Essay On A Man For All Seasons

A Man for All Seasons, a play by Robert Bolt, centers its plot around the real-life story of Sir Thomas More, a man who pays the ultimate price for prioritizing his conscience rather than following the status quo of adhering to the demands of those of a higher power. During More’s time in jail, he converses with the jailer who does not agree with More’s reasoning, stating that it’s always “better [to be] a live rat than a dead lion”. This statement that is presented to More by the jailer, an individual portrayed by the Common Man, is significant in understanding the overall plot of the play due to the fact that it not only instigates debate over whether or not More was correct in going against King Henry’s wishes, but it also helps to demonstrate …show more content…
Although More does indeed value life, he believes that the goal of man is to avoid death until the destined moment arrives; More welcomes his death with open arms, believing that God had decided that it was his time. In contrast, the character known as the Common Man, a physical representation of society as a whole, believes that life, no matter how immoral or unfulfilling, is always better than death. Individuals who have a similar belief as the Common Man are compared to “live rat[s]” because it seems that survival is their only main concern. These individuals are the ones who do not speak out against what is unjust in fear of being sentenced to death in the manner that More has been. More and other martyrs are referred to as “dead lion[s]” due to how stubborn they are when it comes to standing by what is morally correct. These individuals are slaughtered for their desire to improve the greater good by standing up to corruption and lawlessness; they most likely believe that there is no purpose in living life if they are not living a life of quality and