Q. What is Gonzalos Idea of a commonwealth?

Q. How does it reflect on his character?

Summary-
● Gonzalo starts off by saying that if he had a “plantation of this isle” which he was the king
off.
● He starts describing the commonwealth and how he would rule it.(“what would I do?”)
● He says it won't be a conventional colony and unlike usual, “by contraries”, he will play
the role of the ruler.
● No man would hold any honorifics or titles- there would therefore be no hierarchy, “No
name of Magistrate”.

● He says there would be no trade and no merchant ships allowed to enter his state
● There should not be any access to academic and organised education or
literature. “Letters should not be known”
● There will neither be rich or poor, there will be no servants and masters. “Riches,
poverty, and use of service, none”.
● He also specifies that there will be no “succession”, documentation, no
inheritance or will;
○ no gate or limit of land, no practice of agriculture or wine making. “Bourn,
bound of land, tilth, vineyard, none”.
● He wants his state to be self sufficient, where no one suffers, no one needs
anything including metals, oils or wine
● Gonzalo contradicts himself in his aspirations for self sufficiency as he says “No
occupation, all men idle”- however if no one works how will they be able to survive?
● He also insists that all women will remain innocent and pure, alluding to the proverb-
“idleness begets lust”.
● The last point of his speech is a direct contradiction to his opening statement were he
says “Had I a plantation of this isle..And were the king on’t”
○ He ends his speech by saying there would be no sovereignty.

● Gonzalo talks of a utopian and paradisiacal world

● Here, all things are for public and general use- “All things in common…my
innocent people”
● The things needed will be produced without any effort- “without sweat of
endeavour”
● There will be no crime, cheating, any need for instruments of war- “treason,
felony, sword, pike…or need of any engine”.
● He also claims that nature will supply his people with all the harvest they need.
“But nature should bring forth…all abundance to feed my innocent people”.

● Contradictory statements
● Ignorant and assuming of human nature
● Overlooks agency of people
● Dichotomy between Gonzalo's character as a wise councillor and the naive words he
says about the Commonwealth.
● However, Gonzalo may be saying such things without any real meaning and for the sole
agenda of getting Alonso’s mind off of the death of his son.