Utopia Thomas More Summary
In book 1 thomas more not only the author but also a main character arrives in antwerp on a business trip where he runs into an old friend peter giles and meets a new friend raphael hythloday.
Utopia thomas more summary. In 1516 sir thomas more an english scholar writer and lawyer published his literary work utopia which was a book that explored the notion of a perfect and imaginary. The characters of more giles and morton all correspond in biographical background to actual historical people sir thomas more author of utopia the humanist thinker peter giles and former chancellor of england cardinal john morton the fictional characters of the book however should not be considered to be direct translations of these historic personalities to the page. The book is a frame narrative primarily. Giles introduces more to raphael hythloday an explorer who has seen much of the world.
The narrator thomas more arrives in bruges in present day belgium and meets his friend peter giles. Complete summary of thomas more s utopia. Its first name was abraxa perhaps meaning holy name without breeches or waterless utopus the conqueror of the place and the founder of utopia itself civilized the natives of abraxa and had them along with his own soldiers cut up and dig away the fifteen miles of ground that connected. He writes a letter to a friend in antwerp belgium named peter giles giles is a printer and editor as well as a clerk for the city.
Hythloday is a great traveler and has all sorts of controversial opinions so the. Enotes plot summaries cover all the significant action of utopia. Thomas more is known for his 1516 book utopia and for his untimely death in 1535 after refusing to acknowledge king henry viii as head of the church of england. Utopia was not always an island hythloday says nor was it always called utopia.
In more s letter we read that more is sending utopia to giles for editing and publication. The book begins with a short six line poem followed by a four line poem and a letter of greetings from thomas more the author to his friend peter giles the two poems written by utopians describe utopia as an ideal state.
