Ms. Dominico’s Year 12 VCE English Class

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AM4AS: Responses to Questions Act I, Scene ii (p. 10-13)

August 14, 2008 · No Comments




 

Questions: scene ii.    pp. 10- 13  - Wolsey and More

 1.    What is the basic irony prevalent in this scene?
2.    Wolsey says to More that he would be successful if More “could just see facts flat on, without that horrible moral squint, with just a little common sense.” What does he really object to and what does he really mean by “horrible moral squint” and “common sense?”
3.    What is the political problem the two are discussing? What is the Cardinal’s proposal as a solution and what is More’s?
4.    More states: “I believe, when statesmen forsake their own private conscience for the sake of their public duties…they lead their country by a short route to chaos.” Do you agree?
5.    Wolsey tells More he “should have been a cleric.,” to which More replies “Like yourself, Your Grace.” What does More mean? 

 

 Responses:

 1. Wolsey attacks More’s strong morals (even though Wolsey, as Cardinal, is supposed to be the supreme religous figure): “If you could just see facts flat on, without that moral squint; with just a little common sense, you could have been a statesmen.”

 2. Wolsey suggests to More that if he could see the facts in a real life sense instead of based purely on morals and his personal beliefs and values, including that of the church, he could achieve greater occupation and status.

Wolsey objects to More’s incorruptible moral strength when dealing with issues that hold a lot of weight in the country, and believes that he should use “common sense” taking in real factors and consequences when making decisions, instead of solely relying on morally correct beliefs (ADO: human-generated doctrine is called “dogma”–these are not laws made by God, but men, Wolsey indirectly suggests their alck of value. More would consider this wrong. He later accuses Roper of ’shaking hands with the devil’–if we are not true to ourselves (humans) than we can never be True)  that he holds as a devout Catholic. Wolsey refers to More’s “Horrible moral squint” as the process of More filtering information and sorting what is right and moral, over all external factors involved, suggesting perhaps moral intelligence, but not successful or ambitious values and efforts.

 

 

 

3. The political issue that the two are discussing is the whole situation of King Henry’s attempted divorce. The Cardinal wants More to support the divorce because he thinks England needs a male heir to prevent another civil war. More wants to pray for an heir. Quotation?

 4. More believes that one should not put aside their own beliefs to suit others because the country will be lead into chaos if this is done.  Quotation?

 5.  More, in a humble tone is highlighting where Wollsey’s intentions and beliefs lie as opposed to where they should be as a Cardinal. Wollsey should be more concerned about maintaining faith than the business and politics of Henry’s situation.

 

Categories: Context

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