The Rights of the Individual and Women Lost in Thomas...

A person’s image of utopia varies depending on their individual life experiences and the expectations of the society in which they live; utopia could be described as an ideal place where equality, comfort, safety, compassion, and freedom are important qualities. In Sir Thomas More’s Utopia, the elimination of property and money has all citizens working for the commonwealth and it is â€Å"where every man has a right to everything, they all know that if care is taken to keep the public stores full, no private man can want anything; for among them there is no unequal distribution so that no man is poor, none in necessity; and though no man has anything, yet they are all rich† (More 81). More’s Utopia also encourages a balance of power†¦show more content†¦While individuals of a Renaissance society may be more accustomed to others input in to their career choice, modern readers may find these restrictions and expectations intrusive, and ignorant of their individuality. As well, Independence and self reliance is something that many modern societies encourage in their children and youth, and a chosen career path is often guided by an individual’s own interest and capabilities. In addition to the expectations of trade, there are restrictions on Utopians that if they choose to engage in another trade â€Å"he follows that which he likes best, unless the public has more occasion for the other† (More 34). Particularly in western societies where independence and self-fulfillment are encouraged, it would be difficult to imagine ignoring your own interests to focus only on what is best for the commonwealth. The good of the commonwealth over the individual is also seen in the expectations and restrictions that are applied to the personal lives of the citizens in Utopia. Both Renaissance and modern readers can appreciate that careers come with expectations and that a career can benefit the greater good. For a modern r eader it is hard to imagine that these expectations and restriction extend past the work day and into an individual’s personalShow MoreRelatedUtopia By John Steinbeck And Utopia1777 Words   |  8 PagesThomas More, born of a wealthy family in the 16th century, was not only a political figure but also a humanist and a scholar. He studied at Oxford before training to become a lawyer and eventually becoming part of the kings’ council. He is most notorious though not for his work at the court but rather for his writing, more specifically his description of a fictional, highly romanticized society named Utopia. In Utopia, More explored not only a different, but also idealized, vision of society inRead MoreApush - American History: a Survey Chapter 1 Outline Essay3138 Words   |  13 Pagesthemselves as individual tribes rather than an â€Å"Indian nation.† IV. Tribal Cultures * Before the Europeans arrived in America, the Native Americans were having agricultural revolution - tribes developing new ways to get food, clothing and shelter * Jobs were assigned based on gender; different tribes and cultures gave each gender different job. (ex. The Iroquois gave women the job of tending fields, while men would be involved in hunting, warfare, and clearing land.) * Because women wereRead MoreAp European History Outline Chapter 10 Essay example5639 Words   |  23 Pagesother powerful city-states and nations * Humanism * Scholars debate over the meaning of the term humanism * humanism is the birth of modernity, driven by an anti-Christian philosophy that stressed the dignity of humankind, individual, and secularism * humanists as the champions of Catholic Christianity, opposing the pagan teachings of Aristotle * humanism is a form of historic scholarship adopted to promote a sense of civic responsibility and political liberty Read MoreCritics of Novel 1984 by George Orwell14914 Words   |  60 Pagesrepressed sexuality; dreams Major Symbols: Newspeak; prole woman; birds; telescreens; glass paperweight The three most important aspects of 1984: The setting of 1984 is a dystopia: an imagined world that is far worse than our own, as opposed to a utopia, which is an ideal place or state. Other dystopian novels include Aldous Huxleys Brave New World, Ray Bradburys Fahrenheit 451, and Orwells own Animal Farm. When George Orwell wrote 1984, the year that gives the book its title was still almost