A Man For All Seasons by Robert Bolt

1745 Words4 Pages

ACT 1, SCENE 1

Conversation between Thomas More and Richard Rich.

RICH: Well there! 'A friend of Sir Thomas and still no office? There must be something wrong with him.'

MORE: I thought we said friendship...The Dean of St Paul's offers you a post; with a house, a servant and fifty pounds a year.

......................

RICH: It's hard.

MORE (grimly): Be a teacher.

This conversation, as well as the previous one, sets up the contrast between Sir Thomas More and Richard Rich which is prevalent throughout the entire play.

In this opening scene, Rich and More argue over whether or not anyone can be bought. While Rich believes "every man has his price", More refuses to agree

with the notion that everybody could succumb to the temptations of status, power, wealth and women, or the notion of suffering. Rich means to say that men

want to avoid suffering and are therefore attracted to the possibility of escape, and More instantly recognises this idea as one of Machaevelli's. As Machaevelli

is historically understood to have written on the government, and how putting political appropriateness above ethical issues and morality was the sensible

approach to be taken in aquiring status, Rich's corruptibility and the suppression of his conscience is foreshadowed in that Machaevelli's theories both interest

and attract him. More warns Rich of the temptation involved in aquiring a high-ranking job, and offers him an Italian silver cup. The silver cup symbolises More's

attempt to test and teach Rich, and is significant throughout the play as it represents the commencement of Rich's corruptibilty, which eventually escalates into

much more evil and immoral actions later on. The cup also represents the differences in principles and morailty between More and Rich. While More's principles

don't allow him to keep such a "contaminated" object, Rich jumps at the chance of receiving something so valuable for free.

In between this opening conversation with More and the next important step in Rich's complete loss of innocence, and More's own demise, a number of

changes occur in character relationships. Rich and Cromwell's relationship becomes closer and more valuable. More recognises this and assumes Rich no

longer requires More's assistance in aquiring employment. Rich objects to this, claiming he would rather work with More than Cromwell, however More again

refuses Rich a job as he is certain Rich is untrustworthy and to an extent, dangerous. This is obvious in that while More points out to Norfolk that Rich is in

search of employment, he does not "recommend" him.

Open Document