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Colleen
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rated it 4 stars
Dec 09, 2013 07:54AM
First Impressions?
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I'm relieved More decided to style the dialogue like:
More: Blah blah question?
Raphael: Blah blah smart stuff
It made it easier to read, especially with Raphael talking about other dialogue.
My copy of the book is a Penguin Classic translated by Paul Turner, so I don't know how Raphael's last name is translated for you all, but mine says his last name is "Nonsenso" which makes me think we're not supposed to take much, if anything, he says seriously? I thought it was humorous More would name him "Nonsenso" like everything he said was nonsense or something.
Which that actually makes sense. I thought Raphael talked so much. Like when he was talking about the death penalty for thievery, he got on to talking about sheep for like, four pages. The lawyer would say maybe two or four sentences and there was Raphael preaching for almost six pages. I almost felt like he needed to get over himself...
I think he brought up some good points about some aspects of society. I personally don't believe in the death penalty and am supportive of life in prison without parole, so I liked his points and support for people in prison working rather than be killed for crime (of course this was much different in the 1500's but same concept).
Raphael's ideas close to communism I can't really agree with. I think it's important to have private property, much like More says. He argues if everyone has the same lifestyle, then no one will work. Wouldn't the people who did work like waiting on others and cleaning not want to do that work because another person who is a teacher, for example, is getting the same quality of life and not working as laboriously. The idealized Utopia doesn't seem like a very efficient society, but who knows what will be in Book II.
So far, because of More's standing on the Utopian life and Raphael's name, I'm going to assume More is trying to say "Here's a society we all dream of, but look why it could never work."
