UTOPIA AN IMAGINARY PLACE OR A STATE IN

UTOPIA (AN IMAGINARY PLACE OR A STATE IN WHICH EVERYTHING IS PERFECT) - Thomas More V. FRANCIS

THOMAS MORE Born in London on 6 th Feb. 1478 Studied at Oxford Studied law & practised In 1504 became the Member of Parliament “Beardless M. P. ” (at the age of 26) Later became the Speaker of the House of Commons § A good friend of King Henry VIII § § §

THOMAS MORE § Misunderstanding between King Henry VIII and Thomas More § King Henry VIII divorced Catherine Aragon and married Anne Boleyn § Church Law did not allow divorce § King Henry VIII established his own church – The Church of England § More refused to take oath as Anglican – imprisoned in the Tower § Beheaded on 6 th July, 1535

THOMAS MORE §Pope Pious XI canonized More in 1935 §Good friend of Erasmus (a Danish scholar & Priest §“ Did nature ever create milder, sweeter or happier than the genius of Thomas More? ” – Erasmus §“ In More’s death I seem to have died my: we had but one soul between us” - Erasmus

UTOPIA: THE PURPOSE § Utopia gives direction to rulers how to govern their states § The main theme of Utopia is the best state and the best structure for a society in which man may live happily with his fellow beings § It presents a picture of an ideal society and also a dramatic portrayal of contemporary society § “Sparta, Athens and Rome would not now be lying in ruins if they had known and followed the laws expounded in Utopia” – Jerome Busleyden § Inspiration was Plato’s Republic & Laws

UTOPIA: CHARACTERS • More – the narrator, an ambassador of England (Henry VIII) to Flanders to mend the relationship with Charles of Castile (More is identified with Thomas More) • Cuthbert Tunstall – another ambassador who travels along with More • Peter Giles – More befriends him during his travel. Giles Introduces Hythloday to More (Giles is a real figure, an intellectual friend of More, who helped More to publish Utopia)

UTOPIA: CHARACTERS • Raphael Hythloday – a philosopher and world traveller – lived 5 years in Utopia – he narrates his Utopian experience – Hythlody (Greek) means ‘talker of nonsense’ • Cardinal John Morton – Hythloday met Marton and shared his views on the condition of England (Morton was a real figure who was the actual Chancellor to Henry VIII & helped More to further his education) • Lawyer – Hythloday meets him in England • General Utopus – founder of Utopia

BOOK I • More’s Travel - More and Huthbert Tunstall are sent by Henry VIII to Flanders to mend the relation with Charles of Castile - More visits Antwerp & befriends Peter Giles - Giles introduces Hythloday to More • Hythloday - a mariner – a Portuguese - knows Latin and Greek - travelled with Amerigo Vespucci - had various adventures & experience

HYTHLODAY’S REFUSAL TO JOIN THE GOVERNMENT - Giles & More request Hythloday’s service to the king - Most of the king’s like flatterers & sycophants - The interests of the king’s are different from his - Bitter memories of his meeting with Cardinal Morton and a Lawyer - The French king’s ambitious plan to expand his kingdom & the privy council’s approval - increasing king’s coffers from people’s property

HYTHLODAY’S VIEWS ON GOVERNMENTS Capital Punishment - against killing of thieves - causes for theft - jobs to people will stop death - arable lands becoming pasture cause theft - men become idle & thieves when they have no job - revival of husbandry, tillage & wool industry - banning gambling (dice, cards, etc)

BOOK II

GEOGRAPHY OF UTOPIA - A crescent shaped island with a large bay A huge harbour Submerged sharp rocks Good for internal shipping & bad for external Utopians remain isolated in the island Earlier name – Abraxa – with rude people Utopus conquered & changed At present 54 cities with same structure, architecture, language, customs and law - Oneday’s walk to the nearest neighbour - Amaurot is the political centre – every year 3 representatives from each city meet here

AGRICULTURE & CITIES IN UTOPIA - Farmland around each city Everyone does 2 years agricultural work Surplus is shared with neighbouring cities Extra men are sent from cities for harvesting All the cities are connected to Amaurot by water All the cities have good source of drinking water Thick walls around every city Well planned & well maintained cities 2 doors in every house but no locks – 3 stories

GOVERNMENT IN UTOPIA - Houses are split into groups of thirty - these 30 houses choose a phylarch - every 10 phylarch operate under a senior phylarch - senior phylarchs meet in a committee chaired by chief executive to make decision - Never take any haste action

OCCUPATIONS & WORKLOAD IN UTOPIA - A work in farm – theory in school practical in farm - other trades are spinning, weaving, masonry, blacksmithing and carpentry - young learn the trade from fathers - no forced occupation of the father - work only for 6 hrs – 3 before lunch 3 after - 8 hrs average sleep - rest of the time intellectual pursuits & hobbies

EDUCATION & BELIEF IN UTOPIA - thorough education for all the children - education for molding - they do not believe in astrology - Utopian philosophy is the nature of happiness - belief in the existence of soul afterlife - distinction between true & counterfeit pleasure - true pleasure – knowledge, exercise, eating well - counterfeit pleasure – pride, appearance, wealth, titles

PRACTICES 1. SLAVES - never bought - captured by the Utopians in battle - people committed horrible crime - slaves were forced to work constantly - their children were treated well

2. SICK & ILL - sick receive tremendous care - seriously ill are visited by priests, doctors & government officers - if they are a burden – euthanasia was recommended - those who wanted to live were permitted - treated kindly & tenderly

3. MARRIAGE - woman at 18 – men at 22 - premarital sex not allowed - bride & groom shown naked to each other before the marriage - no divorce except for adultery - cosmetics & tools of enhancement were prohibited

4. LAWS - no campaign for public office - officials should be seen as fathers - no lawyers in Utopia - no bribery because money does not exist

5. WAR - Utopians avoid war at all costs - They find no glory in killing - Engage in warfare only to protect themselves - Strength belongs to animals & intelligent to humans - Propaganda in other countries - While fighting careful about enemy countries property

6. RELIGION - A number of religions exist in Utopia - Worship of animals, ancient hero, the sun, etc - Hythloday’s preaching of Christ - No atheism - Different religious people meet in the same church - Priests were of high moral & religious caliber - Priests had the highest power

CONCLUSION - Utopia show the greatest social order in the world - No private property - Richer than European countries - Next meeting among the 3 to discuss the merits - More’s desire to employ Utopian rules in Europe