Does Utopia describe an ideal society?

Does Utopia describe an ideal society?

Thomas More was born in London in 1477. More had an extensive

education and rose quickly through the Government hierarchy and

attained high office. In May 1515 he was appointed to a delegation to

help revise an Anglo-Flemish commercial treaty. During this time he

began writing Utopia and completed it upon his return to London.

Utopia was first published in Latin, at Louvain in December 1516. More

added Utopia just before the outbreak of the reformation, during a

time when the stresses and corruption that led to the reformation were

rapidly increasing towards conflict.

Utopia itself depicts what its narrator Hythloday, claimed to be an

ideal society. The book became a huge success and founded a literary

tradition known as ‘the utopian novel’. This tradition is an authors

attempt to describe a perfect and ideal society.

The book is in two parts, and it is believed that the first was

written last and the second was written first. The first book (book 1)

is presented as an introduction to book 2 as well as providing

commentary to it. It is also viewed by many that the first book was

likely to have been written in two parts, firstly, to briefly

introduce the characters particularly the narrator: Hythloday. With

the second part being of Hythloday giving an extended speech on a

number of subjects with some being of a major interest to More the

author.

Book one starts off as a discussion between More, Hythloday and Peter

Giles. At first the discussion is very relaxed, starting off in a

church, then continuing into a garden and also at a friend’s dinner

but soon becoming more and more intense as they enter into debates

such as practical politics and the problem of th...

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Hythloday translates into ‘expert in nonsense’. Showing that overall,

More may not have perceived Utopia a society of idealism and

perfection, but it would seem that many of Utopia’s policies offer

criticisms and resolutions to the problems he saw in Europe at the

time, and so it is vital to see that this book is a response to a

specific historical period.

Bibliography

Logan, G, M., Adams, R, M. (1997). Utopia. London: Cambridge

University Press.

Skinner, Q. (1978). The foundations of modern political thought: The

Renaissance V.1. London: Cambridge University Press.

More, T., Turner, P (editor). Utopia (2003). London: Penguin Books

ltd.

Solomon, R, C., Higgins, K, M., (1996). A short history of Philosophy.

Oxford: Oxford University Press.

- Thomas More/Utopia Websites:

www.d-holliday.com/tmore/bio/html

www.utoronto.ca/links.html