Utopia: A Humanist Fiction Reflecting on 16th Century English Society

This essay delves into Thomas More's Utopia, a seminal work of humanist fiction and socio-political satire, offering a critical reflection on the practices and societal structures of 16th-century England. The essay examines the novel's portrayal of European governance, its critique of societal flaws, and its presentation of an idealized Utopian commonwealth as a contrast to the realities of the time. It analyzes the character of Raphael Nonsenso, the discussions at the dinner party, and the contrasting views on punishment and social justice. Furthermore, the essay explores how More highlights the gap between the rich and poor and advocates for societal reforms, such as dedicating time to farming. The essay concludes that Utopia serves as a mirror to the societal issues of the time, emphasizing the influence of power over truth and the need for a more equitable and just society. The paper references several academic sources to support its arguments and provide a comprehensive understanding of More's work.

Running head: ROMAN HISTORY – UTOPIA
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Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author Note

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Thomas More is one of the celebrated humanists who were present during the
Renaissance period. The humanist was also known for holding the post of an author, social
philosopher, statesman and a lawyer as well. The author is known to have been highlight the
various issues in terms of the practices that are undertaken by the society as well as the political
scenario that is existent within the given society. Utopia is one of the most famous works that
were composed by the Renaissance humanist (Ackroyd (1998) p. 167). It is one of the socio-
political satires that were composed in the sixteenth century. The novel is known to have been
highlighting the issues that are related to the various customs that were practiced within the then
society (Wood (1994) p. 106). The following paper would make an attempt in discussing the
underlying object in composing the novel, Utopia. The paper further makes an attempt in
discussing the novel as a humanist fiction., an entertaining read and a mirror to the various
practices that were undertaken by the residents of the sixteenth century England.
One of the most famous works of Sir Thomas More, Utopia is known to have been
demonstrating the issues and the practices that put forth a stark contrast to the practices that
formed a huge part of the sixteenth century England. The composition of the novel demonstrates
the fact that the author has been criticizing the practices that were highlighted in the sixteenth
century and had thus been capable of taking on a sarcastic approach in the development of the
storyline of the novel. The author highlights the various practices of the European Government
style with the use of the various characters within the novel (Wilde (2017) p. 64). The character
of Raphael Nonsenso in order to demonstrate a portrayal of the issues that were highlighted by
the European style of government. The author further highlights the various flawed elements
within the political scenario of Europe and the European philosophical perspective. In order to
achieve the aforementioned outcomes, the author is observed to have been highlighting the

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Utopian Commonwealth (Smith (2006) p. 40). This in turn is known to have been helping the
concerned author to bring the flaws in the administrative activities to the limelight as well. The
Utopian world is known to have been demonstrating the factors and the issues that were highly
upheld in the sixteenth century England. The author demonstrates an impracticable society in the
novel Utopia (Neild & Bain 2020). The laws that are highlighted to be implement ted within the
Utopian lands are known to have been viable in nature. This is due to the fact that the laws that
were implemented in the Utopian world had been in a counteraction with the inherent failures
demonstrated by the human beings in the context of being a race (More 2020). The novel
demonstrates the properties of being a humanist fiction through the various societal highlights
that are presented within the society demonstrated within the novel. The situations that are
highlighted within the novel emphasizes on the various discrepancies that are implemented
within the societal boundaries of the sixteenth century England. The novel opens with a fictional
scenario of a dinner party that has been continuing between certain societal heads and other such
important people who have been present within the society (Logan (2006) p. 4). The fictional
setting of the novel tends to deal in the revealing of the various practices that have been taking
place within the Sixteenth century English society.
The novel in discussion., Utopia, has been known for the outward experiences that are
highlighted in terms of the activities that would be undertaken by the people in the English
society as well. The novel highlights several scenarios that are in stark contrast with the societal
behavior that is highlighted by the residents of the sixteenth century England (Logan (2006) p.
2). The other issues that are highlighted in the novel states that the European administration is
flawed in a variety of manners and that they affect the overall society in a wide way. The major
topic of discussion that is highlighted in this scenario refers to the capital punishment for the

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thieves (Hansot (1974) p. 61). The discussions at the dinner party is highly concentrated on the
issues that are highlighted in terms of the punishment that should be awarded to the people who
take to the activities of stealing from people or the activities that are related to theft. The novel
highlights that the majority of the public residing within the territorial boundaries of the Utopian
land agree to the rule. However, the protagonist of the novel, Raphael Nonsenso, opines
differently and highlights the major flaws of the situation in terms of the religious and the secular
points of view as well. The protagonist is further observed to have been suggesting a better
alternative for awarding the thieves with the required punishment (Wood (1994) p. 18). The
protagonist suggests that the thieves should be punished by making them return the stolen goods
to the rightful owner and thereafter serve as a slave for the rest of his life. The other people who
have been present within the dinner party demonstrate several reactions to the proposal stated by
Raphael Nonsenso (Hansot (1974) p. 76). A certain section of the society represented by the
lawyer states that the idea is not good enough to be implemented within the society. The other
section of the society as have been highlighted by the Cardinal emphasizes on the fact that the
outcomes of the given proposal might not be highlighted until and unless they are tested in the
real-life scenarios (Brotton (2006) p. 56). The other guests who have been present within the
dinner party are observed to have been contemplating on the issues and the outcomes of the
proposal on the basis of the viewpoint as had been demonstrated by the Cardinal. This
highlighted the fact that the given society tended to have a better acceptance to power rather than
to the truth.
The novel Utopia as have been composed by the Renaissance humanist, Thomas More
tends to highlight the fact that there exists a huge number of fallacies in the European
philosophical approach towards the governance. The novel majorly highlights the fact that the

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governmental policies that are presented within the given area are known to have been dealing in
the activities that are related to the lack in the understanding of the issues that are faced by the
concerned organization (Brotton (2006) p. 40). The various incidents as have been highlighted
within the given novel states that the concerned public residing within the political boundaries of
the given country tend to have been following the various incidents that are generally opined by
the people who have been enjoying a certain amount of power within the society as opposed to
the truth that should be highlighted in this case. This is highlighted majorly in the section
wherein the participants of the dinner party accept the statement as stated by the Cardinal (Wood
(1994) p. 96). The judgements of the people residing within the society are known to have been
influenced by the responses to the opinions of those who have been enjoying their powers rather
than dealing in the merit of the proposed matters. The observation of Raphael Nonsenso provides
a better insight into the matter as well. “This [response], from the Cardinal, was enough to make
everyone wildly in favor of an idea which nobody had taken seriously when I had produced it”
(Baker-Smith 2000). The concerned author further highlights the fact that the English society
maintained a huge gap between the residents of the country on the basis of the financial status as
have been maintained by the residents of the society. The Utopian society is observed to have
been strictly highlighting the fact that the residents would have to dedicate two long years of
their life to the activity of farming (Boesky (1996) p. 47). The author highlights the fact that the
cities might gain an agricultural surplus due to the farming activities undertaken by the residents.
The author concludes that “Under such a system, there’s bound to be plenty of everything, and,
as everything is divided equally among the entire population, there obviously can’t be any poor
people or beggars” (Baker-Smith 2000). This is known to have been highlighting the fact that the

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agricultural outcomes of the concerned country would further help in the development of the
economic conditions of the country as well.
In lieu of the above discussion, it might be stated that the description of Utopia as have
been highlighted by More presents a contrary to the administration system followed within the
territorial boundaries of the sixteenth century England. The author further highlights the various
flawed elements within the political scenario of Europe and the European philosophical
perspective. In order to achieve the aforementioned outcomes, the author is observed to have
been highlighting the Utopian Commonwealth. This in turn is known to have been helping the
concerned author to bring the flaws in the administrative activities undertaken within the
sixteenth century England to the limelight as well. The other issues that are highlighted in the
novel states that the European administration is flawed in a variety of manners and that they
affect the overall society in a wide way.

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References
Ackroyd, P 1998, The life of Thomas More, Chatto & Windus, London.
Baker-Smith, D 2000, More's Utopia, University of Toronto Press, Toronto.
Boesky, A 1996, Founding fictions: utopias in early modern England, The University of Georgia
Press, Athens and London.
Brotton, J 2006, The Renaissance: a very short introduction, Oxford University Press, Oxford.
Hansot, E 1974, Perfection and progress: two modes of utopian thought, MIT Press Cambridge.
Logan, G 2006, ‘Humanist More’ in Thomas More Studies, The Centre for Thomas More
Studies, University of Dallas, Texas, p. 1-6.
More, T 2020, Utopia Extract, Trinity College Foundation Studies, Melbourne
Neild, J & Bain, S 2020, Introduction and notes to Utopia essay, Trinity College Foundation
Studies, Melbourne.
Smith, S 2006, ‘Literary designs: Thomas More’s Utopia as Literature’ in Thomas More Studies,
The Centre for Thomas More Studies, University of Dallas, Texas, p. 37-43.
Wilde, L 2017, Thomas More’s Utopia: arguing for social justice, Routledge, Abingdon.
Wood, N 1994, Foundations of political economy: some early Tudor views on state and society,
University of California Press, Berkeley & Los Angeles.