Character Analysis of Key Figures in A Man for All Seasons

This assignment provides a detailed character analysis of the play "A Man for All Seasons" by Robert Bolt. The analysis focuses on five key characters: Sir Thomas More, Richard Rich, Alice More, Margaret More, and Thomas Cromwell. For each character, the assignment explores their name, gender, age, status, profession, personality traits (described with adjectives), main purpose/objective, and relevant quotes that encapsulate their essence. The analysis also includes descriptions of their attire, including color, silhouette, structure, fit, texture, coverage, neatness, and typical wear. The assignment offers insights into the characters' motivations, their relationships with each other, and their roles within the historical and political context of the play. The analysis reveals the complexity of each character and their contribution to the play's themes of conscience, integrity, and power.

Running head: CHARACTER ANALYSIS
CHARACTER ANALYSIS
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1CHARACTER ANALYSIS
Sir Thomas More:
Character 1: English Lawyer in the play, A Man for All Seasons.
Name (and names given to them by other characters): Sir Thomas More, the name has been
given by the author. He was called by his name Thomas, my master and even by his surname.
He was famously known as Saint Thomas More.
Gender: Male
Age: 53 (as per the divorce of Henry VIII was concerned between him, and his first wife,
Catherine of Aragon, in the year 1531)
Status (Class): Second highest level under the King.
Profession: He was an English Lawyer, Chancellor of England along with assistant of King.
Origins (Family / Country if foreign): London, England
Personality (3-6 adjectives do the job): Courageous, steadfast along with Principled.
Purpose / Super objective / Main wish/want: He was against the rules of the Catholic
Church’s and was a believer of theology, ecclesiastical laws and argumentation.
1-3 quotes (by them or others) that summarise them:
“I die the king's faithful servant, but God's first.
Whoever loveth me, loveth my hound (Shaffer 1999).”
“Not so. I am the King’s true subject, and I pray for him and all the realm. I do none harm. I
say none harm. I think none harm. And if this is not enough to keep a man alive, then in good
faith, I long not to live. Nevertheless, it is not for the Supremacy that you have sought my
blood, but because I would not bend to the marriage (Kenny 1983).”
“Sir Thomas More: You threaten like a dockside bully.
Thomas Cromwell: How should I threaten?

2CHARACTER ANALYSIS
More: Like a minister of state, with justice.
Cromwell: Oh, justice is what you’re threatened with.
More: Then I am not threatened (Sparknotes.com 2020).”
The character’s dress:
Colour: Scarlet colour along with black colour.
Silhouette: emphasis on his face and shoulders.
Structured: A full-length wool gown.
Fit: The garments used to be covered until full length.
Texture: It was covered with miniver fur. The parliamentary robes are also included in his
dress up.
Coverage: It was used to be fully covered only face as well as hands could be seen.
Neatness: The attire used to be neat and tidy, even their shoes.
Wear: They used to wear one uniform like lawyer’s uniform.
Brief Description:
Sir Thomas More is the main protagonist in the play named A Man for all Seasons.
He refused to swear on the Act of supremacy in the parliament was the primary subject of
this drama by Bolt (Bolt 1967). He has been introduced as the most principled man, who will
refuse to go against his beliefs on God. He was majorly reputed through his skills of
motivation and being a moral man. His dress-up symbolises that how much he admired his
work and worshipped his position but not beyond God (Mehdi 2015).

3CHARACTER ANALYSIS
Richard Rich:
Name (and names given to them by other characters): He was recognized by his surname,
Rich.
Gender: Male
Age: 35 years as per the time of Henry VIII’s divorce is concerned.
Status (Class): quite similar to the common man.
Profession: Thomas More helped him to acquire employment as a teacher, and never allows a
high-ranking position. Later on, became the attorney general of Wales.
Origins (Family / Country if foreign): Basingstoke, Hampshire.
Personality (3-6 adjectives do the job): selfishness, Machiavellian hero, along with love for
wealth.
Purpose / Super objective / Main wish/want: Hunger for wealth as well as status.
1-3 quotes (by them or others) that summarise them:
“Rich: But yes! In money too.
More: No no no.
Rich: Or pleasure. Titles, women, bricks-and-mortar, there’s always something.
More: Childish.
Rich: Well, in suffering, certainly.
More: Buy a man with suffering?
Rich: Impose suffering, and offer him—escape.
More: Oh. For a moment I thought you were being profound.”
“Cromwell: The King’s a man of conscience and he wants either Sir Thomas More to bless
his marriage or Sir Thomas More destroyed.
Rich: They seem odd alternatives, Secretary.

4CHARACTER ANALYSIS
Cromwell: Do they? That’s because you’re not a man of conscience. If the King destroys a
man, that’s proof to the King that it must have been a bad man, the kind of man a man of
conscience ought to destroy—and of course a bad man’s blessing’s not worth having. So
either will do (Gale 2016).”
The characters dress:
Colour: Long velvet gown, dark brown or black in colour along with gold.
Silhouette: emphasis on the shoulders.
Structure: A full-length velvet gown.
Fit: Loose fit and long in length.
Texture: It was produced as a velvet gown, which was dark brown.
Coverage: In earlier days, only hands and face were visible in front of everyone.
Neatness: They wore quite poised, clean and decent dress up.
Wear: They used to have their common man’s dress, which consists of long dark brown gown
starting from shoulder.
Brief Description:
Richard Rich was introduced as the man, who was hungry for wealth as well as status.
He was also known as a Machiavellian hero who wanted to update himself under the social
and political backgrounds (Bolt 1967). He fought with his individual conscience when he
moved out with Sir Thomas More. He served as the antagonist, who was willing to take over
every power and dignity during that period.

5CHARACTER ANALYSIS
Alice More:
Name (and names given to them by other characters): Lady Alice More, Lady Alice, wife of
Thomas More.
Gender: Female
Age: 57
Status (Class): Second most high position after King.
Profession: The second wife of Sir Thomas More
Origins (Family / Country if foreign): England
Personality (3-6 adjectives do the job): Gentle and loving, courteous, trustful and Well-
mannered.
Purpose / Super objective / Main wish/want: Obedient wife along with ideal mother in order
to serve his family.
1-3 quotes (by them or others) that summarise them:
“Alice; While you talk, he’s gone!
More: And go he should, if he was the Devil himself, until he broke the law!
Roper: So now you’d give the Devil benefit of law!
More: Yes. What would you do? Cut a great road through the law to get after the Devil?
Roper: I’d cut down every law in England to do that!
More: Oh? And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned round on you—where
would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country’s planted thick with laws from
coast to coast—man’s laws, not God’s—and if you cut them down (Bell 1978).”
“Alice: What’s this? You crossed him.
More: Somewhat.
Alice: Why?

6CHARACTER ANALYSIS
More: I couldn’t find the other way.
Alice: You’re too nice together, Thomas!
More: Woman, Mind your house!
Alice: I am minding my house! (Ledgerwood and Lucas 2019).”
The characters dress-
Colour: Black or dress in colour with a white covering over the head.
Silhouette: emphasis on the head and shoulder.
Structure: A full-length satin length with covering over the head.
Fit: Tight fit over the chest and loose from the waist.
Texture: Satin as well as cotton texture.
Coverage: It used to be covered from their head to toe, only, face, hands and feet can be
visible.
Neatness: Women used to maintain their cleanliness and decent look.
Wear: She used to wear gowns of red and black in colour along with a covering over their
head.
The brief description:
Alice more, mainly recognised as the wife of Thomas More and she was an obedient
wife as well as an ideal mother throughout the whole drama (Warnicke 2012). Alice has also
been depicted as the character, who has been questioning her husband why he always refuses
the wishes of the King (Bolt 1967). She can be looked upon someone who has seen a
significant shift from anger to confusion. Thomas More was a dedicated husband and even

7CHARACTER ANALYSIS
promised that he could not also accept death if she does not acknowledge his decisions
(Ledgerwood and Lucas 2019).
Margaret More:
Name (and names given to them by other characters): She was called by Margaret by the
playwright. Even her parents, Thomas and Alice More, called her by first name, Margaret.
After getting married, she was known as Margaret Roper. She was also known as Meg.
Gender: Female
Age: 26 years
Status (Class): Second higher position after the King.
Profession: She was a writer, ideal daughter and dedicated wife.
Origins (Family / Country if foreign): Bucklersbury, London.
Personality (3-6 adjectives do the job): Well-spoken, beautiful, well-mannered and
intelligent.
Purpose / Super objective / Main wish/want: Dedication towards her written work, the ideal
wife and to become an ideal daughter by accepting her father’s ideologies for preparing her
as a dedicated wife and mother.
1-3 quotes (by them or others) that summarize them:
“Then it’s a poor argument to call it “neat,” Meg. When a man takes an oath, Meg, he’s
holding his own self in his own hands. Like water. And if he opens his fingers then—he
needn’t hope to find himself again. Some men aren’t capable of this, but I’d be loathe to think
your father one of them.” (Speaker- Thomas More about his daughter) (Gale 2016).
The characters dress
Colour: a different set of appealing colours red, pink and white as well.
Silhouette: Emphasis on the shoulder and head.

8CHARACTER ANALYSIS
Structure: Satin full-length gown or velvet gown.
Fit: The fit of the dress will remain tight over the chest and loose over the waist.
Texture: Velvet as well as Satin clothing material. Even materials like net have been
identified as well.
Coverage: Women never showcased any body part except their hands and face.
Neatness: She used to maintain her own style and remained neat and clean.
Wear: She used to long woven gown as well as maintained their tradition adequately.
The Brief Description:
Margaret More or also known as Margaret Roper, She was a well-educated as well as
an obedient daughter. She was in true love with William Roper, and later on, she married to
him. She was recognized as the ideal daughter, who understood her father’s decisions even
better than her father himself (Bolt 1967). Although, she does raise questions to her father
regarding his desired actions. She used to love reading and writing and hence, she was well-
educated to understand many things that came across her ways and decisions (McCutcheon
and Wilson 1987).

9CHARACTER ANALYSIS
Thomas Cromwell:
Name (and names given to them by other characters): He was clearly known as Thomas
Cromwell and later on, he was also recognised as Thomas Gomez.
Gender: Male
Age: 46 years old.
Status (Class): He used to work under the instructions of King; he was not superior to
Thomas More’s status.
Profession: Mere administrator as well as not so a religious man. Basically he has been
introduced as the unscrupulous lawyer and remained Wolsey’s secretary. He was promoted to
the counsellor of the King.
Origins (Family / Country if foreign): Putney, Surrey.
Personality (3-6 adjectives do the job): evil, suspicious, and servant to the King.
Purpose / Super objective / Main wish/want: The main objective of Thomas Cromwell is to
work under the instructions of the King and to establish his own status as higher as possible.
1-3 quotes (by them or others) that summarise them:
“Cromwell: Oh no—they’ll talk about the divorce. The King will ask him for an answer.
Chapuys: He has given his answer!
Cromwell: The King will ask him for another.
Chapuys: Sir Thomas is a good son of the Church!
Cromwell: Sir Thomas is a man.”
“I’m a prominent figure. Someone somewhere’s collecting information about Cromwell.
Now no more shirking; we must make a start. There’s a stuffed swan if you please. Will, I’d
trust you with my life. But not your principles. You see, we speak of being anchored to our
principles. But if the weather turns nasty you up with an anchor and let it down where there’s

10CHARACTER ANALYSIS
less wind, and the fishing’s better. And “Look,” we say, “look, I’m anchored! To my
principles!” (The speaker is Thomas More and talking about Thomas Cromwell.)
The Character’s dress:
Colour: Black, red, white and even golden.
Silhouette: Emphasis on the shoulder.
Structure: He used to wear tights underneath and top-wear along with robes. The head used to
remain covered throughout.
Fit: The bottom wear remained loose yet tight at the waist and to wear remained loose.
Texture: Velvet, as well as wool, was woven.
Coverage: The hands and face can be seen.
Neatness: He used to present himself neat and tidy except the shoes, which remained dirty
quite a few days.
Wear: The attire seemed quite an agent of the king.
The brief description of the character:
Thomas Cromwell is identified as the crafty lawyer, who secretly plotted some
conspiracies against Thomas More. Richard Rich, as well as the common man, are derived by
their immoral events such as absolute conspiracy, execution and so on at many a time during
that period (Bolt 1967). The character is always motivated Thomas More through that evil
nature. He has been recognised as the significant reason of downfall for the More’s and does
not serve a pang of major guilt (Starrs 2015).

11CHARACTER ANALYSIS
References:
Bell, P.I., 1978. Lady Alice the Unknown. Moreana, 15(3), pp.9-11.
Bolt, R., Scofield, P., Davenport, N., Hurt, J. and Zinnemann, F., 1967. A man for all
seasons. St. Paul's School for the Blind and Visually Handicapped..
Gale, C.L., 2016. A Study Guide for Robert Bolt's" A Man for All Seasons". Gale, Cengage
Learning.
Kenny, A., 1983. Thomas More (p. 111). Oxford: Oxford University Press.
Ledgerwood, A.M. and Lucas, C.E., 2019. A man for all seasons. Journal of Trauma and
Acute Care Surgery, 87(4), pp.749-751.
McCutcheon, E. and Wilson, K., 1987. Margaret More Roper. Women Writers of the
Renaissance and Reformation, ed. Katharina Wilson, pp.449-480.
Mehdi, M.M.A.H., 2015. The Meaning of Conscience IN ROBERT BOLT’SA Man For All
Seasons. Al-Bahith Journal, 16(9), pp.388-400.
Shaffer, T.L., 1999. More's Skill. Widener J. Pub. L., 9, p.295.
Sparknotes.com (2020). SparkNotes: A Man for All Seasons: Sir Thomas More. [online]
Sparknotes.com. Available at:
https://www.sparknotes.com/lit/amanforallseasons/character/sir-thomas-more/ [Accessed 20
Feb. 2020].
Starrs, J.E., 2015. Bolt: A Man for All Seasons. DePaul Law Review, 12(2), p.372.
Warnicke, R.M., 2012. Alice More. In Wicked Women of Tudor England (pp. 155-179).
Palgrave Macmillan, New York.

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