Utopia Flashcards
Who is the author of Utopia?
Sir Thomas More
What was Thomas More’s religion/denomination?
Catholic
What was Thomas More’s original profession?
Lawyer
What university did Thomas More attend?
Oxford
In what language was Utopia originally composed?
Latin
Under which two prominent kings did Thomas More serve?
Henry VII and Henry VIII
What was the highest royal office Sir Thomas More held?
Lord Chancellor of England (appointed 1529)
What was Thomas More’s opinion of Protestants?
He detested them. In his post at Lord Chancellor he ruthlessly prosecuted them, including torturing them and burning them at the stake.
For what sign of piety is Thomas More famously known?
Wearing a hair shirt
How did More die?
He was tried for Treason and decapitated in 1535. He was accused because he did not approve of Henry VIII’s divorce and split from the Catholic Church. He is now honored as a Saint.
What personal, professional conflict of Sir Thomas More is explored in Utopia?
Whether or not he should go into service as an advisor for Henry VIII.
What text is the central model for Utopia?
Plato’s Republic
When was Utopia published?
1516
Who are the main characters in Utopia? What are their relationships to each other?
Thomas More, Peter Giles, Raphael Hythloday
The character Thomas More is very like the historical figure - he is serving as an ambassador in the Netherlands for Henry VIII. Peter Giles is likewise a real figure, More’s friend. Hythloday is an invention - a traveler who has been to Utopia.
Why is the (character) Thomas More in the Netherlands?
Serving as an ambassador for Henry VIII and negotiating the English wool trade.
What is Erasmus’ famous epithet for Thomas More?
A Man for all hours (omnium horarun homo)
When was the Protestant Reformation? What instigated in?
1517; Martin Luther published his Ninety-Five Theses attacking the practice of the selling of Indulgences.
What University were both Martin Luther and Hamlet affiliated with?
Wittenberg
What was the Renaissance?
Spanning the 14th-17th centuries, this cultural movement celebrated the rebirth of classical Greek and Roman culture. This classical resurgence was manifested in literature, art, politics, science, and architecture.
To what philosophical school did Thomas More and Erasmus belong?
Humanism
What is Humanism?
Commitment to the “Humane Letters” (Liberal arts) - Latin, Greek, rhetoric, literature, and history.
What is a Novus Homo?
A “new man”; a term applied to More and others of humble(ish) birth who rise to prominence because of intellectual ability and training.
This kind of Secular advancement became particularly common in the Renaissance under Henry VII and Henry VIII.