A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt

822 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Shakespeare's influence on literature

‘A Man for All Seasons’ is a play written by Robert Bolt, previously for BBC Radio in 1954 before revising it on stage. It was premiered on the 1st of July 1960 at the Global Theatre in London.

The story begins when Sir Thomas More, a scholar and a statesman, advises Richard Rich to be a teacher instead of striving to be affluent but he fails. He then gives Rich an Italian cup that was given to him by a lady he reviewed. It was given as a bribe and he did not realise it until after receiving it and decides not to keep it. At the same period, King Henry VIII wishes to divorce and remarry since Queen Catherine did not give birth to a male heir. More objects to this but holds his peace. Cardinal Wolsey, Lord Chancellor of England, writes a letter to Pope to dissolve the King’s marriage and More reviews it. More makes it clear that the Pope made an exemption once when he agreed to the marriage of King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragorn because she was the widow of King Henry’s brother. Wolsey recommends More to be more practical and less moralistic.

After discussing with Wolsey, More meets Thomas Cromwell, the Cardinal’s secretary and Signor Chapuys, the Spanish ambassador to England. Chapuys interprets More’s evasive reply to the Cardinal as a disagreement to the divorce and informs More that if the King Henry insults Queen Catherine, it will be taken as an insult to the King of Spain for Catherine is the aunt of the King. More goes home to find Roper -his daughter, Margaret’s Lutheran boyfriend- visiting Margaret and asking her hand in marriage. More tells him that as long as he is a heretic, there is no way he will marry Margaret. Meanwhile, Wolsey dies in disgrace when he fails to secure an exemption to dissolve King Henry’s ma...

... middle of paper ...

...nnot do any further damage to More than lifelong imprisonment as long as More remains silent. Cromwell confiscates More’s books but allows his family to pay him a visit by making Margaret take an oath to convince her father to change his mind. More does not relent and Alice finally sympathises her husband. They reconcile and depart when the jailer insists that the time is up for the visit.

Cromwell grants Rich the position of Attorney General of Wales in exchange for a false testimony. Despite More always holding his peace, Rich claims that he has heard More deny the authority of the king over the church. More is sentenced to death but he finally states his disapproval of the Act of Supremacy and discontent that the government will execute a man for his silence. More is unruffled and goes to death with dignity. The play ends with the beheading of Sir Thomas More.

Show More
Related

  • The Boys of Winter by Wayne Coffey

    601 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the book “The Boys of Winter” by Wayne Coffey, shows the struggle of picking the twenty men to go to Lake Placid to play in the 1980 Olympics and compete for the gold medal. Throughout this book Wayne Coffey talks about three many points. The draft and training, the importance of the semi-final game, and the celebration of the gold medal by the support the team got when they got home.

    Read More

  • Across Five Aprils By Irene Hunt

    404 Words  | 1 Pages

    Across Five April's by Irene Hunt is about how the civil war tears apart a family during the hard times of the civil war. There were 239 pages it this story. The book follows the life of Jethro Creighton, a young farm boy in rural Illinois as he grows from a protected and provided for nine year old, to a educated and respectable young adult during the chaos of the civil war.

    Read More

  • In the Heat of the Night by John Ball

    565 Words  | 2 Pages

    Sam Woods is a very important character in the novel In the Heat of the Night. He is a racist, and throughout the novel you will notice many changes in his attitude towards Negros.

    Read More

  • All Souls by Michael MacDonald

    1876 Words  | 4 Pages

    Michael MacDonald’S All Souls is a heart wrenching insider account of growing up in Old Country housing projects located in the south of Boston, also known as Southie to the locals. The memoir takes the reader deep inside the world of Southie through the eyes of MacDonald. MacDonald was one of 11 children to grow up and deal with the many tribulations of Southie, Boston. Southie is characterized by high levels of crime, racism, and violence; all things that fall under the category of social problem. Social problems can be defined as “societal induced conditions that harms any segment of the population. Social problems are also related to acts and conditions that violate the norms and values found in society” (Long). The social problems that are present in Southie are the very reasons why the living conditions are so bad as well as why Southie is considered one of the poorest towns in Boston. Macdonald’s along with his family have to overcome the presence of crime, racism, and violence in order to survive in the town they consider the best place in the world.

    Read More

  • Who Is Wolsey As A Victim In The Life And Death Of Cardinal Cavendish

    668 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...eth to sustain great wrong.” In his first defense, Cavendish claims Wolsey was the victim of ill will. In this second defense, Wolsey’s faith is supposed to be his saving grace, and explains away his dealings with the Pope by claiming a conflict of faith. He couldn’t please everyone, and if he supported the King against Katharine, he would potentially be angering the Pope and God. On the other hand, going against the King would in fact prove to be fatal. In failing to secure the divorce Henry wanted, Wolsey was left open to attack by those Cavendish previously blamed for his downfall. While there was not much more Wolsey could have done in regards to securing the divorce, he is still not to be pitied in this situation. Had he not taken advantage of his position for years prior to this situation, he wouldn’t have had so far to fall or had so much to lose when he did.

    Read More

  • A Man for All Seasons

    1362 Words  | 3 Pages

    Reason to defend Sir Thomas More: More is just thinks that his private conscience is more important than his public duties and will do what he thinks is right, not what is convenient. This is not considered High Treason as More is not attempting to betray his country in any way.

    Read More

  • Wintergirls by Laurie Halse Anderson

    1034 Words  | 3 Pages

    Wintergirls is a book related to eating disorders. The author’s purpose of writing this book is to inform readers what a person with an eating disorder. It depicts the inner and outer conflicts that characters like Lia and Cassie face with disorder. It all began with a competition between two characters of who can be the skinniest. Cassie dies in the attempt of winning the game. Lia, the main character in this novel, always keeps track of her food consumption. For example, one breakfast morning, Lia said she didn’t want “a muffin (410),…orange (75),…toast (87),…waffles (180)” (Anderson 5). Lia constantly keeps track of the calories she eats. Unlike Cassie who follows the path of bulimia, Lia inhibits herself from eating, therefore not getting the proper nutrients. This allows the readers to know how a person with a disorder like Lia can restrain herself from eating foods that we’re used to eating in our regular lives. Her ultimate goal frequently change, getting lower and lower each time. Lia strives for a “five hundred calories a day” (Anderson 189). Her constant change of goals allows the readers to know the struggles a girl with such a mindset may feel.

    Read More

  • Thomas More: Preserving Self in Society in A Man for All Seasons

    1076 Words  | 3 Pages

    Perhaps a brief history of More’s struggle is needed. Sixteenth century England: Henry VIII’s brother, Arthur, dies. Arthur was to be king and had already married Catherine of Aragon. A husband must be provided, so at the prodding of the Spanish and English monarchies, the Pope threw out the doctrine that stated a man may not marry his brother’s wife and Henry and Catherine wed. They rule happily — for a while — until Henry falls in love with Anne Boleyn, finds out Catherine cannot bear him any sons, and desires to divorce her. The Catholic Church does not support his requests, and Henry attempts to persuade them otherwise, claiming the marriage should be annulled based on its original religious illegality. The Church and More do not buy this claim, considering Henry caused the problem in the first place. More was Henry’s Lord Chancellor and resigned the position when Henry split with the Church in 1531. In 1534, Parliament passed a bill requiring all subjects to take an oath (Oath of Supremacy) acknowledging the supremacy of England’s king over all foreign sovereigns — including the Pope. More refused, was imprisoned, and then executed in 1535. The play presents his dilemma to stay true to his friends, country, and God.

    Read More

  • Everyone In A Man For All Seasons Is Pursuing Their Own Ends. What Mak

    2176 Words  | 5 Pages

    mood." One thing Cromwell fails to realise is that by doing his job for the King

    Read More

  • Field of Autumn, by Laurie Lee

    827 Words  | 2 Pages

    The poem, “Field of Autumn”, by Laurie Lee exposes the languorous passage of time along with the unavoidability of closure, more precisely; death, by describing a shift of seasons. In six stanzas, with four sentences each, the author also contrasts two different branches of time; past and future. Death and slowness are the main motifs of this literary work, and are efficiently portrayed through the overall assonance of the letter “o”, which helps the reader understand the tranquility of the poem by creating an equally calmed atmosphere. This poem is to be analyzed by stanzas, one per paragraph, with the exception of the third and fourth stanzas, which will be analyzed as one for a better understanding of Lee’s poem.

    Read More

  • Queen Elizabeth, One of England´s Most Influential Leaders

    862 Words  | 2 Pages

    By the time Elizabeth was ten years old, Henry her father had married and divorced three wives in succession. The last wife, Catherine Parr, persuaded him to reinstate Elizabeth’s right as an heir and bring her back to Court. Here, she can shared her younger half-brother’s tutors and received a outstanding education. Now Elizabeth had motivation to be more determined about her future. Sadly, she also had reason to dwell on the prior execution of her third stepmother, K...

    Read More

  • Shakespeare on Machiavelli: The Prince in Richard III

    1505 Words  | 4 Pages

    He breeds anger in Clarence and the populace, not of himself, but of Edward and the rightful heirs.  "We are not safe, Clarence, we are not safe,"3 he exclaims as his brother is hauled away to the tower. He preys on the "hateful luxury And bestial appetite"4 of the citizenry, catapulting himself to the thrown over a heap of bodies: deaths that hang on his head.  But, it is Richard's attitude that his end goal of the crown justifies the murderous means that so closely links ...

    Read More

  • absolutism

    902 Words  | 2 Pages

    Like King James I’s reign, Charles I also believed he had the “divine right.” Charles was constantly trying to gain the upper-hand in dealing with Parliament, which lead to war. Charles was tried with treason or as stated in the reading “a wicked design to erect and uphold in himself an unlimited and tyrannical power to rule according to his Will, and to overthrow the rights and liberties of the people.” When asked whether he would plead guilty or not guilty he would not give an answer, believing that the whole trial was illegal and unjust. Charles reminded, or warned, the people in the court room that he was their King. After being asked quite a few times, the court went on as if he had plead guilty. The verdict was guilty and Charles I was sentenced to death.

    Read More

  • Unlighted Lamps by Sherwood Anderson

    1117 Words  | 3 Pages

    The short story, “Unlighted Lamps,” by author Sherwood Anderson is about a relationship between a father and his daughter. Their relationship is a stressful one because neither of them talk to each other, nor show their emotions. Throughout the story, you find out why their relationship is the way that it is, and why it is hard for her father to talk to her. The unlighted lamps in the story represent flashbacks of memories wherever light dances across something.

    Read More

  • Reaction Paper On A Man For All Seasons

    1263 Words  | 3 Pages

    Sir Thomas More was a character who was faced with a number of difficult choices. The major one being, when Henry VIII's first wife was unable to produce an heir to the throne, he used that as an excuse for the pope to grant him a divorce, so he could marry a new wife. The King is backed by everyone on this request except the highly regarded and religious Sir Thomas More. When the old Chancellor of England, named More his successor, it became important for Henry to get More's support, but More could not be swayed. He made his decision to oppose the marriage early on, but even though it was something he did not waver from, he still had trouble with it. More made a very difficult decision in opposing the King and his family, but regardless of the consequences, he felt that he was morally correct and for him to choose any other path would have been impossible for he could not oppose the church and God.

    Read More

More about A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt

Open Document