A Man for All Seasons: ANSWERS – Act One

Scene 1. pp. 1-9 - Home of Sir Thomas More

1.  a) p. 1 – The Common Man says that it is “perverse” to be starting a play about great people with a lowly figure like himself. He then jokes about his costume and makes a suggestive joke about appearing naked instead.

b) By starting the play with a reference to the “perverse” (willfully determined or disposed to go counter to what is expected or desired; contrary), Bolt is introducing a major idea in the play. Secondly, the Common Man “breaks the fourth wall” by speaking directly to the audience. This serves to wake them up and get them thinking. In addition, the Common Man is characterized by Bolt as having a rather bawdy and self-deprecating sense of humour.

2.  p. 4 - More has a very active, public life, which Rich craves. It is ironic that More does not presently enjoy having to live his life “in the public eye.” More’s life is about to get more public with his promotion by Henry from Ambassador and Master of Requests to Chancellor.

3.  p. 7 – When Rich stays to More “if only you knew how much, much rather I’d (your help) than his,” Rich is referring to Thomas Cromwell. More is pleased that Rich knows Cromwell since this means Rich might “get off his back” and get Cromwell’s help in getting a job. Rich knows that More is the better man and that his help will have no strings attached – unlike Cromwell’s.

4.  p. 9 – In More’s comment to his wife “the ground’s hard at Hounslow, Alice!” he is warning his wife against going riding with Norfolk since she might fall off her horse. They make fun of Cardinal Wolsey’s weight. This tells us that Alice and Thomas have a loving, amiable relationship and that they are witty

5.  p. 10 - Steward (Common Man) says that it is only common sense that one so used to giving things away will find it difficult to say “no” when it counts. He is suggesting that More will want to keep his integrity and Henry will ask him to break it by approving of his second marriage, and More might have difficulty doing this. Wolsey thinks it is common sense to just go along with the King’s wishes; More will get further in life is he can just get rid of his “moral squint” in other words, his principles.


Scene 2. pp. 10-13 - Wolsey and More

6.  p. 12 --Henry was not supposed to marry Catherine because she was his brother’s widow. Henry received a special dispensation from the Pope to marry Catherine. Yet, when he could not have male children with her, he asked the Pope to cancel the marriage based on the fact that she was his brother’s widow. The Pope would, in fact, be canceling his first cancellation of the marriage.

7.  p. 10-13 - - More does not hold religious office (he is simply a layperson) while Wolsey is a Chancellor (very high political position) and a Cardinal (very high religious position). This conversation is ironic because More says that he will stick to his religious beliefs while Wolsey is trying to convince him not to. Wolsey, the “religious person” is saying that you must sin a little to get along in this world and More, the layperson, is sticking to his religious principles.

8.  p. 10-11 – Wolsey has written a letter to the Pope asking for him to allow the king to divorce his wife so that he will be able to marry a fertile woman. He is exasperated that More refuses to support this letter based on his respect for the Pope and the religious lays banning divorce. Wolsey wants More to stop looking at everything through his religious principles (with a “moral squint”) and sin a little to get ahead in life. Wolsey believes his own approach is just “common sense.”

9.  The biggest problem in the country is that when the king dies, he will have no son to inherit the crown. Catherine the Queen is barren, but the King’s mistress (referred to as “muck” on page 11) is not. Cardinal Wolsey proposes that if he can convince the Pope to grant Henry a divorce, Henry then has a chance at having children. More believes that they should just pray that Catherine will get pregnant.

10.  More is sarcastically reminding Wolsey that he is the religious person here, and should be acting this way.

Scene 3. pp. 13-16 - More, Cromwell, Chapuys, Boatman

11.  p. 14 - Signor Chapuys is an Ambassador from Spain – he is on the side of Catherine since she is the aunt of the King of Spain.

12.  p. 15 - Chapuy is vehemently opposed to Henry’s wishes to divorce Catherine. Chapuys says that if the divorce were to go through, the King of Spain would be highly insulted. Note that insulted King’s sometimes start wars, so this is not simply a matter of a domestic squabble.

Scene 4. pp. 16-20 - More’s home

13.  p. 17-18 – More does not trust Roper’s political extremes. Roper was a passionate Catholic two years ago but is now a passionate Lutheran. More calls Roper a “heretic” (a person opposed to Catholicism) – not solid enough for More’s daughter. NOTE: Roger is a great foil character for More since they are so different, yet connected through social standing and Margaret.

14.  p. 19 - More does not want a promotion because he realizes that more a more powerful and public position will result in increased pressure to agree with King Henry in the public arena. He cannot morally agree with the king, and knows that he will be risking a lot to disagree with him – even, perhaps, his life.

Scene 5. pp. 20-25 - Cromwell, Rich, Chapuys, Steward

15.  Cromwell states that he is “the King’s ear.” He waits until the King needs something (secretive) done and all the King has to do is whisper it in his ear.

16.  p. 24-25 - The Steward is selling them info that is worthless, since they want “dirt” on More and More is a good man. Steward says they will turn the facts into secrets and use something innocent against More by lying.

Scene 6. pp. 25-35 - King Henry’s visit to Chelsea

17.  p. 26 - More is wearing a cassock – a poor piece of clothing worn by parish priests. Alice, Margaret and Norfolk get him to change – More is naïve because he thinks the King is too “deep” to judge him by his appearance.

18.  p. 28-29 - Henry is proud of his dancing, wrestling and scholarly pursuits.

19.  p. 31-32 - Henry thinks of himself as living in sin because he is married to his brother’s widow. He fears for his eternal salvation and believes he’s being punished by God by not being granted an heir. He says that it’s his duty to divorce Catherine. Henry wants More’s approval because More has a reputation for being moral – More is sincere and the King values this since many of his citizens would follow what More says.

20.  p. 33-34 - More agrees to not write anything that opposes the King’s divorce. He also repeatedly assures the King that he is loyal to him.

Scene 7. pp. 35-41 – More, Rich and Roper

21.  p. 36-37 - Roper is no longer a Lutheran/Reformer – he is now a loyal Catholic again. It is ironic that he is lecturing More about sticking to your principles instead of “convenient” to Henry’s wishes – More has just finished turning the King down in order to stick to his principles. Sophistication in this case means corrupted and justifying your actions.

22.  p. 38-39 - More believes that the law can protect him from his attackers. Even though laws can sometimes be awkward tools to punish the bad, they should still be upheld, otherwise people are lost in a barbaric world.

23.  p. 39 - More thinks that Roper’s principles are too wishy-washy – like an unpredictable wind that blows the boat wildly.

24.  p. 39-40 - We know that More is upset because he leaves suddenly – this is rude and unlike him. He’s stressed out. More also speaks about protecting his daughter from attackers – he knows that he will be attacked. More also changes the subject when they want him to talk about his troubles with the King.

Scene 8. pp. 41-46 - The Pub scene

25.  p. 2-4 and 42-45
-Both scenes feature Rich denying something and the other man “getting it out of him.” In the first scene, Rich pretends that no one else told him to read Machiavelli. In the second scene, Rich states that he would never rat out on anyone to the King. - Both conversations concern whether every person “has a price,” whether bought by promise of riches or avoidance of suffering.
- Both conversations also establish that there is a friendship between the men.
- Both have to do with a silver goblet that More gives to Rich.

26.  p. 44 – Rich realizes that he’s lost his innocence by colluding with Cromwell in the downfall of More. He also realizes that it doesn’t feel half as bad as he thought it would. Cromwell calls More innocent and means stupid (naïve) and Rich says that he is oddly innocent since he is a rare non-corrupt person in this very corrupt society. Cromwell suggests that the innocent are “only fit for heaven.” The Common Man says that More’s innocence comes from being stubbornly principled in a time that demands obedience to an unprincipled King.

27.  p. 46 - Cromwell thinks he can threaten More into compliance. Rich says that More is not easily frightened. Cromwell sticks Rich’s hand into the flame of a candle and suggests that More will be frightened by force. There is another parallel scene featuring a candle – watch for it!