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Robert Bolt
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A Man for All Seasons: A Play in Two Acts Paperback – April 14, 1990

by Robert Bolt (Author)
4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 639 ratings
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The classic dramatization of Sir Thomas More's historic conflict with Henry VIII—a compelling portrait of a courageous man who died for his convictions.

Sir Thomas More—the brilliant nobleman, lawyer, humanist, author of such works as Utopia—was a long-time friend and favorite of Henry VIII, ascending to the position of Lord Chancellor in 1529. Yet he was also a staunch Catholic, and when Henry broke with the Church in 1531 after the Pope had refused to grant him a divorce from Catherine of Aragon, More resigned the Chancellorship. In 1534, Parliament passed a bill requiring all subjects to take an oath acknowledging the supremacy of England's king over all foreign sovereigns—including the Pope. More refused, was imprisoned, and finally was executed in 1535.

An enduring modern classic, A Man for All Seasons "challenges the mind, and, in the end, touches the heart" (New York Times).
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Previous page
  1. Print length
    163 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publisher
    Vintage
  4. Publication date
    April 14, 1990
  5. Dimensions
    5.16 x 0.51 x 7.96 inches
  6. ISBN-10
    9780679728221
  7. ISBN-13
    978-0679728221
  8. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

From the Inside Flap

play about Sir Thomas More, the Lord chancellor who refused to compromise and was executed by Henry VIII.

About the Author

Robert Bolt (1924–1995) was distinguished as one of the most successful British writers of his generation. Bolt was an English playwright who earned a degree in history from Manchester University in 1949 and intended to be a school teacher after serving in the Royal Air Force. The incredible success of his first play, Flowering Cherry (staged in 1957/1958), drove Bolt into becoming a full-time playwright. Robert Bolt is best known for his most successful play, A Man for All Seasons (staged in 1960), which won five Tony Awards, starring Paul Scofield on Broadway. Bolt himself wrote the film version, adapted in 1966 for director Fred Zinnemann. The motion picture received six Oscars, including an award for Best Screenplay.

Product details

  • ASIN ‏ : ‎ 0679728228
  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Vintage; Reissue edition (April 14, 1990)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 163 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 9780679728221
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0679728221
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 8 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.16 x 0.51 x 7.96 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 4.5 out of 5 stars 639 ratings

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Robert Bolt

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Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
4.5 out of 5
639 global ratings
Damaged book..
2 Stars
Damaged book..
Alright a little irritated I paid full price for a damaged book. Looks like a sticker was on it they pulled it off and pulled book with it. Just annoying.....
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Top reviews from the United States

Kreative Pen
5.0 out of 5 stars A State where virtue was profitable
Reviewed in the United States on November 28, 2022
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"If we lived in a State where virtue was profitable, common sense would make us good, and greed would make us saintly. And we'd live like animals or angels in the happy land that needs no heroes." ~Sir Thomas More

I haven't read a play since I was in high school, during my drama club days when I actually participated in a play. While I am not the greatest fan of period pieces, the lessons of corruption - morality - politics, and the common man remain evident through the evolution of time, place, and opportunity.

Is there a blurred line or expectation of compromise between bowing down to the pressures of choosing the populist wrong in exchange for what is right and just? The conversations in this book are quite relevant throughout history, even in our day and time.

Henry VIII defied the law of the church by pushing for permission to marry the widow of his deceased brother. He has now become heir to the thrown but doesn't have a wife. Henry knows what the scripture says in Leviticus 18:16 "Thou shalt not uncover the nakedness of thy brother's wife." Yet he pushes the church anyway to grant his wish to marry Catherine, his brother's widow. The problem comes when Catherine is unable to bear him a male heir and he wants the marriage annulled so he can marry another woman who will bear him a son.

The pressure is on Lord Chancellor, Sir Thomas More who is committed to the covenant of the church and morally he cannot agree to chang the rules back just to suit King Henry's desires. Thus, he is thrown into jail. During the only visit More was allowed to have, his family (his wife Alice, his daughter Margaret, and his son-in-law William Roper) comes to see him in prison. They plead with him to compromise his belief about the annulment, but he sticks with his commitment and sorrowfully asks them to leave and move out of town.

Thomas Cromwell and The Duke of Norfolk who were supposed to be More's friends maliciously craft grounds to have More put on trial for treason. It was interesting to me that when Cromwell addressed the jury, trying to demonize More in order to support his argument for his conviction, he said this, "There's nothing like darkness for sharpening the ear, and we listen." He further made this comment in his commentary, "So silence can, according to circumstances, speak. Consider, now, the circumstances of the prisoner's silence."

Immediately they had Sir Thomas More beheaded. Even though More knew his demise, he stuck to his conscious and commitment. This is a good, short read that draws you into the drama.
6 people found this helpful
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Elena M. Miller
5.0 out of 5 stars Wish it had been required reading in high school
Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2013
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As a community college student I believe this book would be an excellent addition to any list of political novels for required reading. Its theme is religious freedom, but it's also about government, and how too much power to the center can influence everyone's understanding of morality and values. Because King Henry the VIII said so, there were new definitions for marriage. Was he right? Most people now would say yes, but Thomas Moore speaks of objective truth and how it cannot be changed despite humanity willing it changed.
If you're not into ethics, it's also a character study. Robert Bolt isn't/wasn't Catholic, so this isn't him gushing about a saint, but he did make Thomas Moore entirely admirable and yet human. He was primarily a man of the law, and when he defends himself in the play he always goes by the law, not religious sentiment, so you see the other courtly figures conspiring against him by rewriting the rules in their favor.
I could not put this down. Keep the cast of characters list handy so you can follow along in the beginning, but I promise you'll find something to be drawn to. This is a classic.
11 people found this helpful
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Alani V
5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent read (should be required reading for all students)
Reviewed in the United States on January 31, 2013
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It never fails: The books are always better than the movies. That is especially true in this case. It has been a while so even though I remembered the main story line, I'd forgotten a lot of the details which, of course, make it such an excellent read.

If you're looking for crib notes material here, you've come to the wrong place. Many others have already provided a brief synopsis of the story line, as well as direct quotes. As with all good books you have to READ it to fully appreciate it.

A Man for All Seasons is appropriately titled, and it is interesting how, in my opinion, it is much more applicable to today's society than to past generations. It is an excellent STORY for all seasons...and all generations.

Now buy it and read it. It's an easy read with subtle nuances that you will definitely appreciate. You will not regret it.
2 people found this helpful
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Mike Rossander
4.0 out of 5 stars I wish I'd read this years ago
Reviewed in the United States on July 19, 2016
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A modern description of a historical event, this play describes the tribulations of Sir Thomas More during the split between the Roman Catholic Church and the newly-formed Church of England. The play lays out the historical details clearly and articulately. The writing is engaging and accessible. Most importantly, the depiction of More is true to everything we know about his personality and morals.

The fascinating part for me is More's approach to the law. There are some very memorable quotes in this play that anyone wanting to understand the law would do well to study. More's character lays out some deep questions about the nature of proof. His situation (and the eventual resolution of his case) illustrate the continuing tension between law as a pure exercise in reason and law as an instrument of state power. Enjoyable as the play is, it is a cautionary tale.

Wonderful as the story is, Bolt's use of the Common Man and the frequent stage directions were a distraction to me - especially with all the hats. I understand the mood that Bolt was trying to set but whenever those parts of the play came around, they actually jolted me out of that mood.
13 people found this helpful
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Michael Burke
5.0 out of 5 stars brilliant
Reviewed in the United States on January 17, 2014
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Robert Bolt is at his best here with a truly thought-provoking piece of theatre. Ethics, morals, life without compromise. How stand up to the most powerful man/ruler in your life? Sir Thomas More did, and lost his head, but he is remembered for his upright ethos. In a Catholic world ruled by the Pope, how does Henry VIII divorce not only his wife, but the church's authority? And Who stands, morally and righteously intransigent? Sir Thomas. We know Henry is influenced by Martin Luther's writings but Sir Thomas is a staunch Catholic. Read the struggle here presented. Although fictional, it is based on actual letters and diarys.
3 people found this helpful
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Renato Wilian Santos de Lima
5.0 out of 5 stars Merece uma tradução para língua portuguesa
Reviewed in Brazil on September 13, 2022
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De simples leitura, mas com uma história muito profunda. A coragem de São Thomas More em não vender a sua alma para uma corte corrupta e dar sua vida pelo que acredita, é algo extremamente louvável. Homens virtuosos com ele se faz cada vez mais necessário em nossos tempos tomados pelo maquiavelismo.
2 people found this helpful
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Anna Maria Lina,
5.0 out of 5 stars Per chi sa l'Inglese, ottimo!
Reviewed in Italy on July 17, 2021
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L'avevo letto e tradotto con una mia nipote tanti anni fa, per il suo esame di maturità e ci eravamo divertite anche. Lo rileggo molto volentieri.
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Arboreal Cephalopod
5.0 out of 5 stars Timeless
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 20, 2019
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Did this at school, and as a spotty 16 year old quite liked it (unlike Keats and Shakespeare!), 30 years later I appreciate it more. It is very good. A taught dialogue, every sentence dripping with meaning, and often menace.

Sir Thomas More was probably no saint by today's standards, but this is the 1500s. More stands accused of refusing to swear an oath which would make Henry VII head of the church, over the pope (to allow Henry to grant his own divorce) and later, that the now Queen Annes children were legitimate heirs to the throne. More based his defense on "qui tacet consentire videtur", if anything can be derived from silence it must be consent. But as Cromwell noted "This ‘silence’ of his is bellowing up and down Europe!", and there we have the crux of the play.

The play is strung together, with the the 'Common man' linking scenes, playing various minor roles as he pontificates on matters of his superiors, but ultimately asking was it all worth it? Well, the reader may judge More as a latter day common man. For me, "just don’t make trouble – or if you must make trouble, make the sort of trouble that’s expected"...

Oh, the DVD is quite good as well :-)
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Nathan Sawatzky
5.0 out of 5 stars Nice play for this time period.
Reviewed in France on October 17, 2018
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Used within our homeschool for Ambleside Online year 8. Adding in a play for the first term was a highlight for my students, and defiantly helped the material stick.

The main character, Thomas Moore, being an advisior to King Henry the VIII, gave this historical time period an interesting perspective.
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5.0 out of 5 stars Very good book
Reviewed in India on August 4, 2018
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Very good book
2 people found this helpful
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