by Sir Thomas More

Review by Graham Baggett

Sir More divided Utopia into two books. He himself is a character in the work, discussing with various other characters topics ranging from money to capital punishment. One of these characters is Raphael Hythloday, a Venetian man with a passionate distaste for sentencing thieves to death.

Save for the final paragraph, which contains a subtle twist, Book II consists of a lengthy discourse by Hythloday involving his observations during his visit of the island nation of Utopia. Colorfully describing its policies on topics such as war, marriage and religion, Hythloday paints a vivid picture of life in the remote country, shining brilliantly by implication against the dull canvas of embattled England. Unlike the English, for example, Utopians value brotherhood over money and practicality over grandeur. They detest war and donate one-seventh of their total exports to other countries, so that these countries can better serve their poor. All Utopians work for six hours of the day and spend their free time either reading books or attending lectures or playing a game similar to chess.

The religious customs governing the Utopians reveal More’s personal beliefs about God. Christianity is the main religion of Utopia, although all religions there are tolerated. Utopians view citizens adhering to atheism with suspicion, but atheists do not receive any legal punishment for their beliefs. The temples’ walls are barren, to respect all religions, and the holy buildings also serve as meeting places for the festivals occurring at the inception and termination of each month and year.