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What Is A Man For All Seasons
A man for all seasons, in that short phrase one man's character and merit, are heightened to unseen levels. The film A Man for All Seasons directed by
Fred Zinnemann and written by Robert Bolt does a phenomenal job at depicting the history of the 16th century. More specifically the quarrel between
Thomas More and King Henry VIII. The evaluation I prepared goes over movies purpose, is it biased, historical accuracy, movie's message, actors in
relation to the film, and if the movie is a by–product of its time. This movie can be looked at many different ways as the event itself was complicated.
However, these questions or topics bring out the what is most impactful in a film; my opinion of course.
The films, actors and actress play a huge...show more content...
Going in one would need some background knowledge to really make sense of it all. In regards to balance between Henry VIII and Thomas More,
I strongly believe it was kept unbiased and told from a historical standpoint. In that aspect, history does support their conclusion. The movie may
have left or altered some parts here and there, but the overall movie was accurate. From the way, they captured how King Henry VIII would use his
chief ministers to forward political gain and the anger that came with them failing or disagreeing. The historical accuracy with the character of history
was on point as well. Characters such as Mr. Rich, his greed, and need to rise in politics, King Henry's charm, beauty, and temper, and Thomas More's
morality and need to stay true to one's self. There's much more going on but these can be seen as the most accurate and
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Robert Bolt's A Man For All Seasons Essay
Robert Bolt's "A Man For All Seasons"
In the play, written by Robert Bolt, 'A man for all seasons' the
Common Man is a very important character and also a very important part of the play, not in the plot but in the way the play has been presented, he is
both a narrator and a role player who makes the play more interesting and separates it from reality. The Common Man also introduces some of the ideas
from Bertolt Brecht's work. The idea of the Common Man is a rare and rather unusual one. Robert Bolt used him intentionally to be like no other
character in his play.
One of the distinctive functions of the Common Man is obvious from his name. The word, 'common' meaning, 'common to us all.' Everybody in the
audience should be...show more content...
The Common Man uses slight wit and shrewdness, 'The likes of me can hardly be expected to follow a man like that!' This is where we see that the
Common Man is also likely to be used to add humour, which is often course, 'show you something of my own.' The audience are able to laugh at other
characters with him.
We see that the Common Man has an intention to stay well out of trouble, to save his own skin. Again, he communicates this within his roles. An
example is the Jailer, who refuses to let More's family stay any longer. Although we can see he wants to, he sticks to his orders to prevent any trouble
for himself. The Common Man tries to save himself again as the Foreman of the jury, who can see it's obvious
More should be let go innocent but doesn't want to get on the wrong side of the King by displeasing his wishes, instead he brings a guilty verdict to
stay in the clear.
The importance of The Common Man is the way he is able to be both inside and outside of the play, he can also bridge a gap between the play and
the audience and we see him as an informer. When the audience needed to know of Wolsey's death, the Common Man throws the Cardinal's red robe
and hat to the floor, indicating his death. Robert Bolt created him as a use of 'alienation,' the way in which the audience are deliberately kept separate
from the play to remind
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Rhetorical Analysis Of A Man For All Seasons
How can a person stay alive when his own beliefs go against the desires of King Henry? In A Man for All Seasons, Sir Thomas More struggles to
keep his head and morals when faced with the proposition of King Henry's divorce. As the play progresses, the King's divorce becomes a pressing
issue and More uses rhetoric to go against the divorce and corrupted government. Silence turns out to be More's most effective method of rhetoric, but
towards the beginning and end of the play he makes a few key statements to support his argument. During a meeting with Wolsey, More's skepticism of
the divorce is first shown. Wolsey is suggesting support of the divorce so that the King may conceive an heir withAnne Boleyn. More makes the
statement, "A dispensation
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The Film A Man For All Seasons
The film A Man for All Seasons is an absolute masterpiece. It really is a cinematic tour de
force. Directed by the legendary Fred Zinnemann, well known for High Noon, and starring
incredibly talented and powerful actors as Paul Scofield, who plays the wonderful Thomas
Moore, Orson Welles, and John Hurt. This won six academy awards in 1966. The film uses the
historical story of Sir Thomas Moore to explore one of Zinnemann's favorite themes––
martyrdom– a person standing up even to death for their personal beliefs. Not only that, this film
also wrestles with several themes that deal with legal issues such as hot to deal with
conscientious objectors, natural law versus positive law, consequentialism versus deontology and
the history of legal safeguards in the Common Law Tradition.
The character of Sir Thomas Moore, a devout Catholic who sat on the Kings Council and
eventually became Lord Chancellor, is a jurist who is devoted to the law of England. He
performs his duties diligently and with care. He turns down attempts at bribery and ruling with a
leaned hand of justice. Moore and King Henry the VIII, played by Robert Shaw, are very close
friends. The King seeks a divorce from his barren wife so that he can wed his mistress and
hopefully have an air to his throne. The church rejects King Henry's request and in turn, King
Henry declares himself that head of the Church and puts pressure on the clergy to accept his
divorce and his new wife. Moore's
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A Man for All Seasons: Play About Thomas More
A Man for All Seasons A Man for All Seasons written by Robert Bolt is a play about a man, Thomas More, who lives by his beliefs and eventually
dies because of his beliefs. The play has a simple theme, played out through a few main characters. Rich's character and personality prevent More
from being successful. The first appearance of Rich in the play happens right away in the first scene. This is the first time you get to see his
personality. Rich and More have an argument, as to whether every man is capable of being bribed. Rich believes that money, status or women, can
bribe anyone. More doesn't agree with him completely but is intrigued with his belief that a man can be bought with materials. Rich is referring to the
fact...show more content...
The contrast of Rich's gain in status and Mores loss of status, really makes the play. It seems that the author doesn't try to make his characters stand
for anyone thing in particular, but in Rich's case he is a symbol of the tendency to surrender to the temptation of wealth and status. Throughout the
play you never get any real depth of Rich as a person. This seems to be what the author is trying to do because Rich works as a perfect contrast to
More without taking anything away from More's character. Without the contrast of Rich's character we wouldn't get to see who More really is. Rich's
character shows us all what impact money and status can have on
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Common Man All Seasons
The Common Man The play "A Man for All seasons", written by Robert Bolt is a dramatic historical play that plots the dramatic downfall of Thomas
More. The Common Man, pictured as a man who is normal and will do anything, manages to stay covert. His ability to find the path of least resistance
as well as remaining unnoticed allows him to survive the outcome of the play.The theatrical devices he provides are ways to tell the audience his
thoughts and the thoughts of the other characters as well. Ultimately, the Common Man's double role provides the audience with thoughts and actions
of characters on and off the stage. Small roles are normally significant in stories but in A Man For All Seasons the Common man proves that statement
wrong....show more content...
He could be anyone in the audience at any given time, and his selfishness and craven come to be seen as traits everyone has dealt with at one time.At
the same time, the fast pace changing of roles come on at faster rate as the play continues. At the end, he switches from More's jailer, to a juryman, to
More's executioner in a short time period, therefore exemplifying the abruptness at which some often find themselves compiling in situations of which
they do not in the end approve of.The Common Man also implicates the audience by addressing us directly, as an interpreter, commentator, or
narrorator. The speeches that are delivered help keep the audience informed on past events and upcoming conflicts. In addition, the personality of the
other characters gives the audience insight into the story. The Common Man's roles however minor still contribute greatly to the development of the
story and, prove the importance of this character. An excerpt that describes the Common Man is, "The Sixteenth Century is the Century of the
Common Man". To show this, the Common Man plays a copious amount of roles each one being a regular job. When playing the jailer, boatman,
steward, and many more roles he exemplifies characteristics of the everyday man that can be relatable to the audience. His inability to get caught helps
the audience stay connected with characters and events of the play. Finally, the role of the Common man as a double role helps the play communicate
to the audience as well as stay interesting through sharing common
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In the play A Man For All Seasons the character Richard Rich states early that "every man has his price." For most of the characters in the play this is
true. However, there are exceptions to this statement. Sir Thomas More, even when faced with impending doom refused to compromise his conscience.
Others in the play did not show such bravery and commitment to their moral standard. Those that did not show such bravery are Richard Rich who
betrayed More by giving falls witness against him in court, Thomas Cromwell who facilitated Mores downfall with a minimum of guilt and The
Common Man who just does what he has to survive. Richard Rich is a highly ambitions man who's soul desire is to be wealthy and he will go to great
lengths to achieve...show more content...
To stand for what one believes in is brave thing to do and it is a thing that many people will not have to do. But in the case of the play A Man For All
Seasons where the time required you to ether stand or fold. Many people do not have the desire to stay strong to their morals. But in every few there
are exceptions to this and it is these people like Sir Thomas More who have desire and will to do
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Essay A Man For All Seasons
In the play A Man For All Seasons, the main character is Sir Thomas More. Sir Thomas is the Chancellor of England and a very religious man.
Once, during a conversation with Wolsey (Chancellor at the time) about the King needing a son, Wolsey asks if Sir Thomas would like to govern
the whole country by prayer and Sir Thomas agrees. This shows how strong his faith was. Sir Thomas is a friend of King Henry VIII, but when he
disagreed with the King's opinion on marriage, he was beheaded. King Henry was married to Catherine of Argon, the daughter of Ferdinand and
Isabella of Spain. Catherine was Henry's brother's widow. King Henry and Catherine were married "for State reasons", but although Catherine was
pregnant many times, only one child...show more content...
Everyone is shocked that Sir Thomas has to leave now, because it's 11:00 at night. In Scene 2, Sir Thomas is at Cardinal Wolsey's. Wolsey is old
with a big decayed body. Wolsey asks for Sir Thomas's help. The King wants a son and Catherine cannot get him one. He wants the King to get a
divorce for "State reasons." Sir Thomas doesn't agree, so Wolsey says he was an enemy in him, until he "comes down to earth." In Scene 3, Sir
Thomas is looking for a boat, and Cromwell approaches him. Thomas Cromwell is in his late 30's, subtle, serious, and an intellectual bully.
Cromwell is on his way to see the Cardinal and wants to know how things went with him and Sir Thomas. Signor Chapuys shows up. He is the
Spanish Ambassador who is in like 60's and a professional diplomat. Chapuys tells Sir Thomas that the King of Spain would be very insulted if
Catherine were to be hurt or insulted. He uses this as a kind of threat to Sir Thomas, as if to make sure Catherine will not get hurt. In Scene 4,
when Sir Thomas comes home, he finds out that William Roper is there with Lady Margaret. Roper wants to marry Margaret, but Sir Thomas says
he cannot as long as he is a heretic. Sir Thomas tells William to get a horse out of the stable and go home. When Lady Alice and Lady Margaret try
to talk to Sir Thomas about his visit with Wolsey, Thomas just ignores them. Lady Alice says that Norfolk was talking about Sir Thomas for
Chancellor, and Sir
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A Man For All Seasons, Directed By Fred Zinnemann
A Man for All Seasons, directed by Fred Zinnemann, is a true depiction of the struggles that Sir Thomas Moore faced in sixteenth century England.
His struggles with King Henry VIII and the corruption within the Catholic Church. The actors in this film accurately portrayed the characters in
emotion, manners, and speech. The costumes aided in the overall vision of the film and were most definitely accurate for that time period. Orson
Welles greasy portrayal of the Cardinal Wolsey was most definitely accurate to how the original Cardinal Wolsey would have been. He was willing to
do anything to move up in the church and in the King's favor. The struggles of Sir Thomas Moore were accurately portrayed by Paul Scofield. He
showed the internal
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Man For All Seasons
The play, and film A Man For All Seasons, was based on a true story. The performance was created by Robert Bolt on July 1st 1960, and it was turned
into a film that was released on December 12, 1966. The film was directed by Fred Zinneman, and edited by Eric Boyd–Perkins (Wikipedia, web.). The
play and film focuses on Sir Thomas More, although there are many other important and interesting characters. Sir Thomas More plays the hero by
being brave and sticking to his principles, even in the face of death. King Henry Vlll plays the villain who is only after what he wants, and he was
determined to get it regardless of the damage and consequences of causing great harm to others. Cardinal Thomas Wolsey was the in–between, to solve
the Kings problems, to his own demise. After More resigned, Sir Thomas Audley took his place, and...show more content...
At that time, religion was very important. Also, religion and power seemed to go together. The sixteenth century was a time when people had
morals and values, but of course there were some like King Henry that just wanted power and an airr, and he didn't care how he got it. What the
play says about the 16th century, is that the King was in charge most of the time, people didn't have very many rights, they rarely had a lawyer,
and trials were unfair. Basically the King had license to execute people if they disagreed with him. Sir Thomas More was loyal to the Catholic
Church, while Henry Vlll maniputed the Church to reach his goals. More was brave, and he was willing to give up everything for his faith, and
religious beliefs. He was willing to lose his position of power, suffer imprisonment, losing his family, and having his head cut off with a guillotine.
More had so much faith in God that he was animate that when he died he would go to heaven, and it is possible that he thought he would be rewarded
for his stance on the Catholic
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Man For All Seasons
The book. "A Man for All Seasons" by Robert Bolt describes the life of the lawyer Thomas More and how he defied the marriage between Anne
Boleyn and Henry VII. Thomas is a virtuous man who defended his sense of self against his adversaries. But, because he would not bow to the
marriage, Thomas lost his life. Thomas More's' love for God takes away his life. Thomas' primary role of his identity is his love for God and forms the
majority of his conscience. A way in which Thomas' love for God takes away his life is by taking away his friends. Another way in which Thomas'
love for God takes away his life is by taking away his family. Another way in which Thomas' love for God takes away his life is by taking away his life.
A way in which Thomas'...show more content...
Thomas More does not agree with the marriage between Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn because Thomas feels that it violates the law of Apostolic
Succession. Thomas does try to be complacent with the Act of Succession if he can find any way that he could agree with it. But, since he is not
able to find anything that gives him any leeway. So, Thomas refuses to swear the oath because it falls in conflict with his love for God (it violates
his conscience). Since he refuses to swear the oath and would not bend to the marriage, Thomas loses his actual life (through a false testament).
Another way in which Thomas' love for God takes away his life is by taking away his life.
Thomas More's' love for God takes away his life. A way in which Thomas' love for God takes away his life is by taking away his friends. Another way
in which Thomas' love for God takes away his life is by taking away his family. Another way in which Thomas' love for God takes away his life is
by taking away his life. Thomas More is a virtuous man that lived his whole life without violating the most important parts of his identity. Not all men
can do that. Thomas More's' love for God takes away his
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A Man for All Seasons Essay
In the beginning of A Man for All Seasons, Sir Thomas More is introduced as a profoundly religious man focused on adhering to the laws of his
country and faith. As the play progresses the audience sees More putting further faith into his belief that by abiding to the present laws and
withholding his opinion about King Henry VIII's divorce he will be protected from prosecution. The issue starts when the King wishes to divorce
his brother's wife, who initially he had taken as his own through a special papal dispensation, in order to wed Queen Anne and produce a male heir.
More, being a devoutly religious man, realizes this goes against the laws of the Church. He refuses to give his willing approval based on the fact it is
not morally or...show more content...
He believes that if he is summoned to the Court that the jury will look at the evidence and realize there is no probable content to convict him of,
therefore, proving him to be an innocent man who has done no wrong. More distinctly states this belief when he tells Cromwell, "The law requires
more than an assumption; the law requires a fact." –Sir Thomas More, pg 131
However, he has not planned for a false testimony from Richard Rich at his trial. Rich testifies that More has committed the act of treason by
rejecting the authority of King Henry VIII as head of the Church in England. As king of England, Henry has the power and the unquestionable
authority to act based off his own desires even if they are not legally or morally acceptable. Because his current wife, Catherine, who was also his
brother's widow, has failed to birth a son, he wishes to divorce her and take Queen Anne as his new wife. Without a male heir to the throne, Henry's
lineage will come to an end and England will be left without a successor. He admits this to More during their meeting in Act 1, saying,
"Thomas, Thomas, does a man need a Pope to tell him when he's sinned? It was a sin, Thomas; I admit it; I repent. And God has punished me; I have
no son ... Son after son she's borne me, Thomas, all dead at birth, or dead within the month; I never saw the hand of God so clear in
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A Man For All Seasons By Robert Bolt
Robert Bolt's "A Man For All Seasons" depicts Thomas Moore as a man that has moral sense differing from the King. Due to the conflicting ideals
between More and England's ruler during the duration of the play, Henry VIII, More resigned from his power as chancellor and is beheaded;This is
all due to beliefs on divorce and religion of said time. "Henry [VIII] was anxious to ensure a male heir after his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, had
borne him only a daughter"("Church Of England",2011). Male succession was set in the british monarchy,during the time period, therefore there would
be no ruler after the King unless a son was to be conceived. The King was worried about such an event occurring that he cheated on his wife with other
women,
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A Man For All Season and Machiavelli's Doctrine: Reiteration of History
A Man For All Seasons, a play written by Robert Bolt, in essence is both a moral play and a historical play. Sir Thomas More, a "man of the
greatest virtue this kingdom has ever produced" (Dean Swift), is famous for choosing to suffer death rather than swearing to an oath that would
counter his principles. Sir More had acquired a high position of Lord Chancellery under the reign of King Henry VIII, but stepped down since he
could not do what the king had asked of him since this action would conflict with his beliefs and conscience. From that time, Sir More was in
disagreement with King Henry's divorce, which led him to his own doom. Realizing that Sir More would not...show more content...
"В…That from mean to great fortune, people rise rather by fraud, than by force." These "fortunes" are all those causes of historical change that are
beyond the deliberate, rational control of men.
People became so involved questioning the principles of Machiavelli's prince that they do not realize that effectiveness of power is more important
than the morality of the principle. For this reason, Machiavelli was considered to be the devil incarnate when he wrote The Prince. The term
Machiavellian, was born after publishing the book during the Elizabethan era, symbolizing a leader marked with cruelty and ruthlessness. The
Machiavellian tactic is the acting in accordance with the principles of government, in which politics is placed before morality or power over values.
The tactic involves use of deceit to maintain authority and carry out the policies of a ruler. From The Prince, Machiavelli was explaining how people
struggle for power and authority. Machiavelli got the idea during the military scandal in 1499, from his first diplomatic mission to France (1500), and
from his acquaintance with Cesare Borgia (1502).
Machiavelli influenced the court of the king, and King Henry VIII himself during his reigning years, by using Machiavellian scheming. King Henry
VIII made some compromise to public response by canceling some of the financial obligations of those who had been subjected to extortion in the
interest of the public during the
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Essay on a Man For All Seasons
"A Man for All Seasons" by Robert Bolt: More's Moral Dilemma
During the English renaissance in the 1500's, King Henry VIII wants a divorce from his wife for various reasons, but divorce is against the Catholic
religion. This is why he wants Sir Thomas More's consent, because More is a highly respected Catholic, but he is such a good Catholic that he goes
against divorce. In the play, A Man for AllSeasons, by Robert Bolt, King Henry VIII applies pressure on Thomas More to support the divorce in many
ways. He exerts it both directly and indirectly in forms of threats and intimidation from various people. Henry forces Meg, More's "renaissance
woman" daughter, to take an oath in order to...show more content...
More still sticks to what he believes in, because he believes that he must always do what God wants him to do, for there is no limit to what god can
"reasonably want." Meg does as much as she can to persuade More to support the King, but it does not work, and More sticks to his morals.
Henry also orders Cromwell to pressure More to support the divorce. At first, Cromwell informs More directly that the king is not pleased with him,
and then says, "Yet you do not know that even now, if you could bring yourself to agree with the Universities, the Bishops and the Parliament of
this realm, there is no honor which the King would be likely to deny you?" (page 66). More acknowledges this and says, "I am well
acquainted with His Grace's generosity,"
(page 66). Cromwell wants More to know that the king still has great respect for him, and if he supports the divorce there would be "no honor
which the King would be likely to deny" him. More is not greatly affected by this type of pressure however, because he is the type of man that
does not let rewards tempt him to go against his morals. Cromwell realizes that More is stubborn on this issue, and wants to execute him, so to More
he directly reads the charges against him, "That you did conspire traitorously and maliciously to deny and deprive our liege lord Henry of his
undoubted certain title Supreme Head of the
Church of England," (pages 86– 87). More
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Essay On A Man For All Seasons And Hamlet
Compare A Man for All Seasons and Hamlet Essay The literary texts A Man for All Seasons and Hamlet both have the same underlying theme of
one's ability to make decisions in a world of corruption. Robert Bolt criticizes society by commenting on the corruption in the political and religious
systems, which are supposed to be tools to provide justice for all individuals. Whereas, Hamlet is play that discusses how the protagonist is unable to
follow through with his decisions to avenge his father's murder. Throughout these works, the authors illustrate, through a variety of characters the
ability of making decisions when society's political and religious systems are corrupt. In this classic piece of literature, the main characters depict the
...show more content...
During both the Elizabethan Era and King Henry's reign the political and religious systems of society were corrupt. In the play Hamlet, there is
clear evidence of corruption and weakening of the state under Claudius's rule. 'Something is rotten in the state of Denmark' depicts Shakespeare's
intellectual ability of not only reflecting political and religious norms, but also of commenting on how political and religious power can lead to
corruption within humanity. In A Man for All Seasons, the people of England let society and political leaders dictate their morals and values. The
characters Wolsey, Cromwell, and the Pope are political/religious leaders that forsake their conscience, which means becoming corrupted. During
these era's, the Common Man followed their Kings and Queens and if the political officials of England are corrupted, society will follow, leading to a
route of destruction. Therefore, this affects how individuals make decisions according to society's political and religious norms because if society's
norms become corrupted then so do the decisions made by individuals. For example, in A Man for All Seasons, the Common Man liked and supported
Thomas More however, they decided to remain silent, which is why they are also indirectly responsible for More's death. This displays that in a
corrupted society individuals are likely to make decisions that are unknowingly corrupt just to fit society's
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Thomas More's Position In A Man For All Seasons
In the play A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt, the lawyer Thomas More is an intelligent and outspoken man who is devoted in entirety to the
Catholic Church. When King Henry VIII decides to annul his marriage to his late brother's wife Catherine of Aragon, Thomas More inwardly opposes
the King's actions and opinions. Thomas More is made a significant figure to the country not only from his writings and honest reputation but by his
election to the office of Chancellor following Thomas Wolsey's death. Thomas Wolsey was the Chancellor of England before Thomas More, but was
dismissed in disgrace due to his failure to secure the annulment of King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. This inward opposition causes no harm to
anyone until Thomas
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Values and Morals in A Man For All Seasons by Robert Bolt In the play A Man For All Seasons by Robert Bolt the audience learns about the
extraordinary life of Sir Thomas More. Sir Thomas is faced with a moral dilemma that will determine the outcome of his life. More, chancellor of
England , and a strong Christian believer is forced to choose between his close friend, King Henry VIII, and the supreme lord his God. More is a
man of moral integrity because he refuses to submit to external pressures to sign the oath condoning the Act of Supremacy. He follows his heart and
soul in doing what he believes to be right no matter what the consequence. More is told by King Henry VIII to sign the Act of Supremacy. The Act
gives Henry VIII full...show more content...
Despite what many may think, More would rather not get involved or influence the life of the king concerning the divorce. To most people signing
the oath is a minor thing. It is something that should be done to appease the King , despite personal beliefs. However, for More his decision to sign
the oath must be based on his beliefs. If he were to sign the oath he would lose all self respect. The audience learns this when he says " I neither could
nor would rule my King. But there's a little...little, area...where I must rule myself. It's very little–less to him than a tennis court."(Bolt, p 59). More is a
man of principles and he will not compromise these principles. According to Sir Thomas if a man is prepared to take an oath then he must stand by
that oath. However, in this case the signing of the oath would compromise these principles and therefore he can not sign. He displays this view
when he says, " When a man takes an oath, Meg, he's holding his own self in his own hands. Like water..." (Bolt, p 140) More goes on to explain
that he can not doubt his soul. If he were to go against his moral conscience, in a sense he would be killing his soul, and without the soul there is
nothing. More's conscience is extremely important to him. He could not live with himself if he were to go against his conscience. To sign the
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A Man For All Seasons Essay
The 16th century was a time of political upheaval, a time of conflict and corruption ... and a time of heroes? All these elements are visibly present in
Bolt's book, A Man for All Seasons. As I was reading this story I was thinking that it could probably apply to our day and age but that begged the
question. Why did Robert Bolt decide to use a 16th century character rather than a present time period character and setting? I believe that Bolt chose
this man and his era because there things that he liked abut the man, there was no shortage of conflict and the he was worthy of being a hero. He fits
into one of the archetype heroes. These three things I will touch upon in my seminar and I hope that my ideas will prove to be informative and...show
more content...
In the 16th century, many people were rewarded for how they knew because of the thick black line between the rich and the poor. If you were poor
then you could probably pull a few tricks that would get you in well with the local lord and this improve your life. I'll prove that in my next area of
focus. Robert Bolt was fascinated by More's ability to gain status through hard, honest work. He did not get to his position because of the people he
knew but because of who he was and how hard he worked.
But you can not write a play on the excellent character of a man alone and this is another reason why Robert Bolt had to go all the way back to the
16th century. I believe he was also thinking of the setting. This is because the setting is actually a time of political and spiritual upheaval so there
is a great deal of conflict for Bolt to make use of. King Henry was a king who abused his power so people had to make sure that they were on his
good side, no matter what. Another reason was that More acted differently than everyone else; he believed that you had to earn your status. And the
divorce, well, the divorce can be looked at as the King and the Church meeting at a head. It was king versus the church, and for Thomas More, it was
his life vs. his spirit.
The
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What Is A Man For All Seasons

  • 1. What Is A Man For All Seasons A man for all seasons, in that short phrase one man's character and merit, are heightened to unseen levels. The film A Man for All Seasons directed by Fred Zinnemann and written by Robert Bolt does a phenomenal job at depicting the history of the 16th century. More specifically the quarrel between Thomas More and King Henry VIII. The evaluation I prepared goes over movies purpose, is it biased, historical accuracy, movie's message, actors in relation to the film, and if the movie is a by–product of its time. This movie can be looked at many different ways as the event itself was complicated. However, these questions or topics bring out the what is most impactful in a film; my opinion of course. The films, actors and actress play a huge...show more content... Going in one would need some background knowledge to really make sense of it all. In regards to balance between Henry VIII and Thomas More, I strongly believe it was kept unbiased and told from a historical standpoint. In that aspect, history does support their conclusion. The movie may have left or altered some parts here and there, but the overall movie was accurate. From the way, they captured how King Henry VIII would use his chief ministers to forward political gain and the anger that came with them failing or disagreeing. The historical accuracy with the character of history was on point as well. Characters such as Mr. Rich, his greed, and need to rise in politics, King Henry's charm, beauty, and temper, and Thomas More's morality and need to stay true to one's self. There's much more going on but these can be seen as the most accurate and Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 2. Robert Bolt's A Man For All Seasons Essay Robert Bolt's "A Man For All Seasons" In the play, written by Robert Bolt, 'A man for all seasons' the Common Man is a very important character and also a very important part of the play, not in the plot but in the way the play has been presented, he is both a narrator and a role player who makes the play more interesting and separates it from reality. The Common Man also introduces some of the ideas from Bertolt Brecht's work. The idea of the Common Man is a rare and rather unusual one. Robert Bolt used him intentionally to be like no other character in his play. One of the distinctive functions of the Common Man is obvious from his name. The word, 'common' meaning, 'common to us all.' Everybody in the audience should be...show more content... The Common Man uses slight wit and shrewdness, 'The likes of me can hardly be expected to follow a man like that!' This is where we see that the Common Man is also likely to be used to add humour, which is often course, 'show you something of my own.' The audience are able to laugh at other characters with him. We see that the Common Man has an intention to stay well out of trouble, to save his own skin. Again, he communicates this within his roles. An example is the Jailer, who refuses to let More's family stay any longer. Although we can see he wants to, he sticks to his orders to prevent any trouble for himself. The Common Man tries to save himself again as the Foreman of the jury, who can see it's obvious More should be let go innocent but doesn't want to get on the wrong side of the King by displeasing his wishes, instead he brings a guilty verdict to stay in the clear. The importance of The Common Man is the way he is able to be both inside and outside of the play, he can also bridge a gap between the play and the audience and we see him as an informer. When the audience needed to know of Wolsey's death, the Common Man throws the Cardinal's red robe and hat to the floor, indicating his death. Robert Bolt created him as a use of 'alienation,' the way in which the audience are deliberately kept separate from the play to remind
  • 3. Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 4. Rhetorical Analysis Of A Man For All Seasons How can a person stay alive when his own beliefs go against the desires of King Henry? In A Man for All Seasons, Sir Thomas More struggles to keep his head and morals when faced with the proposition of King Henry's divorce. As the play progresses, the King's divorce becomes a pressing issue and More uses rhetoric to go against the divorce and corrupted government. Silence turns out to be More's most effective method of rhetoric, but towards the beginning and end of the play he makes a few key statements to support his argument. During a meeting with Wolsey, More's skepticism of the divorce is first shown. Wolsey is suggesting support of the divorce so that the King may conceive an heir withAnne Boleyn. More makes the statement, "A dispensation Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 5. The Film A Man For All Seasons The film A Man for All Seasons is an absolute masterpiece. It really is a cinematic tour de force. Directed by the legendary Fred Zinnemann, well known for High Noon, and starring incredibly talented and powerful actors as Paul Scofield, who plays the wonderful Thomas Moore, Orson Welles, and John Hurt. This won six academy awards in 1966. The film uses the historical story of Sir Thomas Moore to explore one of Zinnemann's favorite themes–– martyrdom– a person standing up even to death for their personal beliefs. Not only that, this film also wrestles with several themes that deal with legal issues such as hot to deal with conscientious objectors, natural law versus positive law, consequentialism versus deontology and the history of legal safeguards in the Common Law Tradition. The character of Sir Thomas Moore, a devout Catholic who sat on the Kings Council and eventually became Lord Chancellor, is a jurist who is devoted to the law of England. He performs his duties diligently and with care. He turns down attempts at bribery and ruling with a leaned hand of justice. Moore and King Henry the VIII, played by Robert Shaw, are very close
  • 6. friends. The King seeks a divorce from his barren wife so that he can wed his mistress and hopefully have an air to his throne. The church rejects King Henry's request and in turn, King Henry declares himself that head of the Church and puts pressure on the clergy to accept his divorce and his new wife. Moore's Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 7. A Man for All Seasons: Play About Thomas More A Man for All Seasons A Man for All Seasons written by Robert Bolt is a play about a man, Thomas More, who lives by his beliefs and eventually dies because of his beliefs. The play has a simple theme, played out through a few main characters. Rich's character and personality prevent More from being successful. The first appearance of Rich in the play happens right away in the first scene. This is the first time you get to see his personality. Rich and More have an argument, as to whether every man is capable of being bribed. Rich believes that money, status or women, can bribe anyone. More doesn't agree with him completely but is intrigued with his belief that a man can be bought with materials. Rich is referring to the fact...show more content... The contrast of Rich's gain in status and Mores loss of status, really makes the play. It seems that the author doesn't try to make his characters stand for anyone thing in particular, but in Rich's case he is a symbol of the tendency to surrender to the temptation of wealth and status. Throughout the play you never get any real depth of Rich as a person. This seems to be what the author is trying to do because Rich works as a perfect contrast to More without taking anything away from More's character. Without the contrast of Rich's character we wouldn't get to see who More really is. Rich's character shows us all what impact money and status can have on Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 8. Common Man All Seasons The Common Man The play "A Man for All seasons", written by Robert Bolt is a dramatic historical play that plots the dramatic downfall of Thomas More. The Common Man, pictured as a man who is normal and will do anything, manages to stay covert. His ability to find the path of least resistance as well as remaining unnoticed allows him to survive the outcome of the play.The theatrical devices he provides are ways to tell the audience his thoughts and the thoughts of the other characters as well. Ultimately, the Common Man's double role provides the audience with thoughts and actions of characters on and off the stage. Small roles are normally significant in stories but in A Man For All Seasons the Common man proves that statement wrong....show more content... He could be anyone in the audience at any given time, and his selfishness and craven come to be seen as traits everyone has dealt with at one time.At the same time, the fast pace changing of roles come on at faster rate as the play continues. At the end, he switches from More's jailer, to a juryman, to More's executioner in a short time period, therefore exemplifying the abruptness at which some often find themselves compiling in situations of which they do not in the end approve of.The Common Man also implicates the audience by addressing us directly, as an interpreter, commentator, or narrorator. The speeches that are delivered help keep the audience informed on past events and upcoming conflicts. In addition, the personality of the other characters gives the audience insight into the story. The Common Man's roles however minor still contribute greatly to the development of the story and, prove the importance of this character. An excerpt that describes the Common Man is, "The Sixteenth Century is the Century of the Common Man". To show this, the Common Man plays a copious amount of roles each one being a regular job. When playing the jailer, boatman, steward, and many more roles he exemplifies characteristics of the everyday man that can be relatable to the audience. His inability to get caught helps the audience stay connected with characters and events of the play. Finally, the role of the Common man as a double role helps the play communicate to the audience as well as stay interesting through sharing common Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 9. In the play A Man For All Seasons the character Richard Rich states early that "every man has his price." For most of the characters in the play this is true. However, there are exceptions to this statement. Sir Thomas More, even when faced with impending doom refused to compromise his conscience. Others in the play did not show such bravery and commitment to their moral standard. Those that did not show such bravery are Richard Rich who betrayed More by giving falls witness against him in court, Thomas Cromwell who facilitated Mores downfall with a minimum of guilt and The Common Man who just does what he has to survive. Richard Rich is a highly ambitions man who's soul desire is to be wealthy and he will go to great lengths to achieve...show more content... To stand for what one believes in is brave thing to do and it is a thing that many people will not have to do. But in the case of the play A Man For All Seasons where the time required you to ether stand or fold. Many people do not have the desire to stay strong to their morals. But in every few there are exceptions to this and it is these people like Sir Thomas More who have desire and will to do Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 10. Essay A Man For All Seasons In the play A Man For All Seasons, the main character is Sir Thomas More. Sir Thomas is the Chancellor of England and a very religious man. Once, during a conversation with Wolsey (Chancellor at the time) about the King needing a son, Wolsey asks if Sir Thomas would like to govern the whole country by prayer and Sir Thomas agrees. This shows how strong his faith was. Sir Thomas is a friend of King Henry VIII, but when he disagreed with the King's opinion on marriage, he was beheaded. King Henry was married to Catherine of Argon, the daughter of Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain. Catherine was Henry's brother's widow. King Henry and Catherine were married "for State reasons", but although Catherine was pregnant many times, only one child...show more content... Everyone is shocked that Sir Thomas has to leave now, because it's 11:00 at night. In Scene 2, Sir Thomas is at Cardinal Wolsey's. Wolsey is old with a big decayed body. Wolsey asks for Sir Thomas's help. The King wants a son and Catherine cannot get him one. He wants the King to get a divorce for "State reasons." Sir Thomas doesn't agree, so Wolsey says he was an enemy in him, until he "comes down to earth." In Scene 3, Sir Thomas is looking for a boat, and Cromwell approaches him. Thomas Cromwell is in his late 30's, subtle, serious, and an intellectual bully. Cromwell is on his way to see the Cardinal and wants to know how things went with him and Sir Thomas. Signor Chapuys shows up. He is the Spanish Ambassador who is in like 60's and a professional diplomat. Chapuys tells Sir Thomas that the King of Spain would be very insulted if Catherine were to be hurt or insulted. He uses this as a kind of threat to Sir Thomas, as if to make sure Catherine will not get hurt. In Scene 4, when Sir Thomas comes home, he finds out that William Roper is there with Lady Margaret. Roper wants to marry Margaret, but Sir Thomas says he cannot as long as he is a heretic. Sir Thomas tells William to get a horse out of the stable and go home. When Lady Alice and Lady Margaret try to talk to Sir Thomas about his visit with Wolsey, Thomas just ignores them. Lady Alice says that Norfolk was talking about Sir Thomas for Chancellor, and Sir Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 11. A Man For All Seasons, Directed By Fred Zinnemann A Man for All Seasons, directed by Fred Zinnemann, is a true depiction of the struggles that Sir Thomas Moore faced in sixteenth century England. His struggles with King Henry VIII and the corruption within the Catholic Church. The actors in this film accurately portrayed the characters in emotion, manners, and speech. The costumes aided in the overall vision of the film and were most definitely accurate for that time period. Orson Welles greasy portrayal of the Cardinal Wolsey was most definitely accurate to how the original Cardinal Wolsey would have been. He was willing to do anything to move up in the church and in the King's favor. The struggles of Sir Thomas Moore were accurately portrayed by Paul Scofield. He showed the internal Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 12. Man For All Seasons The play, and film A Man For All Seasons, was based on a true story. The performance was created by Robert Bolt on July 1st 1960, and it was turned into a film that was released on December 12, 1966. The film was directed by Fred Zinneman, and edited by Eric Boyd–Perkins (Wikipedia, web.). The play and film focuses on Sir Thomas More, although there are many other important and interesting characters. Sir Thomas More plays the hero by being brave and sticking to his principles, even in the face of death. King Henry Vlll plays the villain who is only after what he wants, and he was determined to get it regardless of the damage and consequences of causing great harm to others. Cardinal Thomas Wolsey was the in–between, to solve the Kings problems, to his own demise. After More resigned, Sir Thomas Audley took his place, and...show more content... At that time, religion was very important. Also, religion and power seemed to go together. The sixteenth century was a time when people had morals and values, but of course there were some like King Henry that just wanted power and an airr, and he didn't care how he got it. What the play says about the 16th century, is that the King was in charge most of the time, people didn't have very many rights, they rarely had a lawyer, and trials were unfair. Basically the King had license to execute people if they disagreed with him. Sir Thomas More was loyal to the Catholic Church, while Henry Vlll maniputed the Church to reach his goals. More was brave, and he was willing to give up everything for his faith, and religious beliefs. He was willing to lose his position of power, suffer imprisonment, losing his family, and having his head cut off with a guillotine. More had so much faith in God that he was animate that when he died he would go to heaven, and it is possible that he thought he would be rewarded for his stance on the Catholic Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 13. Man For All Seasons The book. "A Man for All Seasons" by Robert Bolt describes the life of the lawyer Thomas More and how he defied the marriage between Anne Boleyn and Henry VII. Thomas is a virtuous man who defended his sense of self against his adversaries. But, because he would not bow to the marriage, Thomas lost his life. Thomas More's' love for God takes away his life. Thomas' primary role of his identity is his love for God and forms the majority of his conscience. A way in which Thomas' love for God takes away his life is by taking away his friends. Another way in which Thomas' love for God takes away his life is by taking away his family. Another way in which Thomas' love for God takes away his life is by taking away his life. A way in which Thomas'...show more content... Thomas More does not agree with the marriage between Henry VIII and Anne Boleyn because Thomas feels that it violates the law of Apostolic Succession. Thomas does try to be complacent with the Act of Succession if he can find any way that he could agree with it. But, since he is not able to find anything that gives him any leeway. So, Thomas refuses to swear the oath because it falls in conflict with his love for God (it violates his conscience). Since he refuses to swear the oath and would not bend to the marriage, Thomas loses his actual life (through a false testament). Another way in which Thomas' love for God takes away his life is by taking away his life. Thomas More's' love for God takes away his life. A way in which Thomas' love for God takes away his life is by taking away his friends. Another way in which Thomas' love for God takes away his life is by taking away his family. Another way in which Thomas' love for God takes away his life is by taking away his life. Thomas More is a virtuous man that lived his whole life without violating the most important parts of his identity. Not all men can do that. Thomas More's' love for God takes away his Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 14. A Man for All Seasons Essay In the beginning of A Man for All Seasons, Sir Thomas More is introduced as a profoundly religious man focused on adhering to the laws of his country and faith. As the play progresses the audience sees More putting further faith into his belief that by abiding to the present laws and withholding his opinion about King Henry VIII's divorce he will be protected from prosecution. The issue starts when the King wishes to divorce his brother's wife, who initially he had taken as his own through a special papal dispensation, in order to wed Queen Anne and produce a male heir. More, being a devoutly religious man, realizes this goes against the laws of the Church. He refuses to give his willing approval based on the fact it is not morally or...show more content... He believes that if he is summoned to the Court that the jury will look at the evidence and realize there is no probable content to convict him of, therefore, proving him to be an innocent man who has done no wrong. More distinctly states this belief when he tells Cromwell, "The law requires more than an assumption; the law requires a fact." –Sir Thomas More, pg 131 However, he has not planned for a false testimony from Richard Rich at his trial. Rich testifies that More has committed the act of treason by rejecting the authority of King Henry VIII as head of the Church in England. As king of England, Henry has the power and the unquestionable authority to act based off his own desires even if they are not legally or morally acceptable. Because his current wife, Catherine, who was also his brother's widow, has failed to birth a son, he wishes to divorce her and take Queen Anne as his new wife. Without a male heir to the throne, Henry's lineage will come to an end and England will be left without a successor. He admits this to More during their meeting in Act 1, saying, "Thomas, Thomas, does a man need a Pope to tell him when he's sinned? It was a sin, Thomas; I admit it; I repent. And God has punished me; I have no son ... Son after son she's borne me, Thomas, all dead at birth, or dead within the month; I never saw the hand of God so clear in Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 15. A Man For All Seasons By Robert Bolt Robert Bolt's "A Man For All Seasons" depicts Thomas Moore as a man that has moral sense differing from the King. Due to the conflicting ideals between More and England's ruler during the duration of the play, Henry VIII, More resigned from his power as chancellor and is beheaded;This is all due to beliefs on divorce and religion of said time. "Henry [VIII] was anxious to ensure a male heir after his first wife, Catherine of Aragon, had borne him only a daughter"("Church Of England",2011). Male succession was set in the british monarchy,during the time period, therefore there would be no ruler after the King unless a son was to be conceived. The King was worried about such an event occurring that he cheated on his wife with other women, Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 16. A Man For All Season and Machiavelli's Doctrine: Reiteration of History A Man For All Seasons, a play written by Robert Bolt, in essence is both a moral play and a historical play. Sir Thomas More, a "man of the greatest virtue this kingdom has ever produced" (Dean Swift), is famous for choosing to suffer death rather than swearing to an oath that would counter his principles. Sir More had acquired a high position of Lord Chancellery under the reign of King Henry VIII, but stepped down since he could not do what the king had asked of him since this action would conflict with his beliefs and conscience. From that time, Sir More was in disagreement with King Henry's divorce, which led him to his own doom. Realizing that Sir More would not...show more content... "В…That from mean to great fortune, people rise rather by fraud, than by force." These "fortunes" are all those causes of historical change that are beyond the deliberate, rational control of men. People became so involved questioning the principles of Machiavelli's prince that they do not realize that effectiveness of power is more important than the morality of the principle. For this reason, Machiavelli was considered to be the devil incarnate when he wrote The Prince. The term Machiavellian, was born after publishing the book during the Elizabethan era, symbolizing a leader marked with cruelty and ruthlessness. The Machiavellian tactic is the acting in accordance with the principles of government, in which politics is placed before morality or power over values. The tactic involves use of deceit to maintain authority and carry out the policies of a ruler. From The Prince, Machiavelli was explaining how people struggle for power and authority. Machiavelli got the idea during the military scandal in 1499, from his first diplomatic mission to France (1500), and from his acquaintance with Cesare Borgia (1502). Machiavelli influenced the court of the king, and King Henry VIII himself during his reigning years, by using Machiavellian scheming. King Henry VIII made some compromise to public response by canceling some of the financial obligations of those who had been subjected to extortion in the interest of the public during the Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 17. Essay on a Man For All Seasons "A Man for All Seasons" by Robert Bolt: More's Moral Dilemma During the English renaissance in the 1500's, King Henry VIII wants a divorce from his wife for various reasons, but divorce is against the Catholic religion. This is why he wants Sir Thomas More's consent, because More is a highly respected Catholic, but he is such a good Catholic that he goes against divorce. In the play, A Man for AllSeasons, by Robert Bolt, King Henry VIII applies pressure on Thomas More to support the divorce in many ways. He exerts it both directly and indirectly in forms of threats and intimidation from various people. Henry forces Meg, More's "renaissance woman" daughter, to take an oath in order to...show more content... More still sticks to what he believes in, because he believes that he must always do what God wants him to do, for there is no limit to what god can "reasonably want." Meg does as much as she can to persuade More to support the King, but it does not work, and More sticks to his morals. Henry also orders Cromwell to pressure More to support the divorce. At first, Cromwell informs More directly that the king is not pleased with him, and then says, "Yet you do not know that even now, if you could bring yourself to agree with the Universities, the Bishops and the Parliament of this realm, there is no honor which the King would be likely to deny you?" (page 66). More acknowledges this and says, "I am well acquainted with His Grace's generosity," (page 66). Cromwell wants More to know that the king still has great respect for him, and if he supports the divorce there would be "no honor which the King would be likely to deny" him. More is not greatly affected by this type of pressure however, because he is the type of man that does not let rewards tempt him to go against his morals. Cromwell realizes that More is stubborn on this issue, and wants to execute him, so to More he directly reads the charges against him, "That you did conspire traitorously and maliciously to deny and deprive our liege lord Henry of his undoubted certain title Supreme Head of the Church of England," (pages 86– 87). More Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 18. Essay On A Man For All Seasons And Hamlet Compare A Man for All Seasons and Hamlet Essay The literary texts A Man for All Seasons and Hamlet both have the same underlying theme of one's ability to make decisions in a world of corruption. Robert Bolt criticizes society by commenting on the corruption in the political and religious systems, which are supposed to be tools to provide justice for all individuals. Whereas, Hamlet is play that discusses how the protagonist is unable to follow through with his decisions to avenge his father's murder. Throughout these works, the authors illustrate, through a variety of characters the ability of making decisions when society's political and religious systems are corrupt. In this classic piece of literature, the main characters depict the ...show more content... During both the Elizabethan Era and King Henry's reign the political and religious systems of society were corrupt. In the play Hamlet, there is clear evidence of corruption and weakening of the state under Claudius's rule. 'Something is rotten in the state of Denmark' depicts Shakespeare's intellectual ability of not only reflecting political and religious norms, but also of commenting on how political and religious power can lead to corruption within humanity. In A Man for All Seasons, the people of England let society and political leaders dictate their morals and values. The characters Wolsey, Cromwell, and the Pope are political/religious leaders that forsake their conscience, which means becoming corrupted. During these era's, the Common Man followed their Kings and Queens and if the political officials of England are corrupted, society will follow, leading to a route of destruction. Therefore, this affects how individuals make decisions according to society's political and religious norms because if society's norms become corrupted then so do the decisions made by individuals. For example, in A Man for All Seasons, the Common Man liked and supported Thomas More however, they decided to remain silent, which is why they are also indirectly responsible for More's death. This displays that in a corrupted society individuals are likely to make decisions that are unknowingly corrupt just to fit society's Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 19. Thomas More's Position In A Man For All Seasons In the play A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt, the lawyer Thomas More is an intelligent and outspoken man who is devoted in entirety to the Catholic Church. When King Henry VIII decides to annul his marriage to his late brother's wife Catherine of Aragon, Thomas More inwardly opposes the King's actions and opinions. Thomas More is made a significant figure to the country not only from his writings and honest reputation but by his election to the office of Chancellor following Thomas Wolsey's death. Thomas Wolsey was the Chancellor of England before Thomas More, but was dismissed in disgrace due to his failure to secure the annulment of King Henry VIII and Catherine of Aragon. This inward opposition causes no harm to anyone until Thomas Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 20. Values and Morals in A Man For All Seasons by Robert Bolt In the play A Man For All Seasons by Robert Bolt the audience learns about the extraordinary life of Sir Thomas More. Sir Thomas is faced with a moral dilemma that will determine the outcome of his life. More, chancellor of England , and a strong Christian believer is forced to choose between his close friend, King Henry VIII, and the supreme lord his God. More is a man of moral integrity because he refuses to submit to external pressures to sign the oath condoning the Act of Supremacy. He follows his heart and soul in doing what he believes to be right no matter what the consequence. More is told by King Henry VIII to sign the Act of Supremacy. The Act gives Henry VIII full...show more content... Despite what many may think, More would rather not get involved or influence the life of the king concerning the divorce. To most people signing the oath is a minor thing. It is something that should be done to appease the King , despite personal beliefs. However, for More his decision to sign the oath must be based on his beliefs. If he were to sign the oath he would lose all self respect. The audience learns this when he says " I neither could nor would rule my King. But there's a little...little, area...where I must rule myself. It's very little–less to him than a tennis court."(Bolt, p 59). More is a man of principles and he will not compromise these principles. According to Sir Thomas if a man is prepared to take an oath then he must stand by that oath. However, in this case the signing of the oath would compromise these principles and therefore he can not sign. He displays this view when he says, " When a man takes an oath, Meg, he's holding his own self in his own hands. Like water..." (Bolt, p 140) More goes on to explain that he can not doubt his soul. If he were to go against his moral conscience, in a sense he would be killing his soul, and without the soul there is nothing. More's conscience is extremely important to him. He could not live with himself if he were to go against his conscience. To sign the Get more content on HelpWriting.net
  • 21. A Man For All Seasons Essay The 16th century was a time of political upheaval, a time of conflict and corruption ... and a time of heroes? All these elements are visibly present in Bolt's book, A Man for All Seasons. As I was reading this story I was thinking that it could probably apply to our day and age but that begged the question. Why did Robert Bolt decide to use a 16th century character rather than a present time period character and setting? I believe that Bolt chose this man and his era because there things that he liked abut the man, there was no shortage of conflict and the he was worthy of being a hero. He fits into one of the archetype heroes. These three things I will touch upon in my seminar and I hope that my ideas will prove to be informative and...show more content... In the 16th century, many people were rewarded for how they knew because of the thick black line between the rich and the poor. If you were poor then you could probably pull a few tricks that would get you in well with the local lord and this improve your life. I'll prove that in my next area of focus. Robert Bolt was fascinated by More's ability to gain status through hard, honest work. He did not get to his position because of the people he knew but because of who he was and how hard he worked. But you can not write a play on the excellent character of a man alone and this is another reason why Robert Bolt had to go all the way back to the 16th century. I believe he was also thinking of the setting. This is because the setting is actually a time of political and spiritual upheaval so there is a great deal of conflict for Bolt to make use of. King Henry was a king who abused his power so people had to make sure that they were on his good side, no matter what. Another reason was that More acted differently than everyone else; he believed that you had to earn your status. And the divorce, well, the divorce can be looked at as the King and the Church meeting at a head. It was king versus the church, and for Thomas More, it was his life vs. his spirit. The Get more content on HelpWriting.net