Open AccessThomas More's <i>Utopia</i>: Preface to Reformation
Author(s) -
Walter M. Gordon
Publication year - 1997
Publication title -
renaissance and reformation
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.1
H-Index - 5
eISSN - 2293-7374
pISSN - 0034-429X
DOI - 10.33137/rr.v33i3.11361
Subject(s) - utopia , ambiguity , class (philosophy) , philosophy , sociology , epistemology , law and economics , law , political science , linguistics
Recent studies have stressed the ambiguity of Thomas More's Utopia. Although the essay does not argue against this view, it does point to the clear and basic contention of the work which, if lost, makes it impossible to come to grips with the questions the book poses. Utopia criticizes the upper, not the lower class and leans towards moral reform, but with an incertitude concerning the externals of this sorely needed change. As such it anticipates Reformation.