This document summarizes a presentation about Thomas More's Utopia. It discusses the meaning of Utopia, More's biography and work, the definition and types of utopias, and contrasts utopias with dystopias. More's Utopia from 1516 is presented as envisioning an ideal, harmonious society, in contrast to dystopian works that depict oppressive systems. Examples of both utopian and dystopian novels and films are also mentioned.

1. a presentation by Esra, Sibel, Volkan and Fatih

2.  Meaning of „Utopia“
 Biography: Sir Thomas More
 Summary of the book „Utopia“
 Utopia-Dystopia
 Meaning and importance today

3.  Utopia
 Book written by Sir Thomas More
 Year: 1516
 Written in Latin
 „utopia“ from Greek:
 „u“  not „no-place land“
or
 „tópos“  place „good-place land“

4.  Utopia  name for an ideal community
 Sometimes pejoratively used
 Impossible to achieve
 Also: synonyme for
 an ideal concept or
 an unrealistic vision

6.  Types of utopias:
 Social Utopia
▪ egalitarian distribution / no money / …
 Religious Utopia
▪ „Gardens of Delight“ / existence free from worry / …
 Scientific and technological utopia
▪ absence of death, suffering, diseases, …

8.  Flying machines of
the previous century

9.  Born: February 7th, 1478
 in London
 Died: July 6th, 1535
 also London
 Time of Humanism and Renaissance

10.  Portrait by Hans
Holbein the Younger
(1527)

11.  Humanism
 Tolerance
 Nonviolence
 Importance of individual
 Renaissance
 from “re-” (again) and “nascere” (be born)
 Revive of ancient world (Antike)

12.  Son of a Judge
 Visits Latin school in London
 Later: studies Latin and Greek
 Becomes succesfull lawyer and jurist
 1504: Member of Parliament
 Disagrees with King Henry VII

13.  King Henry VII

14.  26 Years: Marries Joan Colt
 5 children
 32 Years: Marries Alice Middleton
 1 child
 1516: Writes first Utopia-book
 1517: Work for King HenryVIII
 1521: Becomes a knight

15.  Family More

16.  Political Success:
 1523: Speaker of Parliament
 1529: Lord Chancellor (= Prime Minister)
 1534: Did not accept King
 Arrested in Tower of London
 Executed on July 6th 1535

18.  Tower of London

19.  Thomas More was:
 Very succesful advocate
 Christian Believer and supporter of Vatican
 Humanist / Fighted für human rights
 Most important work:
 Utopia  vision of tolerant and good world

20.  Cover Page of edition
from 1516

21.  2 Parts of book
 1st: Criticism of political and social system
 2nd: Description of the Island Utopia
 Narrations of a sailor
 Utopia: Happy and harmonic families
 Collective dining

22.  Democratic System
 No personal property
 Daily work: 6hours
 School attendance for children
 Public / scientific lectures  very popular

23.  Map of „Utopia“

24.  Criminals bought from foreign countries
 Have to do forced labor or
 have to fight in wars
 Religious Tolerance
 Important Decisions: Popular Votes

25.  Ironic elements:
 Question in beginning of the book: Does Utopia
exist?
 No-Place or Good-Place Land
 Thomas More: Utopia is
 “desirable but impossible“

26.  Dystopia  contrary to Utopia
 from Greek: anti-utopia
 Pessimistic view/attitude to future
 Negative or bad conditions

27. Utopia Dystopia
Society Equality of all people Classes, caste system
View on future Optimistic, upbeat Pessimistic, downbeat
Form of government Democracy Regime
Equal and advancing
Education Propaganda
education
No money, equal Rich and poor people, no
Economy
distribution of goods middle class
Unfair and excessive
Legislation Fair system of punishment
punishment
Unfortunate, unlucky
Atmosphere Happy, harmonic families
people

28.  Problems of Dystopia:
 Regime
 Corruption
 Inforcement and violence
 Diseases, poorness and lack of goods
Breakdown of the system

29. UTOPIA
not only but also
Book Generally
definition
was so formative that „Utopia“ became a

30.  Films
 Logan‘s Run (1976)
 Fahrenheit 451 (1966)
 …
 Utopian/Dystopian Novelles
 The New Atlantis (Francis Bacon | 1627)
 He, She and It (Marge Piercy | 1991)
 …

31.  Logan‘s Run (1976)
 Nobody lives past the age of 35
 There are no old people
 People who reach the age
▪  painlessly done away with

32.  Fahrenheit 451 (1966)
 Books are banned
 Nobody is allowed to read
 Fire brigade burns books
 Prescribed life
  Group of people which
illegally read books

34.  The New Atlantis (Francis Bacon | 1627)
 Vision of an ideal country
 Education and lots of knowledge
 Plan and organization of an
ideal college
 „Solomon‘s House“
 Modern technology and science

35.  He, She and It (Marge Piercy| 1991)
 Science-Fiction-Novel
 Creating Illegal Cyborgs
 World controlled by computers and
technology

36. a presentation by
Esra Köse
Sibel Karataş
Volkan Demirel
and
Fatih Acar

Thanks for listening.