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37th out of 350 books
—
904 voters
A Man for All Seasons
by
Robert Bolt
The classic play about Sir Thomas More, the Lord chancellor who refused to compromise and was executed by Henry VIII.
Paperback, 192 pages
Published
April 14th 1990
by Vintage
(first published January 1st 1960)
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This is two gems in one: The play itself is unforgettable, and Bolt's introduction is equally so. As Bolt, explains, why did he, a rationalist who is Christian only in the broadest cultural sense of the term, take as his hero a Catholic saint? The answer is More's simultaneous enthusiasm for life in the here and now with his immovable commitment to an idea and to ideals for which it would be no question in his mind to sacrifice the life that he loved so dearly. Bolt thinks that the key lies in M...more
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I'm not going to lie. After reading this book, I'm a little bit in love with Sir Thomas More.
You can't help it after reading Robert Bolt's play, though. He's so witty and charming and kind and gentle, yet so passionately certain of what is right and wrong and what things are worth dying for. King Henry VIII is such a great character in this play, such an overly-jovial spoiled baby, that More looks even more noble by comparison. (In my head I picture him looking a little bit like Clark Kent. I d...more
You can't help it after reading Robert Bolt's play, though. He's so witty and charming and kind and gentle, yet so passionately certain of what is right and wrong and what things are worth dying for. King Henry VIII is such a great character in this play, such an overly-jovial spoiled baby, that More looks even more noble by comparison. (In my head I picture him looking a little bit like Clark Kent. I d...more
As Claire says in her review, I too fell for Sir Thomas More while reading the script and have a lasting fondness for Paul Scofield after seeing his portrayal of More in the 1966 movie. Though I am not Catholic and am not a believer in organized religion and am saddened beyond reason when I think of anyone killing over such an issue, for More to be so clever while being so staunch in his convictions and to stand for his principles -- to argue in fact that it is the principle of standing on his p...more
در پایان کرامول و شاپیس به دو قسمت روشن چپ و راست صحنه وارد می شوند. با دیدن یکدیگر بر جا میمانند به وضعی سرد و دشمنانه.نور کم کم صحنه را روشن می کند.کسی جز این دونفر در صحنه نیست.بعد همزمان با یکدیگر با سرهای افراشته و یک بر به جلو می خرامند و در وسط صحنه از برابر یکدیگر می گذرند.اما همینکه به در خروجی می رسند مکث میکنند پابپا کنان و به ارامی بر میگردند.به حالت تفکر و پرسه زنان به سوی یکدیگر می ایند.کرامول سرش را بالا می گیرد و مبادرت به لبخندی می کند.شاپیس پاسخش را می دهد.بازو در بازوی هم می ا...more
this is a very famous play and i'm not really sure why. thomas more makes an inspiring main character but neither he nor anybody else ever changes and there's not a single surprise or twist in the whole play. just a straight line to martyrdom from page one. it's like one long speech about standing up for principles. it's a well-written speech, but still.
Not only the quintessential stage play, but the Academy Award-winning film starring the great Paul Scoffield as the title character, Sir Thomas Moore. So many great lines, so many remarkable situations, but more than anything, the best example of what characteristics the ultimate man possesses: honor, integrity, self-effacing humor, grit and determination, and, most of all, love of family and country.
Think you can write a play? Given the brilliance of Robert Bolt's body of work (which also incl...more
Think you can write a play? Given the brilliance of Robert Bolt's body of work (which also incl...more
When I read this play back in school, I was asked what the meaning of it was by my teacher.
“Some men die in their bed, some lose their head.”
I was keeping with this earned resignation of its protagonist as to the world, but not his beliefs. Yet, it didn’t quite come across at the time.
No matter, the play is still a great read. Bolt doles out true wit without sarcasm or cutting down another person, while also garnished with wisdom.
One great line that I forgot (and which isn’t in the movie)...
Th...more
“Some men die in their bed, some lose their head.”
I was keeping with this earned resignation of its protagonist as to the world, but not his beliefs. Yet, it didn’t quite come across at the time.
No matter, the play is still a great read. Bolt doles out true wit without sarcasm or cutting down another person, while also garnished with wisdom.
One great line that I forgot (and which isn’t in the movie)...
Th...more
Should be required reading in high school History, English and Ethics classes. Bolt's interpretation of the political and religious massive tidal waves is finely tuned, but most importantly you get a sense of the self as a concept and how self-hood was constructed in an age where 'one did not own oneself', but was bound by duty and love to (often undeserving) rulers. No wonder so many people who read this in high school come to re-read it and love it. It's tightly written (some say it's just one...more
Apr 13, 2011
Megan Fletcher
added it
A Man For All Seasons by Robert Bolt isn't just a regular play, it is a inside documentary of history. When King Henry VIII is seeking a way to break of from the catholic church in order to divorce to marry his mistress Thomas Moore is his council and conscience to a certain degree.
I really fell in love with Sir Thomas because he is a man of principle. He knows that by his king bending the laws to suite his own desires he is betraying the trust of his people and the church, a church that Moore...more
I really fell in love with Sir Thomas because he is a man of principle. He knows that by his king bending the laws to suite his own desires he is betraying the trust of his people and the church, a church that Moore...more
Feb 11, 2010
Erik Graff
rated it
5 of 5 stars
·
review of another edition
Recommends it for:
everyone
Recommended to Erik by:
Einar Graff
Shelves:
drama
The DesPlaines Theatre showed its films for fifty cents on weeknights when I was a kid. Dad would take me along any time there was something there that interested him. This was quite often and I saw many films there which are still regarded highly by critics. The theatre, to its credit, would sometimes have a panel to discuss a particularly serious or controversial film after the showing. Who does that anymore?
I saw A Man for All Seasons at the theatre first, probably in 1967 since the DesPlaine...more
I saw A Man for All Seasons at the theatre first, probably in 1967 since the DesPlaine...more
Jan 21, 2010
Brittany
rated it
2 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
If you're studying Thomas More or Henry VIII
How I Came To Read This Book: I’m struggling to remember what play block I read this in during my advanced English studies. Is it a comparison to MacBeth or Hamlet? I believe the former, so I’ll stick with that.
The Plot: The play takes a look at the real-life character of Sir Thomas More, the 16th-Century Chancellor of England who refused to let Henry VIII divorce Catherine (for lack of offspring) so he could get together with Anne Boleyn. The story makes More out to be something of a hero, bel...more
The Plot: The play takes a look at the real-life character of Sir Thomas More, the 16th-Century Chancellor of England who refused to let Henry VIII divorce Catherine (for lack of offspring) so he could get together with Anne Boleyn. The story makes More out to be something of a hero, bel...more
When you read a play at school and it stays with you for life, that indeed says something.
Magnificent writing by Robert Bolt brings to life, in a wonderful and tangible way, the story of an honourable man who refuses, for the good of his very soul, to bow to almost unbearable pressure. Bolt's play was then beautifully brought to the screen with Paul Schofield playing Sir Thomas More and an extremely young John Hurt as the duplicitous Richard Rich. Superb play; superb casting; superb movie.
Nobo...more
Magnificent writing by Robert Bolt brings to life, in a wonderful and tangible way, the story of an honourable man who refuses, for the good of his very soul, to bow to almost unbearable pressure. Bolt's play was then beautifully brought to the screen with Paul Schofield playing Sir Thomas More and an extremely young John Hurt as the duplicitous Richard Rich. Superb play; superb casting; superb movie.
Nobo...more
Best. Play. Maybe Ever.
Sir Thomas More was a man of principles inviolable, (view spoiler). He was a family man, a religious man - Saintly, even - and could not be tricked, bullied, or altogether coerced to break an oath he had made in good faith, even at the behest of Henry VIII.
Robert Bolt's introduction to the play enriches the entire experience. We get to understand why More's story was so compelling to him, and what he hoped to achieve w...more
Sir Thomas More was a man of principles inviolable, (view spoiler). He was a family man, a religious man - Saintly, even - and could not be tricked, bullied, or altogether coerced to break an oath he had made in good faith, even at the behest of Henry VIII.
Robert Bolt's introduction to the play enriches the entire experience. We get to understand why More's story was so compelling to him, and what he hoped to achieve w...more
Perjury And Truth And The Soul: A Look At A Man For All Seasons
Per-ju-ry: noun, plural. The willful giving of false testimony under oath or affirmation, before a competent tribunal, upon a point material to a legal inquiry.
The Dictionary, 2013 A.D.
When regard for truth has been broken down or even slightly weakened, all things will remain doubtful.
Aurelius Augustinus, 354-430 A.D.
In so many ways, those twin thoughts make up the thrust of the argument put forth by Robert Bolt in his classic play...more
Per-ju-ry: noun, plural. The willful giving of false testimony under oath or affirmation, before a competent tribunal, upon a point material to a legal inquiry.
The Dictionary, 2013 A.D.
When regard for truth has been broken down or even slightly weakened, all things will remain doubtful.
Aurelius Augustinus, 354-430 A.D.
In so many ways, those twin thoughts make up the thrust of the argument put forth by Robert Bolt in his classic play...more
I have seen this movie a couple of times, and loved it--if for nothing else than the actors involved. But what surprised me reading this was how different the play was from the movie. The movie fleshes out the time, place and characters in velvet and brocade, heavy furniture and hautboys. The play, however, is spare and philosophical. I found myself remembering how different the two art forms are: literature and film, playwriting and performance.
Today, we judge a film by how well it honors a wr...more
Today, we judge a film by how well it honors a wr...more
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I must preface this review by saying that I love all the hoopla surrounding King Henry the Eighth. That being said, A Man for All Seasons is an easy like. Robert Bolt takes historical figures and while in the teeter-tottering of political intrigue manages to create a humourous atmosphere, strangely enough. I enjoy Bolt's humour. Or maybe just Henry being the sly fox that he is (this is a dancer's leg Meg... hmmm yes a dancer's leg indeed m'lord).
The connections between the fantasy series A Song...more
The connections between the fantasy series A Song...more
Well written and thoughtful. With a unique perspective as a non-Catholic, Bolt shows the beautiful rationality of Sir Thomas More's decisions that lead to his death at the hands of English King Henry VIII. The same decision that gained More sainthood in the opinion of the Catholic Church earns him the respect of all rational and principled people through the writing of Bolt.
Two of my best friends, Nat Harward and Derek Senior, got me Thomas More-themed Christmas presents one year. I ended up with "Utopia", a DVD of the movie Man For All Seasons, and the script. I quote this play every week, maybe every day. I don't mind most of the time when the people I love don't share my taste in art. But I am saddened every time I try to get other people to watch this particular film with me and they walk away 15 minutes in because they just don't seem to understand how great a...more
A period of time and subject I am not familiar with, the era of Henry VIII and the breaking off with the Church of Rome to form the Church of England, though still a fascinating subject, as most things involving religion and independence of mind are.
There is not much I could add to the reviews, though I did come away thinking it was quite interesting that Thomas More was convicted to death for the thoughts of his heart and not the words of his mouth and that makes me think of the scenario as an...more
There is not much I could add to the reviews, though I did come away thinking it was quite interesting that Thomas More was convicted to death for the thoughts of his heart and not the words of his mouth and that makes me think of the scenario as an...more
Perhaps this show plays better than it reads, but to be honest it left me wanting; and not in a good way. It just felt a little, flat. Cromwell was a bit too evil; Chapuys was a bit too, la-dee-da (for a lack of a better way of putting it); and More came off as too holy. There wasn't a whole lot of nuance to the characters. The play, overall, just felt too simple. Granted, the argumentation of the characters' positions was, on the whole, very well done and incredibly eloquent. But I think Bolt d...more
This is one of the most moving, inspiring, uplifting, and depressing plays I've ever read. Bolt's portrayal of More's integrity is amazing. And unlike most prefatory material, Bolt's explanation of why he decided to write the play is worth reading.
I read this for my "Ethics for Public Administrators" class last year. I loved it. It is not just a textbook! There is so much in there about being honest and true to your principles. Great story; the only "text" book I have enjoyed reading!
Another book I'd read for my Ethics class. The intense politics was engrossing, written in Old English and in play format. Set during the monarchy of Henry VIII,the story reflects on the principle of doing what is right even when met with extreme opposition. The book made the concept high stakes as the characters must decide whether to oppose the all-powerful king in his desire to divorce his wife, Catherine of Aragon (a sin in the eyes of the Catholic church, the price for such truth being the...more
The story takes place in 16th century England. But men like Sir Thomas More, who love life yet have the moral fiber to lay down their lives for their principles, are found in every century. Concentrating on the last seven years of English chancellor's life, the struggle between More and his King, Henry VIII, hinges on Henry's determination to break with Rome so he can divorce his current wife and wed again, and good Catholic More's inability to go along with such heresy. More resigns as chancell...more
Though I found it confusing, in the end I really liked this book. A quick-read, though very compeling. However, at times the over-use of complex words makes you want to put it down.
A classic play about martyrdom. Sir Thomas More had the choice of making his king, Henry VIII, happy by sacrficing his values in order to save his life and lifestyle. To his credit or his stupidity he chose to hold to his values and King Henry couldn't take a joke. Although his head ends up in a basket there is something endearing about a man that holds to his principals and then leaves his family to suffer the consequences. The issue simply was giving poitical and religious credence to the King...more
Robert Bolt's masterpiece is the best play not written by Shakespeare. It is the story of St. Sir Thomas More, Henry VIII's chancellor and friend. A faithful and honorable English statesman as well as a devout Roman Catholic, he finds his religious beliefs are in conflict with his king over his divorce from Queen Catherine and remarriage to Anne Boleyn. More finds that he must either bend to the winds of change and convenience, or become an unwilling martyr. A tour de force about the battle of t...more
If I could, I would have given this play 4.5 stars.
This play is a dramatic retelling of a portion of the life of Sir Thomas More, the author of UTOPIA, lawyer, writer, and Renaissance humanist. More is most famous for his defiance of his king, Henry the Eighth, over Henry's maneuvering to divorce his wife, Catharine of Aragon, so that Henry could marry Anne Boleyn (in the hopes of fathering a male heir). More was opposed to Luther and the Reformation and resisted Henry's separation of the Angli...more
This play is a dramatic retelling of a portion of the life of Sir Thomas More, the author of UTOPIA, lawyer, writer, and Renaissance humanist. More is most famous for his defiance of his king, Henry the Eighth, over Henry's maneuvering to divorce his wife, Catharine of Aragon, so that Henry could marry Anne Boleyn (in the hopes of fathering a male heir). More was opposed to Luther and the Reformation and resisted Henry's separation of the Angli...more
This is a terrific play (terrific in the second act, anyway) set during the time of the whole Henry VIII/Queen Catherine/Anne Boleyn debacle when Henry founded the Church of England with himself as its head in order to get around the Catholic church's refusal to annul his marriage--which he had pretty much forced the church into granting in the first place since he was in fact marrying his brother's widow. The story revolves around Sir Thomas More's refusal to condone the King's actions, a refus...more
Fascinating book, especially the title and its significance. It is set during the reign of Henry VIII who of course is known for his *ahem* great, personal life, but also for founding the Anglican church. This describes the conflict between him and Thomas More the Lord Chancellor. The philosophy in this book is fascinating. More refuses to give in to pressure and finds "the law" as his refuge. There are some interesting topics that are brought up and that the reader must wrestle with. It's also...more
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From IMDB.com:
Son of a small shopkeeper, he attended Manchester Grammar School. He later said that he made poor uses of his opportunities there. He went to work in an insurance office, but later entered Manchester University, taking a degree in History. A post-graduate year at Exeter University led to a schoolmaster's position, first at a village school in Devon, then for seven years at Millfield....more
More about Robert Bolt...
Son of a small shopkeeper, he attended Manchester Grammar School. He later said that he made poor uses of his opportunities there. He went to work in an insurance office, but later entered Manchester University, taking a degree in History. A post-graduate year at Exeter University led to a schoolmaster's position, first at a village school in Devon, then for seven years at Millfield....more
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“Thomas More: ...And when the last law was down, and the Devil turned around on you--where would you hide, Roper, the laws all being flat? This country's planted thick with laws from coast to coast--man's laws, not God's--and if you cut them down...d'you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then? Yes, I'd give the Devil benefit of law, for my own safety's sake.”
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20 people liked it
“If we lived in a State where virtue was profitable, common sense would make us good, and greed would make us saintly. And we'd live like animals or angels in the happy land that /needs/ no heroes. But since in fact we see that avarice, anger, envy, pride, sloth, lust and stupidity commonly profit far beyond humility, chastity, fortitude, justice and thought, and have to choose, to be human at all... why then perhaps we /must/ stand fast a little --even at the risk of being heroes.”
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