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Utopia
Utopia is a classic masterpiece that conveys More's vivid imagination of the Island of Utopia. Although most of the characters are fictional, it is intriguing to learn about the true values of European societies during the 16th century, when More actually wrote the book (although many scholars believe that the exact year was 1515). Truthfully, the book is quite easy to understand. All More tries to do is convey his own views of how society should be through Raphael. Moreover, the use of imagery in Book I is quite fascinating, including the constant references to Roman and Greek myths and beliefs. It is also quite remarkable to see that the story begins to be more and more interesting after More and Giles come back from dinner.
To make a long story short, I think it is a great book because of the actual time it was written, since most pieces of literature written at that time were either lost or destroyed. It is a world of dreams, a world beyond existence, it is the "perfect" world. Well it was at least in Thomas More's view of the perfect world. This book shows a fictional island society and its customs. It is the world with no problems, there is no where, no unloving relationships, and no classification between societies and different classes. In this marvelous book everyone is equal and in a loving marriage.--Submitted by Anonymous
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Personal Utopia
Personal Utopia Utopia, in its most common and general positive meaning, refers to the human efforts to create a better, or perhaps perfect society. The term utopia was coined by Thomas More as the title of his Latin book De Optimo Reipublicae Statu deque Nova Insula Utopia (circa 1516), known more commonly as Utopia. The term "utopia" is combined from two Greek words ? "no" (ou) and "place/land" (topos), thus meaning "nowhere" or more literally, "no-place/no-land". The word "utopia" was created to suggest two Greek neologisms simultaneously: outopia (no place) and eutopia (good place). In this original context, the word carried none of the modern connotations associated with it. More's Utopia Thomas More depicts a rationally organized society, through the narration of an explorer who discovers it - Raphael Hythlodaeus. Utopia is largely based on Plato's Republic. It is a perfect version of The Republic where the beauties of society reign (eg: equalism and a general pacifist attitude), although its citizens were all ready to fight if need be. The evils of society, eg: poverty and misery, are all removed. It has few laws, no lawyers and rarely sends its citizens to war, but hires mercenaries from among its war-prone neighbours (these mercenaries were deliberately sent into dangerous situations in the hope that they would be killed, thus ridding the world of a parasite). Utopia also reflects More's commitment to Christianity, as the people are united by belief in a Supreme Being, a priest administers the island's religious affairs, and belief in what is essentially the Christian Afterlife is mandatory. Furthermore the Utopians are depicted as readily accepting of Christian doctrine when introduced to such by European visitors. More extends the communism of property to all citizens, reflecting his familiarity with the early Christian society described in the Biblical Acts of the Apostles (Acts 2.44-45, 4.32-35). Furthermore, vices commonly condemned by the Catholic Church (to which More belonged), such as pre-marital sex, prostitution, adultery, gambling, theft and drunkenness, are outlawed and severely punished. It is also likely that Thomas More, a religious layman who once considered joining the Church as a priest, was inspired by monastical life when he described the workings of his society. Thomas More lived during the age when the Renaissance was beginning to assert itself in England, and the old medieval ideals ? including the monastic ideal ? were declining. Some of Thomas More's ideas reflect a nostalgia for that medieval past. It was an inspiration for the Reducciones established by the Jesuits to Christianize and "civilize" the Guaran?. His book reached high popularity so the term utopia became a byword for ideal concepts, proposals, societies etc. Like later utopian works, More's book contains explicit and implicit criticisms of perceived faults in existing societies. Utopian authors speculate that such faults could be eliminated in societies designed around their favored principles. The innovations portrayed in utopian visions are usually radical, revolutionary, inspirational, or speculative. Throughout the years, many interpretations of Thomas More's work, Utopia, have arisen. Although countless individuals have chosen to accept this imaginary society as the realistic blueprint for a working nation, others have postulated More intended nothing of the like. Some maintain the position that More's Utopia functions only on the level of a satire, a work intended to reveal more about England than about an idealistic society. This interpretation is bolstered by the title of the book and nation, and its apparent derivation from the Greek for "no place" and "good place." Examples of Utopia Christian Kingdom of Heaven Empyrean Eden Paradise Jannah Golden Age Elysium Tomoanchan Valhalla Hesperides Avalon Aaru Perhaps for most of us here have been brought up with some idea of Utopia in some religious sense. But I am sure as we are growing up we had inside us a version of Utopia that may have been outrageously different from the ones already dreamed up by the people of the past ages. As a youngster I was very much fascinated by the fictional Utopia creatd by Gene Roddenberry in the fictional Star Trek series. In this Utopia mankind finally overcome their struggle for material needs and embarked on a process of bettering themselves, to enrich themselves with the knowledge and experience of Life and the Universe. Did you have unique idea of an Utopia inside you as you were growing up? or did you just could not wait for the Promised Quranic/Biblical Paradise? Will mankind on their own ever achieve Utopia or will it always remain a dream an Ideal to work towards? What is your Personal Idea of Utopia? Regards, Lote.
sun tzu & thomas more
i was wondering if the art of war and utopia would be a goood pair of books to juxtapose and write a comparative essay on for my English class. I've read neither so please give me some advice. THANKS.
UTOPIA
Utopia is an excellent book that describes a place where everything is perfect. (A fools paradise if you ask me). Why do people keep asking themselves the following question: Are the characters in UTOPIA running to something or away from something?
This is intriguing and UTOPIA is a worthwhile read
what the...?
well what can i say...i was unfortunately forced 2 read this book & consequently be asessed on it! i must say in the beginning i was sooooo excited coz i (like most other girls) have seen the movie "Ever After" and well the character that Drew Barymore portrays quotes from Thomas More's Utopia...and as this is a luv story & it was what caught the eye of Henry (the prince) i naturally assumed that it would b an excellent book
........then again maybe not!
do u know how many times this book made me fall asleep (literally) i would wake up with the book in my hand & fully stress coz another day went by & the pages still remained
utopia? i think not....but i guess it iwould be for the peasants during the Elizabethan times, in a sense that this society that is depicted focuses on "collective rights, not individual rights" and blah blah blah
but my opinion still stands...skip the book & search the main ideas!
Utopia - A masterpiece
This is a pure masterpiece! Functionally thought out, told in a sophisticated way. Yes--- I agree it is a bit tedious of a read, but it's all worth it, is it not? More had described his world more than mere description, he had worked eveything out so perfectly. What more can you ask in a book?
-A-chan
literature
pure genius!...The ideas are totally comprehensive and focused.The complexity with which the ideas have been developed makes it all the more endearing.The plausibility of such an ideal world..has left me spellbound...but even so....i wouldnt ever read it twice cuz honestly its really tedious.
excellent book
How can anyone diss this book? Aside from the fact that it had me laughing out loud at times, such as the description of the ridiculous bejewelled foreigners, it also poses some serious sociological questions and attempts to provide reasonable answers. It's a quick and simple read compared to other works of the period, like a Bryson travel log, factive fiction . A treasure.
Wow.
Amazing book. It's hard to believe a society with these ethics can exist without collapsing from the inside. But then again, it doesn't exist. But it is a bit boring, especially book one. When comparing Utopia to a modern society, say England, we can see how perfect Utopia really is. Its interesting to see that a society with attitudes and values so different to our society, i mean - Gold on slaves!
true, this book is tedious and isnt very accessible for younger audiences.
knuckles
reading this comment i've understood that you are so, i don't know this but i mean what we are living for in this day we are using to be something special but in the end i think that we should know the best foregin minister called adams but really nothing was left to borrow.
hy, with special means, gigi from venice
No Subject
I think it is pure cruelty to force unsuspecting AS level students to read Utopia. Thomas More kisses arse through most of the book, and,on removal
of all the rediculouly cheesy complments you find there is not much of a story left. even the translated version is painfully monotous to read. In short, the book is ----. But thankyou website for condesing it into titles, thus providing a small ray of hope for me readng this colection of random words-Utopia.
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