Erasmian humanism and the utopias of Thomas More and John Milton

The thesis examines the influence of Erasmus’s Christian Humanism on the political thought of John Milton and Thomas More, and argues that Milton’s politics was utopian like More’s. In true Erasmian spirit, their utopias blend classical ethics and Christian beliefs and emphasize education and training in virtue. However, virtue was significant to their utopian models for different reasons: More encourages virtue as a corrective and advocates a collectivist culture which restricts individual liberty; Milton, on the other hand, champions individual liberty and argues that only through freedom true virtue can be attained.

Grantor dc:publisher

University of Tennessee at Chattanooga

Author dc:creator

• Usman, Aneeka

Contributors dc:contributor

• Hampton, Bryan Adams
• Guy, Matthew; Jordan, Joseph P., 1976-
• College of Arts and Sciences

• Humanism in literature
• Republicanism in literature
• Utopias in literature
• Milton, John, 1608-1674 -- Criticism and interpretation; More, Thomas, Saint, 1478-1535--Criticism and interpretation.

Licence

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Language dc:language

English, eng

Repository record dc:identifier

https://scholar.utc.edu/theses/653

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:scholar.utc.edu:theses-1822