Thomas More Utopia Analysis

Thomas More’s Utopia was one of the first novels to be written that introduced the concept of a perfect society to the world. This idea is utilised through the fictional manipulation of the text which successfully conveys the personal humanistic and egalitarian views which More holds. This is clearly identified through the novel by focussing on the diverse forms of meaning and understanding the complexity of the text. This idea is employed through the analysis of England at that time and the travel journal of a flawless civilisation. Through the thorough analysis of these two ideas, the novel’s fictitious setting and the relationship it has with the two books is expounded.

The role of book one in Utopia is to introduce and build the character of Raphael Hythloday for the reader. This is achieved through the argument between both Hythloday and the lawyer about thievery. This argument demonstrates Hythloday’s reliability and wisdom as a character as a precursor to book two. This then conveys the More, the author’s egalitarian views and consequently his opposing views on the English political system at that time.

Book two in the novel presents a detailed account of Utopia through Hythloday. This account consists of a number of sub headings which convey the different aspects of Utopia. The different characteristics of Utopia, such as, culture, society, war, religion and a plethora of other aspects all convey the country’s egalitarian and fair societal rules and regulations.

Throughout the entirety of the novel, More conveys a number of different perspectives which influence the ideas that are bought out during the story. However, More countlessly attempts to provide a non-fiction environment to the fiction novel for various reasons....

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...ore. The subsequent critique of England forms a bridge of reliability on Hythloday to successfully transfer the reader’s focus and credibility for book two.

More’s Utopia was a defining text which built upon the idealism of a perfect society which claims to rival Plato’s famous book ‘The Republic’. The diverse codes and conventions of the novel were the defining point in identifying and critiquing More’s contemporary England in book one. Additionally, further solutions to the social order are clearly presented to the reader through the books clever utilisation of the fiction genre, the fictional conventions and the relationship between book one and two. Finally, it is through the focus of the intricate forms of meaning in the novel which successfully achieve an understanding of the novel.

Bibliography

1. More, T 2012, Utopia, Penguin Books, London.