UTOPIA BY ST.

THOMAS MORE
Analysis, Criticism, Summary

A lecture by Eugene S. Pineda

Author

Sir Thomas More

Year Published

1516

Type

Novel

Genre

Philosophy, Satire

OVERVIEW
At a Glance

Utopia is an imaginative work of social and political satire that

had a tremendous impact on both politics and literature. It marks
the very first use of the term utopia to describe a "perfect place."
Thomas More, the author, uses a variety of techniques to suggest
that the story of a fictional "perfect place" (Utopia) is actually the
story of a real place. To this end he turns real people of his
acquaintance into characters in his book. He also fabricates letters
to and from real people discussing Utopia.

OVERVIEW
Utopia includes front matter: fictional images, maps, letters, and other
writings purported to be from Utopia. The work itself contains two books.
Book One consists of a long and philosophical discussion between the author
(Thomas More), a mutual friend, and the fictional Raphael Hythloday.
Hythloday is a traveler who has recently returned to Flanders (Belgium) from
the New World. It is in Book One that Hythloday reveals that, while on his
travels, he has visited the remarkable land of Utopia.

Book Two consists of Hythloday's in-depth description of the land of Utopia.

The book includes eight chapters that describe, in great detail, Utopia's
geography, culture, religion, laws, and commerce. Throughout the work,
More, a devout Catholic, describes an idealized world of reason. In this world,
all (or at least most) share equally in wealth, prestige, education, and honor.

OVERVIEW
Perspective and Narrator

Utopia is a political satire written in

the form of fiction. There are two
narrators. The first narrator is Thomas
More himself, while the second is a
fictional traveler by the name of
Raphael Hythloday. In the story
of Utopia, More meets and has a long
discussion with Hythloday. Hythloday
then describes to More, in great detail,
his experiences in a fantastical land
called Utopia.

OVERVIEW
About the Title

Thomas More invented the title

word Utopia from the Greek ou-topos,
which means "no place" or "nowhere."
The very similar Greek word eu-
topos means "a good place," so More
may have intended a pun, or the use of a
word to mean more than one thing. In
the context of the book, the
name Utopia comes from the fictional
founder and conqueror of the land,
General Utopus.

OVERVIEW
Thomas More

Thomas More was a real-world

major political figure in
England. Utopia is written in the
first person in More's voice.
In Utopia More meets up with
real-world friends including Peter
Giles, but he also interacts with an
imaginary traveler, Raphael
Hythloday.

CHARACTERS
Raphael Hythloday

Raphael Hythloday is an entirely

imaginary character and a friend
of Peter Giles. Hythloday has
traveled the world with Amerigo
Vespucci and, in his travels,
discovers the hidden country of
Utopia. Most of the book is
dedicated to Hythloday's
description of Utopia.

CHARACTERS
• St. Thomas More as an honest statesman.

• St. Thomas More as a brilliant Writer.

• St. Thomas More as a Wise Philosopher.

• More was as a hero of conscience who persecuted

heretics.

• For the sake of religious freedom, it's time to pair

Thomas More with Bartolomé de las Casas

St. Thomas More in the 21st Century

Rafael Hythloday in Real
Life
Thomas More created a set of materials that were published at the front of Utopia, before the beginning of the manuscript itself. These
include:

Map of Utopia. A beautiful woodcut of a map showing the island as it is described in Book 2. It includes various castles, harbors, the
coastline, and other details.

Utopian Alphabet. There is, of course, no real Utopian alphabet. Still, More creates a page showing how the imaginary Utopian alphabet
would translate into the Latin alphabet. He also shows how a Utopian verse would be translated into Latin. The Utopian language, as
presented in this front matter, is a creative combination of ancient Greek and Latin.

Four Verses in the Utopian Tongue. Four short poems are reproduced, including:

A "translation" into English of the poem shown on the prior page. The content of the poem is in praise of Utopia's founder: "My king and
conqueror Utopus by name / A prince of much renown and immortal fame." The real author of the poem may well have been the real-world
Peter Giles, who plays a major (fictional) role in the book itself.

A poem titled "A Short Meter of Utopia," credited to an imaginary poet named Anemolius who is "poet laureate and nephew to Hythloday."
The poem extols the virtues of Utopia: "Now I am like to Plato's city / Whose fame flies the world .“

A poem titled "Of Utopia," contributed by More's (real world) friend Gerard Geldenhouwer, a Dutch professor who oversaw the printing of
the book.

A poem titled "To the Reader," by Cornelius Graphey, another real-world poet and friend of Peter Giles, who recommends the book to the
reader. The first stanza asks, "Will thou see this wretched world / how full it is of vanity ?" The second stanza refers the reader to "that worthy
clerk Sir Thomas More," whom he describes as having "wit divine fully learned.“

Prefatory Epistle. A letter written from Thomas More to Peter Giles in which More asks Giles (a real person with whom he actually met in
Flanders) to show the draft of Utopia to (the imaginary) Raphael Hythloday. He wants to make sure all the details are accurate. He also
debates with himself in the letter. He wonders whether it is really a good idea to publish Utopia given that "some there be that have pleasure
only in old rustic antiquities, and some only in their own doings."

Front Matter Collection Summary

The front matter is a collection of engaging and imaginative pieces of work created
not only by More but also by several of his friends. The front matter weaves
together reality and imagination with the help of several renowned individuals who
all supported or actually helped make the project a reality.

By creating a map, an alphabet, and the "translation" of a Utopian poem, More (at
least in theory) inspires the reader to believe in the reality of Utopia. The same end,
presumably, is gained by having two well-known and very real scholars write about
Utopia. The idea is that Utopia is really a place that could be reached by any
traveler knowing its location. Of course, no one would really believe in the reality
of any of the front matter as Utopia is quite obviously an invention of More's
imagination.

Some of the materials in the front matter provide insight into More's personal and
official life. He mentions interactions with a (real) servant named John Clement
with whom he traveled to Flanders and whom he mentored. Clement later married
More's adoptive daughter.

Front Matter Summary and Analysis

Verses in the Utopian Tongue

Utopos ha Boccas peu la chama polta chamaan.

Bargol he maglomi baccan ſoma gymno ſophaon.
Agrama gymnoſophon labarembacha bodamilomin.
Voluala barchin heman la lauoluola dramme pagloni.
Which verses the translator, according to his simple knowledge and mean understanding in the Utopian
tongue, hath thus rudely Englished:

My king and conqueror Utopus by name,

A prince of much renown and immortal fame,
Has made me an isle that once no island was,
Full fraught with worldly wealth, with pleasure and solace.
I one of all other without philosophy,
Have shaped for many a philosophical city.
And mine I have nothing dangerous to impart,
So better to receive I am ready with all my heart.

This is a translation and explanation of the Utopian poem reproduced on the previous page. It was
included in the first edition of Utopia in 1516, and returned in 1518. The quartet, as well as the whole
Utopian language, is fabricated from a fanciful mixture of Greek and Latin. The author is probably
Peter Giles (see letter from Giles to Busleyden); the translation and explanation are by Ralph Robynson.
Book 1 of Utopia is subtitled "First Book of the Discussion Which the
Exceptional Man Raphael Hythloday Held Concerning the Best State
of a Commonwealth, by Way of the Illustrious Man Thomas More,
Citizen and Undersheriff of the Glorious City of London in Britain."
This subtitle provides a clear overview of the events within the section.

Book 1 is narrated by a fictionalized version of Thomas More himself.

He describes a journey he takes to Bruges in Flanders (modern-day
Belgium) for a meeting on behalf of King Henry VIII. Once the official
meeting is over, More travels to Antwerp (also in Belgium) to spend
time with an old friend, Peter Giles. Having spent as long as four
months away, More notes he has no particular desire to return home.
His friend's conversation is "so pleasant and so innocently cheerful."
Utopia | Book 1 : Discourses of Raphael Hythloday, of the
Best State of a Commonwealth | Summary
One day Peter introduces Thomas to a friend of his, Raphael
Hythloday. Raphael, Peter explains, is a traveler who joined
Amerigo Vespucci in his voyages of exploration to the New World.
Raphael is invited to Peter's home, and the three men go into the
garden to talk. Raphael, who was born in Portugal, explains that he
and some companions left Vespucci in New Castile (probably
Peru). He says they "by degrees insinuated themselves into the
affections of the people of the country." They traveled "under the
equator, and as far on both sides of it as the sun moves." Raphael
goes on to describe the habits and behaviors of the people he met,
expressing strong opinions about their customs
Intrigued by Raphael's ideas, Peter asks, "I wonder, Raphael, how it comes that
you enter into no king's service?" Raphael responds, "I think my friends
ought ... not to expect that for their sakes I should enslave myself to any king
whatsoever." He goes on to express his negative opinions about royal courts
where favoritism and politics are more important than wisdom. He says he has
seen this type of behavior in England.

Raphael describes a dinner with the king, a Cardinal (John Morton, for whom
the real-life Thomas More worked as a boy), and members of the court. At
dinner, a discussion came up about the punishment of thieves by death.
Raphael expressed the opinion that such punishment is much too harsh but
wouldn't stop men from stealing. "It were much better," he says, "to make such
good provisions by which every man might be put in a method how to live."
After much discussion of the ethical treatment of the poor and
indigent, the Cardinal finally asks Raphael to justify his belief
that death is too harsh a punishment for thieves. Raphael
replies, "God has commanded us not to kill, and shall we kill
so easily for a little money?" Challenged to come up with a
better punishment, he describes the imaginary Polylerits of
Persia. They force thieves to work for the public good for free
—or for a private individual at a lower fee than would
ordinarily be paid. As a result, he says, "Vice is ... destroyed
and men preserved, but they are treated in such a manner as to
make them see the necessity of being honest."
Though the members of the court, including the jester and
friar, make fun of Raphael's ideas, the Cardinal decides to
restate them as his own. Now, with the Cardinal accepting
the ideas, the whole court expresses agreement, forgetting
the ideas were originally Raphael's. Raphael is bitter about
this turn of events. Thomas tries to cheer him up. Raphael
replies he won't express his ideas again. He says if he were
to try to express his ideas again to a king, "I should either
be turned out of his court or, at least, be laughed at for my
pains."
Thomas and Peter argue with Raphael, saying no court in
the world is made up entirely of good men. It is better, they
say, to improve the situation as it stands than to hope for a
perfect nation. Raphael replies there really is such a perfect
nation. He and his friends visited it in the New World.
There, says Raphael, the people "made themselves masters
of all the good inventions that were among us.“

Thomas and Peter ask Raphael to tell them all about this
place—after dinner.
Analysis

A unique quality of Book 1 is More's intriguing mixture of real and imaginary

people and places. More had, indeed, traveled to Flanders on the king's business. He
had, indeed, spent time enjoying the company of his good friend Peter Giles.
Amerigo Vespucci had, in fact, traveled to the Americas. The dinner party described
by Raphael included real people (such as Cardinal John Morton) whom More knew
well.

At the same time Raphael himself is a wholly imaginary character, as are almost all
the places he describes. The Persians he mentions live in an imaginary province. The
various countries of South America he describes are nonexistent. Of course, the
perfect land of Utopia exists only in More's imagination.

The ideas expressed by Raphael are a combination of More's own ideas and political
satire. It is all the more interesting, therefore, that the character of More argues
against Raphael. In fact More's character of Raphael is distressed by the ideas
expressed by the character of More.
More says, "One is never to offer propositions or advice that we are certain
will not be entertained." Raphael retorts, "That is what I was saying ... that
there is no room for philosophy in the courts of princes." The argument
between the two continues with neither character backing down.

It is not clear whether More intends the reader to believe in the character of
Raphael and his travels. It is also not clear whether he intends the reader to
side with the character of Raphael or the character of More. Each seems to
have valid points. The real Thomas More, many years later, is put to death
for being too forthright and too dedicated to his own ideals. That reality
suggests perhaps Raphael's ideas are closest to the real More's.
Book 2 is titled "Of the Discussion Which Raphael Hythloday Held
Concerning the Best State of a Commonwealth, by Way of Thoma
More, Citizen and Undersheriff of London." Each section within
Book 2 relates to a different aspect of the imaginary state of Utopia.
Chapter 1 relates to the geography and layout of the country.

In his description, Raphael says Utopia is an island, more or less

crescent shaped. "Between its horns the sea comes in eleven miles
broad, and spreads itself into a great bay," which is protected from
winds. The land is particularly safe from intruders because the
entrance to the harbor is rocky. He says, "The channel is known only
to the natives ... if any stranger should enter into the bay ... he would
run great danger of shipwreck." Additional harbors in other parts of
the island are also well protected and fortified so it would be easy to
defend against an attacker.
Utopia | Book 2, Chapter 1
This handy geography is not accidental. Utopia was not originally an island, but its first
ruler, Utopus, decided to cut off his country from the mainland. People laughed at this
idea, but as soon as it was accomplished they "were struck with admiration and terror.“

Utopus organized his new nation so that each of its 54 cities would be nearly identical,
both in appearance and in culture. Amaurot is the capital, and each city sends
representatives to the central government. Each city is at least 20 miles in diameter, and
there are farms all over the island. People are sent to the farms from the cities by turn so
everyone has a share in both urban and rural life. In addition, "There is a master and a
mistress set over every family," and for every 30 families there is a magistrate.

Raphael describes uniquely healthy and easy-to-breed chickens (which are able to move
about when they are born, and consider every hen to be their mother), cattle, and horses.
He explains the farms share any surplus with areas that have less so everyone in Utopia
has an equal amount of food and other supplies.
Analysis

Utopia's geography is perfect: arable land, temperate weather, plenty of

impregnable but hospitable harbors. The physical and cultural organization
of Utopia is based on absolute uniformity. Every city is alike, every family
shares in urban and rural labor, and every region receives the same amount
of food and other necessities. Even the chickens share in the communal
experience. The communal nature of labor and governance, Raphael
assures the reader, leads to a surplus of goods as well as a happy and
contented populace.

This approach to governance and style of living is almost exactly the

opposite of what More would have experienced in his day-to-day life. The
Tudor world was extraordinarily hierarchical with the Church and king at
the top of the hierarchy and laborers at the bottom. Though Henry VIII and
the Reformation would soon be making significant changes, those changes
had not yet occurred when Utopia was written.
Pigafetta has the merit to have recorded in his chronicles a
major event of the History of the Philippines, the first
encounter between Filipinos and Europeans. His work
"Report on the First Voyage around the World" includes the
earliest documents available on the language and culture of
the islands of Samar and Cebu.

Antonio Pigafetta and

Philippine History and Heritage.
His literary work represents a bridge that brought
knowledge of the Philippines to Europe and, 500 years
later, is still a reference for those who study the pre-
hispanic Philippines.

The impressions of Pigafetta in the early prehispanic

Filipinos was in early Filipinos if you show them your
kindness and politeness they will treat you us same.

Filipinos have a way to live and to survive full of resources

and brainy.

The early Filipinos are very open and eager to welcome

foreign ones in their loving arms
• we were already enjoying a cosmopolitan market way before
the Spaniards came to the archipelago.

• Religious practices were prevalent.

• Political structures also existed as well ( barangay-states)

• Our ancestors seemed to be experts in war strategy

• Knowledge of language was also present