Civ 122 Film Review: A Man for All Seasons

In A Man for All Seasons, the story takes place during the beginning of the
English Reformation, and focuses mainly on the protagonist, Sir Thomas More and his
relationship with his God and his sovereign, King Henry VIII. It gives a good view on the
struggles of the protagonist as he defends his faith, and at the same time tries to remain
loyal to his king, who is so willing to overturn the political and spiritual landscape of
England due to his own personal desires.
Based on historical context, the film is set in a time when there was great unrest in
the Church because of Luthers teachings and rebellion against Catholic doctrine, which
in turn lead to the Protestant Reformation. Thus, the Church in Western Europe during
that time period was quite unstable. The film shows evidence of Luthers reformation in
the person of William Roper, who was a former Catholic turned Lutheran. It also makes
mention of Henry VIIIs work, Defense of the Seven Sacraments, which he wrote in
defense of the Luthers attack on the Church.
On a social context, it is important to note the role women played in society in
those times. The story takes place in a period where the common woman didnt really
have a significant role in society. For a woman to be in the university was unacceptable,
for she was deemed to be intellectually inferior. As a result, most women were illiterate
and had no professional vocation. This trait is manifested in the person of Alice, Thomas
Mores wife, who is illiterate and still chooses to remain so even when her husband offers
to teach her to read and write. Despite this stereotype of women, there is a rose among
the thorns in Meg, eldest of Mores daughters whom he personally educated and taught
Greek and Latin. In one scene in the film, the king converses with Meg in Latin, and she
is able to respond very eloquently, much to his utter amazement.
In terms of its plot, the film is quite historically faithful. In the opening scene, the
film gives a brief background on the circumstances leading to the conflict between Henry
VIII and the Church; this being the kings desire to divorce his wife and marry Anne is his
desire for a male heir. The story starts to get intriguing when Thomas More, who is
against the divorce, is appointed to the high-ranking position of Lord Chancellor. And the
biggest turning point of the story is when More resigns his post and decides against
signing the Oath of Supremacy, leading to his imprisonment, trial, and eventual
conviction on Richard Richs perjured testimony. These scenes are also consistent with
events in history. Finally, plot concludes with the execution and martyrdom of Sir Thomas
More, who was canonized a saint a few centuries later.
The film has two main conflicts that can be observed. The first one was Thomas
More versus society. Since England was a monarchy during those days, society believed
that the king had supreme power. If it was his desire to take control of the Church in
England, most people would simply agree with him. To oppose the king in those times
would surely merit his displeasure and possibly death, as evidenced by the execution of
Bishop John Fisher. The film shows that it took a lot of Mores courage in his refusal to
sign the Oath and instead go against the sentiment of majority of the officials in
government. The other conflict within the story is the one between More and Cromwell.
In the film, it is quite obvious at times that Cromwell wants to do all he can to either
bring the unyielding More down, or force him to give up his virtue. Though it is not
specifically mentioned in historical data that Cromwell had a personal vendetta against
More, there are actual facts that could prove the films portrayal as being accurate.
Cromwell was known as a ruthless, ideological politician who did not recognize papal
supremacy. He is infamous for heading the destruction of monasteries and the
confiscation of Church properties. These characteristics are absolutely clashing with

Mores piousness and undying fidelity to the Catholic Church. Therefore, it is highly likely
that both these individuals had a personal battle going between them.
Well, for my part I believe that when a statesman abandons his own private
conscience for the sake of his public duty, he leads his country by a short route to chaos.
These were the words uttered by Sir Thomas More to Cardinal Wolsey when asked
regarding his stand on the kings desire for divorce. This high regard for conscience is
the films central theme. More does not allow the politicians and even the king himself to
pressure him into giving up his moral values and instead keeps a steadfast conscience,
remaining loyal to his faith even when his decisions seem to go against reason. Mores
character shows us that what is popular and convenient may not always be the morally
right choice; it is better to listen to ones own conscience than to listen to peoples
opinions.
The film helped me uncover a lot of things about Thomas More, his decisions later
in his life, and what drove him to do so. It aided me in understanding More not just as a
saint, but also as a father, leader, and servant. I was made to reflect on how difficult it
must have been to be in his position, having to either choose his king, career, and life or
his God. To me, Thomas More embodies what it means to be a good Catholic and a great
human being: remaining true to ones conscience and faith even in the face of great
adversity.
References
Ackroyd, P. (1999). The Life of Thomas More, New York: Anchor Books.
Sansom, C. J. (2009, Oct 9). Prince of darkness: The truth about Thomas Cromwell.
Retrieved from http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1219158/Prince-Darkness-Thetruth-Thomas-Cromwell.html
Jevon, S. (2009, Dec 14). Women in early modern Europe. Retrieved from
http://www.knowledge4africa.co.za/women/women-04.jsp
Armenio, P. (2005). The history of the church. Midwest Theological Forum.