thomas more, utopia, and renaissance humanism. thomas more 1478born in london 1490serves as a page...

Thomas More, Utopia, and Renaissance Humanism

Thomas More

1478 Born in London1490 Serves as a page in the household of John

Morton, Archbishop of Canterbury1492 Studies as an undergraduate at Oxford1494 Studies law in London1502 Begins his legal career1505 Marries Jane Colt1511 Jane dies; More remarries Alice Middleton

1516 Utopia is published in Louvain1525 Becomes Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster1529 Becomes Lord Chancellor of England1532 Resigns as Lord Chancellor1535 Executed in the Tower of London

Thomas More

1478 Born in London1490 Serves as a page in the household of John

Morton, Archbishop of Canterbury1492 Studies as an undergraduate at Oxford1494 Studies law in London1502 Begins his legal career1505 Marries Jane Colt1511 Jane dies; More remarries Alice Middleton

1516 Utopia is published in Louvain1525 Becomes Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster1529 Becomes Lord Chancellor of England1532 Resigns as Lord Chancellor1535 Executed in the Tower of London

De optimo reipublicae statu, deque nova insula Utopia, libellus vere aureus, nec minus salutaris quam festivus ...

Concerning the best state of a republic, and concerning the new island Utopia, a precious little book, and one no less useful than enjoyable ...

Omne tulit punctum qui miscuit utile dulci,lectorem delectando pariterque monendo.

[Horace, Ars poetica, 343-44]

He who mixed the useful with the pleasurable won great acclaim,delighting and instructing the reader in equal measure.

De optimo reipublicae statu, deque nova insula Utopia, libellus vere aureus, nec minus salutaris quam festivus ...

Concerning the best state of a republic, and concerning the new island Utopia, a precious little book, and one no less useful than enjoyable ...

A precious little book, and one no less useful than enjoyable, concerning the best state of a republic, and concerning the new island Utopia.

[1516]

An excellent, learned witty and pleasant discourse of the best state of a public weal as it is found in the government of the new isle called Utopia.

[1624]

Memento Mori?

The city of Sforzinda

Humanism

“Humanism was an intellectual movement established

in Italy in the fifteenth century which attempted to reorient contemporary education and scholarship around the categories and aspirations found in the surviving literature of the ancient world”.

Studia humanitatis

Studia humanitatis

“The intensive examination of all aspects of human nature and culture”