MARCH 1518 EDITION Position 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11. 12. 13. 14. 15. Item Letter, Erasmus to Froben Letter, Budé to Lupset Poem, Anemolius’ hexastichon Illustration, Map (1518 map) Illustration, Utopian alphabet Poem, Utopian poem in Utopian in transcription in Latin translation Letter, Giles to Busleyden Letter, More to Giles I. Book I and II Marginal notes Letter, Busleyden to More Poem, Noviomagus’ poem Poem, Grapheus’ poem Colophon Printer’s device Letter, Rhenanus to Pirckheimer, introducing the epigrams

3. GUILLAUME BUDÉ’S LETTER Now, the island of Utopia, which I hear is called also Udepotia, is said, by a singularly wonderful stroke of fortune (if we are to believe the story), to have adopted the customs and the true wisdom of Christianity for public and private life and to have kept this wisdom uncorrupted even to this day.

4. ANEMOLIUS’ POEM – TYPOGRAPHY Hexastichon (paratext 3) Closing poems (paratexts 11 -2)

5. ANEMOLIUS’ POEM – TEXT The ancients called me Utopia or Nowhere, because of my isolation. At present, however, I am a rival [aemulo] of Plato’s republic, perhaps even a victor over it. The reason is that what he has delineated [deliniavit] in words I alone have exhibited [praestiti] in men and resources and laws of surpassing excellence. Deservedly ought I to be called by the name of Eutopia or Happy Land.

6. SIR PHILIP SIDNEY: THE DEFENSE OF POESIE But even in the most excellent determination of goodness, what philosopher’s counsel can so readily direct (…) a whole commonwealth as the way of Sir Thomas More’s Utopia? (…) For the question is, whether the feigned image of poetry or the regular instruction of philosophy hath the more force in teaching. Poesy, therefore, is an art of imitation, for so Aristotle termeth it in his word mimēsis, that is to say, a representing, counterfeiting, or figuring forth – to speak metaphorically, a speaking picture – with this end: to teach and delight.

7. THE MAP, THE UTOPIAN ALPHABET, THE UTOPIAN POEM I alone of all nations, without philosophy, have portrayed [expressi] for mortals the philosophical city.

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