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All Seasons Symbolism

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Mahatma Gandhi once said , “There is a higher court than courts of justice and that is the court of conscience. It supersedes all other courts.” This is not the case in Robert Bolt’s political society that he describes in his play A Man For All Seasons. It is a play that expresses a tragic fall of its main character, Thomas More, who chooses to rule himself with conscience in an age full of political and religious changes. Robert Bolt has a special use of motif, which is a recurring element that has symbolic significance in the story. In the play, A Man For All Seasons, Bolt use water and land motif to strongly explain how allowing self conscience to rule the inner self in a world ruled by convenience, where the majority of people proceed …show more content…

In the beginning of the play, More compares the logs of the trees on the land to the laws of the society: “This country’s planted thick with laws from coast to coast.” More explains to Roper that there is order and law on the land that shall be respected and applied, because this order is what makes the land safe. More continues to explain, “and if you cut them down, and you're just the man to do it, d'you really think you could stand upright in the winds that would blow then?” More emphasizes the protection that the land offers in comparison to the laws. The land is being compared to be a safe landmark that will offer protection and security within its borders. However , More differentiate this law as “man’s law” and “not God’s.” In this case, the law is can be adjusted as seen in the play. It provides convenience to the politicians and men in power. On the other hand, God’s law is non adjustable and fixed to More along with his conscience. He believes that following the laws of men will offer protection to him and convenient to them. His “silent” throughout the play makes it clear how More understands these laws and follows them but this “silent” also made it clear that he is in opposition to the king’s objectives of divorcing the queen. Tragically, More is not able to bring convenience to Henry, and is killed because of his silent opposition. More describes the law as a safe land to walk on for the citizens: “The law is …show more content…

When Henry visits More, he says , “ Thomas, I respect your sincerity. Respect? Oh, man it’s water in the desert.” More’s conscience and sincerity, in a world ruled by convenience, is symbolized as water in the desert. Henry knows the importance of More for his reputation and honesty. He knows that More’s conscience will be an obstacle to him and he decides to visit him for that. At the end of the novel More says to Margaret, “When a man takes an oath, Meg, He,s holding his own self in his own hands. Like water. And if he opens his fingers then- he needn't hope to find himself again.” More explains that following self conscience is important for his identity even in a world run by convenience. He symbolizes his conscience,which identifies him, with water. The closed hands are emphasizing More’s refusal to leave his conscience behind even in the hardest situations. He believes that he must let some of his self be ruled with conscience. However, More’s conscience is an obstacle for the convenience of Henry VIII and Cromwell. For this, Cromwell describes More to Rich as a “slippery fish” that is hard to catch. The conversation between Cromwell and Rich illustrate that Cromwell does not follow his conscience but he believes in “administrative conscience.” He administrate his conscience to provide convenience to the king. Politicians around More are ruled by convenience, and More’s conscience opposed their convenience.

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