The text Utopia was written by Sir Thomas Moore in 1516, just before the outbreak of the Reformation. More's life flourished through the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries, which were influential years in the Renaissance, a flowering of art and thought that began in Italy and flooded through Europe and England. Humanists often stressed the dignity of man and the power of reason while remaining deeply committed to Christianity. Their thought and writings helped to break the strict religious orthodoxy that had forced itself through the Middle Ages. Humanists often argued against feudalism as it promoted a society dominated by the rich and unfair on everyone else. Further, they saw feudal society as irrational.

Utopia was originally written in Latin, is a text that depicts what is claimed to be an 'ideal' human society through the eyes of the narrator Raphael Hythloday. It is also largely based on the voyages of More himself, specifically to the Netherlands. It was one such voyage - a diplomatic mission from England - that More invented his ideas about a Utopian society.

However, while More may have visualized the Utopian Islands as a perfect society, it i

Proper families do not exist because children are easily moved around from household to household, depending on which occupation they would like to learn. Since there is very little distinction in occupation, dress, accommodation, riches, or use of free time and pride is almost non-existent in Utopia. However, It is true that there are separate groups in Utopia, magistrates, the prince, priests and the learned, but these groups by no means form a social or economic class.

Utopia is a depiction of a semi-ideal society and all of the criticism of European society that ideal represents, and it is a explanation on itself and its themes. The book can at times be inconsistent, just as More himself could: a man who preached religious toleration and logically mistreated Protestants, decides to remain a Christian rather than enter the priesthood but ultimately died a willing victim for his faith. Ultimately, Utopia is a book that, like More, attempted to navigate a course through the ideal and the real, between a want to create perfection and the practical understanding that perfection, given the imperfection of mankind, is impossible.

More's land lacks classes because everyone shares in the same work, everyone is equal, and everyone has the same rights. In Utopia there is an obligation for all to work a minimum of six hours everyday at whatever he is best at. All people spend time in the country working the land, as this is an agriculturally based society they must assure themselves of continued crop growth. In addition to creating the same conditions for everyone, this assures that they will have ample supplies to restrain the fear of want. All clothing is plain and simple, designed only for utility and practicality. In addition, to prev

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1177
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)