Thomas More's Utopia

Sir Thomas More, also known as Saint Thomas More (because of sanctification by the Catholic Church) is probably best known for his confrontation with King Henry VIII, for which he lost his life. He was a statesman as well as a political and social philosopher. His most famous work is his Utopia, a book in which he created his version of a perfect society and gave his name to such conceptions ever after as "utopias." The word is of Greek origin, a play on the Greek word eutopos, meaning good place. In the book, More describes a pagan and communist city-state in which the institutions and policies are governed entirely by reason. The order and dignity of the state in this book contrasted sharply with the reality of statecraft in Christian Europe at the time, a region divided by self-interest and greed for power and riches. In this book, More included discussions of a large number of topics covering the institutions of society, including penology, state-controlled education, religious pluralism, divorce, euthanasia, and women's rights.

The Black Death of the Middle Ages has long held a mythic place in history as a story of a terrible pestilence visited upon Europe, a pestilence that perhaps could return one day. Yet, in the modern age we have been able to control most infectious diseases, eliminating the unsanitary conditions that produce them in the industrialized nations and attacking them with wonder drugs in areas still afflicted with such problems. The organism t

Related Essays

Utopia and Punishments .... We are told in Utopia that Hythloday is the wisest philosopher who "neither desire[s] wealth nor greatness" (More 1516, 5). This kind of .... More, Sir Thomas. .... (1306 5 )

Fictional Dialogue Between Plato & Jane Addams .... Poretsky, S. "A Kindler, Gentler Republic: The Effects of Plato's Republic on Thomas More's Utopia" with reference of: Plato: The Republic (Trans. GMA Grube). .... (801 3 )

Euthanasia .... Sir Thomas More believed that the individual has a right to .... on this issue has become even more urgent in .... 1, 1994: (10-14) 1-5. Hupfer, S. "Ethical Decisions at .... (2472 10 )

Humanism and Scholasticism .... As well, there is evidence in the life of Thomas More, Erasmus's contemporary .... Hexter takes the position that in general terms More the public servant .... A]s one of .... (8769 35 )

History of the English Language .... indicative of the verb, whereas Swift already used -s. In general .... Everyman, the morality play, appeared in 1501; Thomas More's Utopia, in 1551 (translated from .... (5408 22 )

History of the English Language .... indicative of the verb, whereas Swift already used -s. In general .... Everyman, the morality play, appeared in 1501; Thomas More's Utopia, in 1551 (translated from .... (5418 22 )

Category: Literature - T