Conscience In Robert Bolt's A Man For All Seasons

“There is a higher court than the courts of justice and that is the court of conscience. It supersedes all other courts.” (Mahatma Gandhi) What happens when the court of justice disagrees with the court of conscience? One of two possible choices can be made; you could ignore your conscience in order to adapt to societies status quo, or you follow your conscience and risk everything. Risking so much for such little moral satisfaction may seem naive to most, but not to Robert Bolt’s depiction of Sir Thomas More in A Man For All Seasons. Everything Sir Thomas More does in his life; from how he deals with his friend King Henry VII to how he treats his family and ultimately how he presents himself towards his final demise are guided and controlled …show more content…
When Sir Thomas More approaches the man that will momentarily be decapitating him, he does not look at him in disgust or judge him, he simply says; “Friend be not afraid of your office. You send me to God.”(Bolt 99). Then asked whether he is sure about this he responds with, “He will not refuse one who is blithe to go to him.”(Bolt 99). Even moments before his demise More takes moments to comfort those other than himself; he is certain that because of all of his consciences actions throughout his life he is about to meet God. Even at a trial that he knew he would not be allowed to win Sir Thomas More acted like a gentlemen, stated his views, and stuck to his beliefs not compromising to save even his life. At the very beginning of Sir Thomas’ trial he is faced with a charge of High Treason a crime only punishable by death. He is given an option to submit to his king’s wishes and he will be forgiven however instead he says, “My lords I thank you. However I make my petition to Almighty God that he will keep me in his honest mind to the last hour that I shall live.”(Bolt 89). Sir Thomas knows that simply by submitting and swearing to the act of succession he will betray his beliefs and his God, a crime much greater than displeasing a king. Sir Thomas More than argues for the case of his conscience saying, “The law is not a 'light ' for you or any man to see by; the law is not an instrument of any kind. The law is a causeway upon which so long as he keeps to it a citizen may walk safely. In matters of conscience…. In matters of conscience, the loyal subject is more bounden to be loyal to his conscience than to any other thing.”(Bolt 92). For the first time in the play we hear Sir Thomas More verbally stating his belief that loyalty to one’s God and conscience are superior to a kings wishes. Sir Thomas More followed his conscience to his death no folding in any