Thomas More’s Utopia

Thomas More’s Utopia

Introduction

Thomas More’s Utopia tend to be in a number of respects a characteristic renaissance humanism product. One may, therefore, present the argument that because of its publication during the 16^th century, it offers a later instance and definitely one that is highly prone to have been mainly influenced by the Northern European and Italian humanism. More’s Utopia has all indications of the humanist interests with regards to the forms and classical languages, and is also similar to “The Praise of Folly and Valla’s On the True and False Good” by Erasmus was mainly preoccupied with ancient philosophical opinions regarding to the ethical values (Chordas, 2017). Though Utopia is written in Latin, it has a number of allusions to the classical Greek too. The subject matter of Utopia is the idyllic commonwealth that has its origins in the Republic and Politics, which are the classical works of Plato and Aristotle respectively.

Discussion

Both More and Erasmus were devotees of Lucian, the Greek satirist, and in the introductory section of Utopia is laden with the type of satire, word play and irony that an individual may relate with those of the ancient writers (Parker, 2017). What makes Utopia increasingly characteristic of the Renaissance Humanism is the focus on the classical ideas application to the modern society and especially politics (Fernando et al., 2018). Based on this observation, More is seen to be like Bruni, who had the conviction that the use of antique political ideas was prone to lead to the development of the ideal state (Chordas, 2017).

In a number of respects, Utopia can be said to be an amalgam of the humanist thought. Thus, in addition to being a pithy, it is also satirical and also a serious theory of the idyllic commonwealth that is broached in the classical forms and language, as well as veiled critique of the 16^th century Europe social inequalities. Being a humanist, More wrote Utopia as a philosopher’s instance of what is better for humankind; however, being a realist, More understood that it was likely take more than just the classical ethics and humanism and as a result, religion to alter the society. It is, therefore, not accidental that the angelic fool, who is Raphael Hythloday, is Utopia’s narrator in addition to the view that More’s character is a dubious recipient of the Utopia tales. Maybe both characters can be taken has being representative of the actual Thomas More, the skeptical realist and humanist idealist (Fernando et al., 2018).

More was immensely influenced Erasmus even though both of them have been acknowledged for their admiration of satirist Lucian. Erasmus was however, introduced to Lucian by More and Lucian’s influence on the writer can be observed in Erasmus works including The Praise of Folly. One of the fundamental respects that is found kin More’s work, Utopia, regards the attempts and insistence that the apt Christian ethics formed a vital part of the Renaissance societies (Parker, 2017). Utopia bears all indications that More was a true believe on the ability of Christian ethics to offer the apt value systems for his time and age. More commences with debates on what makes the “good for the man” and this is followed by investigations on the different Greek philosophical thoughts schools on the way to proposing that none is independently good for the man (Fernando et al., 2018).

Nevertheless, the humanist wish for progress can be said to be behind More’s work. It is quite clear that by opting to praise Lucian’s texts, More indicates the underlying wish to tackle them in relation to the various contemporary issues (Wilde, 2016). Thus, More should have recreated his comprehension of the ancient in an increasingly contemporary context. However, More is seen to diverge from that path in the fictional account regarding the idyllic commonwealth. As such, More’s Utopia may be observed as a deliberate further social and geographical remove from Europe, a desire satisfaction and a gently fantastic fiction that also contains a grave message.

One of the fundamental themes and challenges faced by the Renaissance society according to More’s Utopia was the issue of private property. It is also easy for one to assert that, in Utopia, More was against Private property. Nevertheless, More merely presented the argument that private property was one thing that could be attributed to the society’s challenges. In spite of the Marxists including Karl Kautsky asserting the More’s stress on the private property proposed his backing for communism, it is, nevertheless, very clear, when one reads More’s later writings including “Confutation of Tyndale’s Answer” and “In Lutherum”, that his answer was not communism but that private property was able to corrupt men (Chordas, 2017). One may conclude that More’s key point regarding property was all about the spread and use of wealth, along with the extreme lust for aristocrats’ private properties. For instance, in 1522, the same period as when More wrote Utopia, nearly 81% of the wealth as owned by just 5% of the city’s populace. This was at a time that the city experienced increased subdivision into slums, as well as several challenges with beggars and vagabonds (Fernando et al., 2018). This resulted in King Henry VIII giving directives that the poor migrants that came to London should return to their original homes or be imprisoned (Wilde, 2016). Moreover, seven years following the King’s directive, it was observed by John Bayker that the vagabonds were increasing in number on a daily basis (Wilde, 2016). As such, it is very clear that the greed and the extravagance that was witnessed amongst the wealthy aristocrats, wealthy gentries and merchants was one of the key issues that more sought to address in Utopia; the use and spread of private property as opposed the concept.

Also, extravagance tends to be an upsetting flaw for More as it turns out to be one of the things that he writes about during the initial phases of Book 1, as well as in the course of a number of phases of Book 2 (Parker, 2017). He presents the argument that every class of the society is irresponsibly profligate on food and clothes. He additionally contemplates on the matter using an anecdotal communication while describing Utopia in addition to grasping the notion that stones and gold are only valuable because of the way individuals perceive them, as well as that the fine clothes were at one point worn by the sheep even though they were never turned into things that were better than the sheep, which is a satirical line from Lucian. Such extravagance on fashion during the Renaissance period can be contrasted against the expression of riches at the court as an indication of power and prestige (Wilde, 2016). In Utopian society, work days are limited to generation of enough for what is required even as all individuals are working. More has emphasized on the major issue regarding the actual temperament of idleness within his society; individuals having the sense of being left out of the workforces. As such, he has the conviction that all individuals have to work to reduce the load on those working.

Conclusion

During the humanist Renaissance, poverty and vagabondage was widespread, and More’s Utopia tends to predate a number of the social challenges that rose. Utopia is a vital text written by a foremost scholar of the English society. Moreover, it is apparent that More maintains that amongst the most notable weaknesses in the society during his time was private property and the law. Thus, contrary to the criticism and comments made with regards to Utopia, this might be seen as the underlying message and issues More was trying to address.