Day 151 in MIT Sloan Fellows Class 2023, Choice point 10 "A Man of All Seasons"

A Man For All Seasons (Modern Classics) (English Edition)

Story

"A Man for All Seasons" is a play written by Robert Bolt in 1960. The play is set in the 16th century and is based on the true story of Sir Thomas More, the Chancellor of England under King Henry VIII. The story provides a historical account of More's life, as well as his moral and ethical struggles in the face of political pressure and personal ambition.

The central conflict of the play revolves around King Henry VIII's desire to divorce his wife, Catherine of Aragon, in order to marry Anne Boleyn. This decision sets the stage for a series of events that ultimately lead to the English Reformation and the establishment of the Church of England, separate from the Roman Catholic Church. Sir Thomas More, a devout Catholic and a man of strong principles, opposes the king's decision and faces a series of challenges as a result.

Throughout the play, More grapples with his personal convictions and loyalty to the king, striving to maintain his integrity in the face of political machinations and corruption. The story also touches on themes such as the abuse of power, the importance of conscience, and the role of individual integrity in a world full of moral ambiguity.

"A Man for All Seasons" received critical acclaim and was adapted into an Academy Award-winning film in 1966, directed by Fred Zinnemann and starring Paul Scofield as Sir Thomas More. The play remains a popular work in modern theater and serves as a powerful exploration of the conflict between personal principles and the demands of political expediency.

More's multiple roles and responsibilities

Sir Thomas More held several significant roles in his professional and personal life, each with its own set of responsibilities. Here are his primary roles:

1. Lord Chancellor of England: As the highest-ranking non-royal in England, More's responsibilities included serving as the King's chief advisor, overseeing the court system, and acting as a key decision-maker in government affairs. His role required him to balance loyalty to the King with the responsibility of upholding the law.
2. Lawyer: Trained in law, More's responsibility was to uphold the law and ensure justice. This role's principles likely influenced his decision-making process, making it difficult for him to compromise his beliefs and the law in favor of the King's desires.
3. Scholar: More was a respected intellectual and writer, known particularly for his work "Utopia". His responsibilities in this role involved contributing to intellectual discourse, exploring philosophical ideas, and promoting education.
4. Devout Catholic: As a devout Catholic, More had a responsibility to his faith and its teachings. This deeply personal role affected his actions and decisions, especially in matters relating to the Church, such as the King's desire for a divorce and the subsequent break from the Catholic Church.
5. Family Man: As a husband and father, More had responsibilities to his family. His role involved providing for them, protecting them, and ensuring their well-being. This responsibility, in particular, influenced his decision to initially remain silent about his views on the King's divorce and the establishment of the Church of England.
6. Friend and Mentor: More was a friend and mentor to many, including Richard Rich in the play. In this role, More had a responsibility to provide guidance and support, a duty he fulfilled by advising Rich to seek a career away from the court to avoid corruption.

At the beginning of the play, he prioritizes his role as Lord Chancellor and a lawyer, attempting to navigate the legal and political landscape in a way that aligns with his principles. When King Henry VIII wants to divorce Catherine of Aragon, More tries to find a legal solution that will satisfy the King without violating Church law.

However, as the story progresses and the King's actions increasingly conflict with the teachings of the Catholic Church, More prioritizes his role as a devout Catholic. Despite the potential consequences, he refuses to support the King's decision to break from the Catholic Church, placing his religious principles above his political obligations.

Toward the end of the play, More prioritizes his role as a family man, choosing to remain silent about his views on the King's actions in an attempt to protect his family from the potential fallout of his dissent. However, when he is pushed to make a public declaration, he again chooses his religious principles over his family's safety, demonstrating his unwavering commitment to his conscience.

More's concept of conscience is central to his character and decisions throughout the play. He views conscience as an individual's moral compass, a guide to right and wrong that must be followed even when it conflicts with personal desires or external pressures. For More, conscience is deeply tied to his religious faith, but it also transcends it, representing an innate understanding of morality and justice. In his view, violating one's conscience is the highest form of betrayal, worse than any external consequence.

His strategy

In "A Man for All Seasons," Sir Thomas More does indeed employ a strategy of careful communication, often choosing silence over explicit disagreement, in an effort to protect himself and his family from the potential consequences of his dissent. He foresaw that openly disagreeing with King Henry VIII's break from the Catholic Church could lead to charges of treason, a crime punishable by death.

However, there are several factors that led to his strategy not being successful and ultimately ending in his execution:

• The Oath of Supremacy: More's strategy was undermined by the introduction of the Oath of Supremacy, which required all of the King's subjects to acknowledge Henry as the Supreme Head of the Church of England. More's refusal to take the oath was interpreted as an act of treason, even though he tried to avoid explicitly stating his reasons for doing so.
• The persistence of his opponents: Thomas Cromwell, Richard Rich, and others who saw More as an obstacle to their plans were determined to remove him. Despite More's careful avoidance of explicit dissent, they used his silence against him and manipulated the situation to their advantage.
• The perjury of Richard Rich: In the trial against More, Richard Rich lies under oath, stating that More had explicitly denied the King's supremacy over the Church. This false testimony was the decisive evidence used to convict More of treason.
• The volatile political climate: The period during which More lived was marked by significant religious and political upheaval. This volatility meant that even careful and considered strategies could easily fail under intense pressure and rapidly changing circumstances.

However, compared to other characters in our "ChoicePoints" journey, he was one of the most intelligent and greatest strategists. 

The last tips in the class

Professor left me a life-long discipline. 

• Step back
• Observe and think about the situation
• Don't jump into a solution/decision immediately
• Rather ask a right question.