Thomas More was knighted and has consequently been known as Sir Thomas More through the later years of his life and through succeeding centuries. On the 400th anniversary of his death he was canonized by the Roman Catholic church and has sometimes been known as Saint Thomas More. If in this study he is sometimes informally referred to, for the sake of brevity, by his surname, no disrespect is intended.
Most educated persons are familiar with More's name for one reason or another. To students of English history, he is famous as a leading diplomat at Henry VIII's court. To students of literature, he is the famous author of Utopia. To Roman Catholics he is a martyred hero and saint. In recent years his name has become something of a household word through the great success of Robert Bolt's biographical drama and the following movie adaptation, A Man for All Seasons.
A detailed study of More's life can be a source of inspiration, and it can serve as an excellent introduction to the period — the intellectual, political, and spiritual activities of the age. Since no such detailed presentation is possible in the present study, only a skeleton outline will be offered, with emphasis on those phases of the biography having particular bearing on the interpretation of Utopia.
