During most of the 1600s, Europe was dominated by three major ruling families. They were the Tudors, the Hasburgs, and Bourbons. The Hasburgs ruled over Spain, Portugal, the majority of Italy, the southern Netherlands, and the immense empire in South America. The Bourbons ruled over France and the Tudors over England. Europe of the 1600s was harshly divided between Catholic and Protestant. The big wars of the later part of the sixteenth century were religious wars. All of Europe, at one time or another was affected by the Renaissance. Art, literature, music and entertainment were all parts of life that were changed by the Renaissance. One important writer of this time was Sir Thomas More (Holmes 248).

Thomas More was born in Milk Street, London, on February 7, 1478. His father was Sir John More and was a prominent judge in the town. He went to school at Saint Anthony's School which was located in London. When he was young, he acted as a page in the Archbishop Morton's home. Archbishop Morton said that Thomas More would be a "marvelous man". Thomas went on to study at Oxford University and while he was there he wrote comedies and studied Greek and Latin literature. In

In the book, More travels to Antwerp as an ambassador for England and King Henry VIII. While he is not busy doing his official duties, he spends time talking about intellectual things with his friend named Peter Giles. One day, More sees Giles speaking to some bearded man who More assumes is a ship captain. Soon, Giles introduces More to this new man, his name is Raphael Hythloday, who turns out to be a philosopher and world traveler. The three men go back to Giles's house for supper and to talk, and Hythloday begins to talk about his travels.

The idea for the work of "Utopia" was suggested by dialogues of Plato. In Utopia, More is consistent with himself and follows his principles through all their legitimate consequences. A modern French author, Jules Michelet, says that utopia "is an island romance in which the author has taken great pains to discover truths already realized by the mystic communists of the middle ages in a more original manner." In More's day, Utopia was thought of as a mirror of the political and social evils of the time in which they were living and when this was written (Richardson, 241-243). Utopia was never intended to be set up as a model to be literally followed as it has been in the past. The first edition published of Utopia was a small but dense work and the title page was followed by a map of Utopia. Only Utopia can "claim the name of a commonwealth" because onle in that place "where nothing is private, they seriously concern themselves with public affairs." Book 1 continues the play of fact and fiction, and it places Mor

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Approximate Word count = 1059
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)