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A review by hangsangareader
Utopia by Thomas More
informative
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? N/A
- Strong character development? N/A
- Loveable characters? N/A
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
Utopia was an intriguing read. I was unaware it was a fiction work; I assumed it to be a political/philosophical discussion, which it is, but the format is quite brilliant. To save his neck (though it did not survive in the long run), Thomas More had to find a way to explore his ideas without upsetting the king. Coming up with a fictitious character to expose his thoughts was clever. And cleverer was making the character of Thomas More dismiss Hythloday's ideas, as he does at the end of book 2.
Thomas More offers what would seem like a perfect society to live in. He models Utopia from his Christian ideals - Acts 2:40-47. More liked communism before it was cool. He proposes a community without property, where gold has no value and everyone works (women, too) to help produce goods. No idleness allowed. The lack of freedom and independence from the group is a problem I cannot ignore - Utopia sounds like a terrible place to live. But as we read book 2, we get a clear picture of things in English society that More would do without. War, alliances, and traffic of influences are abhorrent to Utopians. Religious freedom is acceptable, a curious aspect of Utopia, considering all that would occur in Tudor England after the schism with Rome.
He also discusses punishment. In the first book, Hythloday talks of his suggestion to the court to remove the death penalty, as it does not prevent thieves from continuing with this crime. Everyone seems to think his idea silly until a cardinal seconds it. Not only does More use this narrative to express his disdain for the death penalty for lesser crimes, but also the type of people involved in courts surrounding kings. More was a member of Henry VIII's court, so we can assume he was unhappy with the people he had to see every Monday morning.
Thomas More offers what would seem like a perfect society to live in. He models Utopia from his Christian ideals - Acts 2:40-47. More liked communism before it was cool. He proposes a community without property, where gold has no value and everyone works (women, too) to help produce goods. No idleness allowed. The lack of freedom and independence from the group is a problem I cannot ignore - Utopia sounds like a terrible place to live. But as we read book 2, we get a clear picture of things in English society that More would do without. War, alliances, and traffic of influences are abhorrent to Utopians. Religious freedom is acceptable, a curious aspect of Utopia, considering all that would occur in Tudor England after the schism with Rome.
He also discusses punishment. In the first book, Hythloday talks of his suggestion to the court to remove the death penalty, as it does not prevent thieves from continuing with this crime. Everyone seems to think his idea silly until a cardinal seconds it. Not only does More use this narrative to express his disdain for the death penalty for lesser crimes, but also the type of people involved in courts surrounding kings. More was a member of Henry VIII's court, so we can assume he was unhappy with the people he had to see every Monday morning.