Sir Thomas More and Utopia : A perfect place....

Sir Thomas More was a very distinguished figure during the English Renaissance. More received an Oxford education, but he was devoted to the religion. More was entwined in the humanist thought. He wrote in Latin, enjoyed ancient classical philosophy of Cicero and Plato. More would serve in the court to King Henry VIII. He served as a diplomat, a undersheriff, and was part of Parliament. Towards the end of his life, Thomas More became Lord Chancellor. When Henry VIII broke from the church, More refused to acknowledge the divorce of Cathrine. More was more devoted to his Catholic faith that would eventually cost him his life, More was beheaded in 1535 on treason. More is remembered as a Saint in the Catholic faith, but to the humanist contribution of his thoughts and writings, especially his book Utopia:

Book One of Utopia starts out with More writing letters to Peter Giles of Antwerp. More eventually makes it to Antwerp to meet his friend Peter Giles. Peter introduces More to Raphael Hythloday, who has accompanied Amerigo Vespucci on his voyages. Raphael knows a great deal of philosophy, the three get into a conversation on how a prince should conduct rule the realm. They have a discussion on theft and punishment and constant poverty affecting the people of the realm, blaming it on sheep farming. More is amazed by Raphael, and tries to convince him to use his mind to serve politics.

This reading was easy for me to understand, I've read Niccolo Machiavelli's, The Prince. Which were guidelines on how a prince should rule his kingdom. Also Book One of Utopia gives us what English society was like during the early rule of Henry VIII. Henry enjoyed starting wars with Francis I and Charles V. Maybe the prince mention in Utopia is Henry VIII, More was able to criticize the way the King was conducting his rule. Further in the book, we begin understand the English society in the 16th century. Poverty was huge problem and theft (no matter how serve) was punishable by death. These were better off killing off the victims if they knew that theft was punishable by death. To me, Book One was critical on the political atmosphere in England at the time.