a man for all seasons
Thomas Cromwell
He begins the play as Secretary to Cardinal Wolsey, but primarily acts as an agent of the King. His job is to carry out any and all of the King's requests. Although his campaign against More is initially purely political, Cromwell begins to personally dislike More. Cromwell understands that the King's anger will put his life in danger if he cannot convince More to cooperate. Although Cromwell ends the play as a "victor," he was later executed for treason and heresy
Thomas Wolsey
Cardinal of the Roman Catholic Church and Lord Chancellor, an adviser to the King. When England was a part of the Catholic Church he served as a liaison between the King and the Pope. He likes Thomas More, but finds his refusal to cooperate with the King frustrating. Bolt describes Wolsey as being incredibly smart, incredibly ambitious, and incredibly unhappy. Although he was eventually accused of treason, he died before he could be tried and executed
what deal do Cromwell and Rich make
Cromwell has secured the position of collector of revenues for New York, but he will give that position to Rich if he can get information corruptly
Thomas more
English lawyer, eventually promoted to Chancellor and assistant to the King after Wolsey's death. A devoted Catholic, More refuses to sign Parliament's Act of Supremacy, which declares King Henry, and not the Pope, the Supreme Head of the new Church of England. More is committed to his conscience, and this prevents him from signing the Act, because he feels in his heart it is the wrong thing to do.
what is the letter to the pope about
King Henry has just returned from a rendezvous with his mistress, Anne Boleyn. According to Wolsey, Henry means to divorce his current wife, Catherine of Aragón, in favor of Anne, who Henry suspects will be more successful at providing him a male heir
silver cup
More gives a silver cup to Rich as a bribe showing that Rich is easily tempted. Rich says after realizing the cup was a bribe, that he will sell it for better clothing
why is Cromwell not able to use the holy maid of Kent against More
More kept records and covered his back
why does Norfolk hit More
More picks a fight with Norfolk that is playful but that has serious undertones. He accuses Norfolk of neglecting his own conscience by giving in to the amoral actions of the state, and he suggests that Norfolk is not fit for heaven. Norfolk finally gets angry
Margaret More
More's well-educated and inquisitive daughter. Also called Meg, Margaret is in love with and later marries William Roper. She shows that she understands her father perhaps better than anyone else in the play (except for More himself, of course). However, like her mother, Margaret questions her father's actions
what is Rich's new job
Norfolk's secretary and librarian
who does the steward work for now that he has left More
Rich
common man and Richard rich argument about bribery
Rich believes that every man can be bribed by money, status, or women but the common man doesn't agree. the common man that every man can be bribed or influences if it helps them escape suffering. he learns this from the prince by machiavelli
why does Cromwell burn Rich
Rich comments about More not being able to be frightened, Cromwell burns Rich's hand on a candle flame. Rich accuses Cromwell of having enjoyed torturing him
with what evidence is More convicted of
Rich lies about More saying that the king didn't have the authority over the church
author of the play
Robert bolt
what is the theory of the Apostolic Succession of the Pope
Roman Catholic Church dogma - all popes are direct descendants of Apostle/first Peter
why does More refuse Roper's marriage to Margaret
Roper is a protestant/heretic
Anne Boleyn
She and Henry begin an affair while he is still married to his first wife, Catherine, but he needs to find a way to annul his marriage so that any children he has with Anne with be his legitimate heirs. Anne eventually became queen and gave birth to Elizabeth I, who would rule England for almost fifty years
Catharine of aragon
The first wife of King Henry VIII. She was originally married to Henry's older brother, Arthur, but he died less than a year after their wedding. She was the daughter of the King and Queen of Spain, and so her marriage to Arthur was strategic—it was mean to unite the two countries. After Arthur died, she was married to Henry to preserve the political union. Because the Bible specifically forbids a man from "laying with" his brother's wife, Henry had to write to the Pope to get his marriage approved. Later, after Catherine had been unable to give birth to a son, he tried to divorce her on the grounds that the Pope's approval didn't count, and the marriage had never been legitimate
who does rich meet at Hampton court
Thomas Cromwell
who recommended that rich read machiavelli
Thomas Cromwell
who is appointed the next lord chancellor
Thomas more
how does More become lord chancellor
Wolsey dies on his way to execution for treason
what does more offer rich
a job as a teacher, but he says no
what does Chapuys try to deliver to More and what does More do
a letter from the Spanish King. More refuses to take it because it is treason against the king
what does more receive from the current lord chancellor, Thomas Wolsey
a message asking to see him
what is the new act that Margaret and Roper tell More of
administration of an oath regarding the king's marriage
what happens to Norfolk
almost dies in 1547
what happens to Richard rich
became lord chancellor, died in bed
what is the real reason that More is being found guilty according to More
because of the divorce and that Henry is trying to cover his shames
Cromwell's new job
cardinal's secretary - announced by Norfolk everyone is surprised because they didn't think such a low born could get a nice job
implications of opposing Henry's divorce
change of dynasty or a bloody war of succession will ensue. More is shaken but responds that he prays every day that Catherine will conceive an heir
who is the first character to speak
common man
what happens to Cranmer
dies in 1556
More's opposition to the letter
divorce should not be enacted without the pope's willing approval
as More is leaving, what does Wolsey tell more they are now?
enemies
what happens to Thomas Cromwell
executed in 1540
why does Cromwell want to punish More
he believes More's silence to show disapproval
how does More defend himself against against the accusation from Roper of denying the act of supremacy
he can agree because it's too vague
what happens to the common man
he dies in bed
what does the common man think of Richard rich
he doesn't like him
why is More's family not happy with I'm on the day of Henry's visit
he his at the church praying
how has Roper modified his views
he is a Catholic again so he can marry Margaret
what does More say to Henry during their private conversation
he offers to resign because he can't approve of Henry's divorce
when More hears of the convocation have severed connection with Rome, what does More do
he resigns as lord chancellor but is afraid of being punished, Norfolk enforces the idea that he won't be punished
how does the common man/Matthew trick Rich, Cromwell, and Chapuys
he tricked three men into paying him off for little bits of common knowledge
when Henry and More meet alone before dinner, what does Henry start to question him about
his divorce
what does chapuys want from More?
information about more's meeting with Wolsey
what is More's concern about the money that has been raised for him
it looks bad because it was raised by Spanish Catholics
what has rich been doing for his seven months at work
kissing up to powerful people because he wants a job
what is the servant's name at more's house
matineas
what does Cromwell ask about Rich's job
He asks Rich why he does not have a better job since the new Lord Chancellor, Sir Thomas More, is his old friend. When Rich sheepishly replies that he and More are not really friends, Cromwell takes the opportunity to dangle a job offer before him, presumably in exchange for some service
what does Cromwell do for the king
whatever the king wants Cromwell mentions that he recently arranged Henry's trip down the Thames on the maiden voyage of a new battleship, the Great Harry. After Chapuys reminds Cromwell that the ship has fewer guns than Cromwell has claimed, Cromwell tells Chapuys that the king plans to sail the ship to More's house to discuss the king's divorce. Shocked, Signor Chapuys complains that More has already expressed his opinion on the matter. Cromwell insists that the king hopes to make More change his mind
Alice More
wife of Thomas More and mother of Margaret More. Of the members of Thomas More's family, she is the least understanding of his resistance to the King. She would rather her husband compromise his morals and remain alive, than die defending what he believes. She also loves being a member of high society, and so More's retirement and their family's ensuing poverty is especially difficult for her to deal with
Wosey's thoughts about More's opposition
wonders at More's willingness to put his own private conscience above the interests of his country
year play was published
1960
the common man
A character that plays all of the other minor, "common" roles in the play. First, he acts as Matthew, Thomas More's Steward. He later becomes the Boatman, Jailer, Foreman, Innkeeper and Headsman. Robert Bolt describes him as being in his late middle age, dressed all in black so that he can easily assume the roles of his alter egos. The "common" in his name, according to Bolt, represents "what is common in us all." The Common Man is supposed to be a character the reader can identify with. He isn't a saint or a king or a member of the upper class; he's just an ordinary guy. He's a reminder that most people in history were not the protagonists, but were instead the innkeepers, the servants, etc.—supporting characters that nonetheless influenced history.
duke of Norfolk
A friend of Thomas More, and a member of the government under the King. In the Second Act he is forced to collaborate with Cromwell to try to convince More to approve the Act of Supremacy, but while Cromwell has malicious intentions, Norfolk is genuinely concerned for More's wellbeing. He is not particularly smart or thoughtful
who does More allow to help him off the chain of office
Alice More
Richard rich
He begins the play as a poor academic and Thomas More's friend, but quickly rises through the ranks of British society. First Rich acts as an assistant to Norfolk, and then he befriends Cromwell, who helps him attain higher and higher positions. Over and over Rich is presented with the opportunity to follow his conscience and protect his friendships, or sacrifice his morals for wealth. Nearly every time, Rich chooses to advance himself
King Henry VIII
He wanted to marry Catherine, although the Bible forbade men from marrying their brother's wives, so he wrote a letter to the Pope asking for an exception. He married Catherine, but expected her to have a son, which she did not. He then decided he wanted to marry Anne, who promised to give him a male heir. The Catholic Church refused to annul his first marriage, so he created a new church, the Church of England, of which he was the highest-ranking member, which would allow him to go through with his divorce
what does Cromwell try to convince Norfolk to do when they meet
to turn against More
William Roper
overzealous young man who is a staunch Lutheran at the beginning of the play and later converts to Catholicism. Roper is also Margaret's boyfriend and, after he converts to Catholicism, her husband. Roper's high-minded ideals contrast with More's level-headed morality, making Roper yet another foil for More. Each of Roper's scenes shows him taking a public stance on a new issue, in opposition to More, who prefers to keep his opinions to himself. In a conversation with Roper, More argues that high-minded ideals, which he dubs "seagoing principles" are inconsistent at best, and he advocates human law as a better guide to morality
what does More mean when he calls Cromwell a pragmatist
pragmatist - the ends justify the means Cromwell doesn't care about morals, he just cares about getting the job done
Chapuys
pretends to be sticking up for More due to their mutual devotion to Catholicism, he's actually as politically manipulative as "Tricky" Thomas Cromwell. Like Cromwell, Chapuys has no sense of political decorum. The dude's not really a representative of the Church, after all—he's a Spanish ambassador. In this light, his constant courting of More (especially his suggestion that they spur on a rebellion in Northern England) takes on completely different connotations. For his part, More sees through these ambitions
what is the common man's role in more's house
servant
why is the interaction between king Henry and Margaret awkward
she one ups him in Latin
about what topic is More confident that Henry will not perjure himself
that More wrote the book
what does the common man announce after two years have passed in 1532
the Church of England has been established
falconry
the art of training falcons to hunt and return the Duke of Norfolk and Alice More were arguing about whether a falcon can stoop 500 feet or not. Norfolk bets her 30 shillings, but More doesn't let Alice leave with him to settle the bet
for what reason is More's family allowed to visit him in the tower
to convince him to sign the oath
why is chapuys visiting More
to get More to be in support of the Roman Catholic Church
when more meets with Wolsey, where is Wolsey preparing to send a letter
to the pope in Rome More is supposed to look it over
