While reading this classic literary work, I have found it to be a bit more that difficult. I credit this to the fact that I am not use to the form and usage of some word. I find myself grabbing my dictionary to fully understand some of the "new" words.
Though I have not completed Book I yet, I am thinking about what I know of the time period. During my late-elementary years, I was obsessed with anything relating to the Elizabethan age. I know that Utopia was written during the reign of Henry VIII, this however does nothing to stop me from thinking the connection that can be found between Sir Thomas More's most popular writing to Queen Elizabeth I. Queen Elizabeth I was an educated woman, which was a rarity during the times, as was More's own daughters. Whether that education benefited his daughters or not is a mystery to me. I will have to look into that subject more. I do know that Elizabeth's education helped her to rule England as long as she did. She was able to fend off invasions from many nations by never showing a real interest in marrying. She was know as the Virgin Queen, though if you want to believe the film Elizabeth she wasn't, and a state in the United States owes their name to her.
Back to Utopia, I loved the conversation about what causes thievery in a kingdom. One of the causes Raphael states is the poor education allowed to the masses. If society fails to provide for the people, then they have nothing to do but steal to provide for themselves and family. This idea of a lack of education leading to breaking laws is still tossed around today. Many inner city schools have created many different after-school programs to educate the students and keep them "off the streets." Though this can be a problem if the government, at both state and national levels, continues to cut funding to schools and the education departments. My own school suffered from one such budget cut and closed its doors after my sophmore year in high school. The classic line used for comical effect, "Think of the children! Will somebody please! think of the children!" should be shouted at the doors of politicians when states are considering budget cuts to education.
I'm now finished with that little rant. That is all I have on this Utopian Musing. Until next time!
