Utopia: Why a Sensible Reformer?

"Why does More present the traveler as a sensible reformer early in book 1, but not later?"



I believe that More is attempting to ease into Utopia. In Utopia, there are a great deal of highly controversial topics, and it would be rather difficult for the reader to immediately dive into them.

Allow me to use horseback riding as an example. Generally, when you ride a horse you don't begin by immediately going into your canter (the main speed a horse can go between a walk and gallop). You ease into it. First with a walk, then with a trot. This is what I believe More is attempting to accomplish by representing the traveler in this manner.

Optimism in Livy and Ovid

"Was there any basis for an optimistic view of Rome in Livy and Ovid?"


     Can we find any basis for an optimistic view of Rome?  I think that we absolutely can!  For instance, In Livy, when the Sabine women are kidnapped, they end up giving in after a while and their children became Rome's first offspring.  I suppose that there is reason for optimism there.  

     In Ovid we see that two people did survive the flood of Jupiter.  They were even allowed to continue the human race.  So, was there any basis for an optimistic view?  Yes, I believe that there was.

Thank you for reading, and please let me know what you think!