In the story of A Man for All Seasons, Thomas More is a man of true moral integrity. However, in this story, his strong ethical veracity conflicts with the wants of the common man. Between More’s understanding of his principled actions, and the expectations of More’s obligated sacrifice from the common man, there is found much contrast. More refuses to dedicate his word simply because the scenario does not fall within his moral window.

Thomas More is found in a tough situation of honoring his country vs. honoring his personal morals, for the two strongly differ ethically. Through high temptation, and constant pressure More sticks to his principals by refusing his avowal of approval from the King, and from England, possibly jeopardizing the monarch.

“No one is less led by the opinions of the crowd, yet no one departs less from common sense,” says Erasmus, describing Thomas More his child hood friend. By looking at More’s actions we can validate these statements without question.

Not only are More’s morals portrayed in the situation regarding Catherine of Aragon, but also in the case of William Roper. William is a truly unstable man with unbalanced priorities. Roper has a history of changing his personal traits to obtain or adapt to something. Roper comes asking to marry More’s daughter, to which More replies, “Listen, Roper. Two years ago you were a passionate Churchman; now you’re a passionate-Lutheran. We must just pray that when your head’s finished turning, your face is to the front again” (Bolt, 31). More denies Roper of his daughter’s hand in marriage, not only because of differences in religion, but because Roper was a man that often followed the crowd, and paid little attention his common sense or the little ethics he had.

More was a man with principals much unlike those of William Roper. While Roper changed his religion in several cases to gain the appreciation of others (even when it denied his morals) More denied an entire community, simply to live by his personal guidelines.

As we can see from More depriving the English community, and his statements towards Roper, we see that he is truly a man of moral integrity. Many people have called Socrates a martyr for peacefully dying for the common civilization. However the common English man would not call Thomas More a martyr because he would not forfeit his ethics for the benefit of the community. Conversely, Thomas More was indeed a martyr; he sacrificed the honor of benefiting the greater community to bear the honor of his personal beliefs.

Works Cited
Bolt, Robert. A Man for all Seasons. Vintage International, 1960.
Erasmus. Description of Thomas More. 1519.