Sir Thomas More

This historical research project will concentrate on Sir Thomas More. Sir Thomas More was an influential author, a Member of Parliament in England, a lawyer and most famously, a Catholic martyr. In 1535 More was beheaded because he opposed King Henry VIII's break with the Catholic Church and the establishment of the Church of England. Throughout history More is renowned as a humanist and a man with an unflinching religious faith, but there is more to More.

This paper will explore:

1. "the dark side of Sir Thomas More"
2. how he came to have his views?
3. Recent scholars, most notably John Guy in his book Thomas More, Richard Marius in his book Thomas More, and Jasper Godwin Ridley in his book The Statesman and the Fanatic: Thomas Wolsey and Thomas More have pointed out that More's Catholic faith went farther than just staunch Catholicism but extended to anti-Protestantism. More also wanted the Catholic Church to direct both individuals and the state. With this in mind, it would also be very interesting to analyze More's best known work Utopia in this light.

Popular belief holds More up as a man to be admired and emulated. While More was a staunch Catholic, he was also a staunch anti-Protestant and advocated for a Catholic state. He is known to have ordered some people burned at the stake for heresy and flagellating himself in his younger years.

Questions to be Answered While Doing Research:

1. Is the popular view of More based in fact, or on spin?
2. What is the dark side of Thomas More?
3. What were his real views?
4. How was his real family life?

Format for Sir Thomas More Research Paper:

1. This paper is in the form of a biography that is geared more towards an analysis of this darker side of Thomas More. The side of More that is mostly unknown should be addressed.
2. A thorough analysis will show that in fact Thomas More did have a side that does not fit our image of him today and that this image of him today has been promulgated from original biographies of him that were not entirely correct and were biased.
3. This paper should use footnotes and have a bibliography at the end. A good amount of footnotes should be used (after all quotes and facts). As for the bibliography, the more the merrier.
4. Please do not look for too many internet sources.