Thomas More Books
Thomas More (1478–1535) was an English philosopher, lawyer, and statesman best known for his book 'Utopia'. He served as counselor to King Henry VIII and later as Lord Chancellor of England.
Known for: Utopia
Books by Thomas More
Utopia
First published in 1516, Thomas More’s 'Utopia' is a landmark work of political philosophy and social satire. Written as a dialogue, it presents the fictional island of Utopia, where reason and equality govern society. Through the traveler Raphael Hythloday’s account, More critiques the political, economic, and religious practices of 16th-century Europe, proposing a vision of communal living without private property and with equitable distribution of goods.
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Hythloday’s Background
Raphael Hythloday, whose very name hints at one who dispenses learned talk, stands as both witness and philosopher. He recounts his voyages alongside Amerigo Vespucci and speaks of lands beyond Europe’s maps. His manner of speech is precise, his mind shaped by both experience and reflection. Through...
From Utopia
Critique of European Society
Before he describes Utopia, Raphael first exposes the diseases of Europe. His indictment is fierce and disturbingly accurate. He condemns the enclosure movement that casts peasants from their fields so that nobles may pasture sheep. Such greed, he insists, breeds beggary, theft, and the gallows. He ...
From Utopia
About Thomas More
Thomas More (1478–1535) was an English philosopher, lawyer, and statesman best known for his book 'Utopia'. He served as counselor to King Henry VIII and later as Lord Chancellor of England. More was executed for refusing to acknowledge the king’s supremacy over the Church of England and was canoniz...
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Thomas More (1478–1535) was an English philosopher, lawyer, and statesman best known for his book 'Utopia'. He served as counselor to King Henry VIII and later as Lord Chancellor of England. More was executed for refusing to acknowledge the king’s supremacy over the Church of England and was canoniz...
Thomas More (1478–1535) was an English philosopher, lawyer, and statesman best known for his book 'Utopia'. He served as counselor to King Henry VIII and later as Lord Chancellor of England. More was executed for refusing to acknowledge the king’s supremacy over the Church of England and was canonized by Pope Pius XI in 1935.
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Thomas More (1478–1535) was an English philosopher, lawyer, and statesman best known for his book 'Utopia'. He served as counselor to King Henry VIII and later as Lord Chancellor of England.
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