Utopia (More book)
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| - | '''''De Optimo Reipublicae Statu deque Nova Insula Utopia''''' (translated '''''On the Best State of a Republic and on the New Island of Utopia''''') or more simply '''''Utopia''''' is a [[1516]] book by Sir (Saint) [[Thomas More]]. | ||
| - | The book, written in [[Latin]], is a [[frame narrative]] primarily depicting a fictional [[island]] society and its [[religious]], social and political customs. The name of the place is derived from the Greek words {{Polytonic|οὐ}} ''u'' ("not") and {{Polytonic|τόπος}} ''tópos'' ("place"), with the topographical suffix {{Polytonic|-εία}} ''eía'', hence {{Polytonic|Οὐτοπεία}} ''outopeía'' (Latinized as ''Utopia''), “no-place land.” It also contains a [[pun]], however, because “Utopia” could also be the Latinization of {{Polytonic|Εὐτοπεία}} ''eutopeía'', “good-place land,” which uses the Greek prefix {{Polytonic|ευ}} ''eu'', “good,” instead of {{Polytonic|οὐ}}. One interpretation holds that this suggests that while Utopia might be some sort of perfected society, it is ultimately unreachable. Despite modern connotations of the word "utopia," it is widely accepted that the [[society]] More describes in this work was not actually his own "perfect society." Rather he wished to use the contrast between the imaginary land's unusual political ideas and the chaotic politics of his own day as a platform from which to discuss social issues in [[Europe]]. | + | '''''Utopia''''' (in full: ''De optimo reip. statv, deque noua insula Vtopia, libellus uere aureus, nec minus salutaris quam festiuus'') is a work of fiction and [[political philosophy]] by [[Thomas More]] published in 1516, composed in the [[Latin language]]. English translations of the title include '''''A Truly Golden Little Book, No Less Beneficial Than Entertaining, of the Best State of a Republic, and of the New Island Utopia''''' (literal) and '''''A Fruitful and Pleasant Work of the Best State of a [[Public weal|Public Weal]], and of the New Isle Called Utopia''''' (traditional). (See "[[Utopia (book)#Title|title]]" below.) The book is a [[frame narrative]] primarily depicting a fictional [[island]] society and its [[religious]], [[sociology|social]] and [[political]] customs. |
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| + | ==Reception== | ||
| + | Utopia was begun while More was an envoy in [[Flanders]] in May 1515. More started by writing the introduction and the description of the society which would become the second half of the work and on his return to [[England]] he wrote the "dialogue of counsel", completing the work in 1516. In the same year, it was printed in [[Leuven]] under Erasmus's editorship and after revisions by More it was printed in [[Basel]] in November 1518. It was not until 1551, sixteen years after More's execution, that it was first published in England as an [[English language|English]] translation by [[Ralph Robinson (humanist)|Ralph Robinson]]. [[Gilbert Burnet]]'s translation of 1684 is probably the most commonly cited version. | ||
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| + | The work seems to have been popular, if misunderstood: the introduction of More's ''[[Epigrams]]'' of 1518 mentions a man who did not regard More as a good writer. | ||
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| + | The word [[Utopia]] overtook More's short work and has been used ever since to describe this kind of imaginary society with many unusual ideas being contemplated. Although he may not have founded the genre of [[Utopian and dystopian fiction]], More certainly popularised it and some of the early works which owe something to ''Utopia'' include ''[[The City of the Sun]]'' by [[Tommaso Campanella]], ''[[Description of the Republic of Christianopolis]]'' by [[Johannes Valentinus Andreae]], ''[[New Atlantis]]'' by [[Francis Bacon]] and ''[[Candide]]'' by [[Voltaire]]. | ||
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| + | The politics of ''Utopia'' have been seen as influential to the ideas of [[Anabaptism]] and [[communism]].{{Citation needed|reason=While this may be true it needs a reference.|date=December 2009}} While [[utopian socialism]] was used to describe the first concepts of [[socialism]] later [[Marxist]] theorists tended to see the ideas as too simplistic and not grounded on realistic principles. The religious message in the work and its uncertain, possibly satiric, tone has also alienated some theorists from the work. | ||
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| + | An applied example of More's utopia can be seen in [[Vasco de Quiroga]]'s implemented society in [[Michoacán]], [[Mexico]], which was directly taken and adapted from More's work. | ||
| - | What probably first suggested the idea for ''Utopia'' to Thomas More was his work with [[Erasmus]], when they jointly translated some of [[Lucian]]'s works from [[Greek language|Greek]] into Latin. Among these [[dialogue]]s, one involved the story of [[Menippus]], the Greek playwright, descending into the underworld and describing what he found there. The other significant influence was [[Plato]]'s ''[[Republic (dialogue)|Republic]]'', which is a far more politically motivated work about imaginary lands; it is referred to several times in ''Utopia''. | ||
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Utopia (in full: De optimo reip. statv, deque noua insula Vtopia, libellus uere aureus, nec minus salutaris quam festiuus) is a work of fiction and political philosophy by Thomas More published in 1516, composed in the Latin language. English translations of the title include A Truly Golden Little Book, No Less Beneficial Than Entertaining, of the Best State of a Republic, and of the New Island Utopia (literal) and A Fruitful and Pleasant Work of the Best State of a Public Weal, and of the New Isle Called Utopia (traditional). (See "title" below.) The book is a frame narrative primarily depicting a fictional island society and its religious, social and political customs.
Reception
Utopia was begun while More was an envoy in Flanders in May 1515. More started by writing the introduction and the description of the society which would become the second half of the work and on his return to England he wrote the "dialogue of counsel", completing the work in 1516. In the same year, it was printed in Leuven under Erasmus's editorship and after revisions by More it was printed in Basel in November 1518. It was not until 1551, sixteen years after More's execution, that it was first published in England as an English translation by Ralph Robinson. Gilbert Burnet's translation of 1684 is probably the most commonly cited version.
The work seems to have been popular, if misunderstood: the introduction of More's Epigrams of 1518 mentions a man who did not regard More as a good writer.
The word Utopia overtook More's short work and has been used ever since to describe this kind of imaginary society with many unusual ideas being contemplated. Although he may not have founded the genre of Utopian and dystopian fiction, More certainly popularised it and some of the early works which owe something to Utopia include The City of the Sun by Tommaso Campanella, Description of the Republic of Christianopolis by Johannes Valentinus Andreae, New Atlantis by Francis Bacon and Candide by Voltaire.
The politics of Utopia have been seen as influential to the ideas of Anabaptism and communism.Template:Citation needed While utopian socialism was used to describe the first concepts of socialism later Marxist theorists tended to see the ideas as too simplistic and not grounded on realistic principles. The religious message in the work and its uncertain, possibly satiric, tone has also alienated some theorists from the work.
An applied example of More's utopia can be seen in Vasco de Quiroga's implemented society in Michoacán, Mexico, which was directly taken and adapted from More's work.
