About this title: Robert Bolt's classic play about Thomas More, the Catholic saint beheaded by Henry VIII at the birth of the Church of England, is now in trade paperback for the first time.
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: HEINEMANN
Date Published: 1962
Description: Published by Heinemann in 1962. Hardback. Number of pages: 99. Condition: Good. Used book but in Good Condition for sensible price. Shipped from UK. Delivery is usually 2-3 working days from order by Royal Mail, International Delivery is by Airmail. read more
Binding: Hardcover
Publisher: HEINEMANN
Date Published: 1967
Description: Ex-Library Published by HEINEMANN in 1967, ex-library copy-usual stamps & marks, hardback (no D/J), medium size, wear to edges, internally good, corners bumped, wear to head & tail of spine, board stained. Shipped from UK. Delivery is usually 2-3 working days from order by Royal Mail, International Delivery is by Airmail. read more
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
Publisher: Scholastic Book Services
Date Published: 1967
Description: Fair. Small tear on right edge of front cover, protective tape on spine, faded page edgesGood reading copy with all pages and binding in tact. Heavy signs of use including wear to cover. Quick response. read more
Description: Good. Scholastic 1968 paperback edition-Light wear on cover/spine, clean and tight pages-Nice condition-Please see our Feedback! read more
Binding: Trade paperback
Publisher: Vintage Books USA
Date Published: 1990
ISBN-13:9780679728221ISBN:0679728228
Description: Good. No dust jacket as issued. Cover wear but no marks on pages. (Cf) Trade paperback (US). Glued binding. 192 p. Audience: General/trade. read more
Description: Good. Light shelf wear and minimal interior marks. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
Description: Good. Light shelf wear and minimal interior marks. Millions of satisfied customers and climbing. Thriftbooks is the name you can trust, guaranteed. Spend Less. Read More. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Vintage
Date Published: 1990
ISBN-13:9780679728221ISBN:0679728228
Description: Good. Book may have underlining, highlighting, or notes throughout. Standard used condition. May have light reading or storage wear. All orders processed within 2 business days. Ships from Foxboro MA. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Vintage
Date Published: 1990
ISBN-13:9780679728221ISBN:0679728228
Description: Good. Back/Front cover has tearing or ripping. Standard used condition. May have light reading or storage wear. All orders processed within 2 business days. Ships from Foxboro MA. read more
"A great play; the conflict between Sir Thomas More and Thomas Cromwell, within the context of Henry VIII's demand to be rid of Catherine, and to have Anne Boleyn as his Queen. Paul Scofield played More -- a man for all seasons -- on the stage and in the movie."
"I liked it better than I thought I would. The synopsis makes it sound much drier than it is. It struck me as similar to The Crucible in theme and conflict, although not nearly as deeply developed. I can't tell if I moved through it so quickly because I wasn't fully taking it in or because it was just an inherently quick read, but it didn't seem all that meaty to me. Which, I guess, makes it a nice play for high school summer reading."
"When you read a play at school and it stays with you for life, that indeed says something.
Magnificent writing by Robert Bolt brings to life, in a wonderful and tangible way, the story of an honourable man who refuses, for the good of his very soul, to bow to almost unbearable pressure. Bolt's play was then beautifully brought to the screen with Paul Schofield playing Sir Thomas More and an extremely young John Hurt as the duplicitous Richard Rich. Superb play; superb casting; superb movie.
Nobody who reads the play, and hopefully then sees the movie, can ever forget More's last words - and forgive me if I am here somewhat less than verbatim - "Friend, be not afraid. You send me to God. He will not refuse one who is so blyth to go to him", or, indeed, the wearisome resignation and exasperation behind the simple line, "Oh, sweet Jesus, these plain, simple men".
This is one of those gems that you reach for when you want to be reminded of just how much pleasure is given by a true wordsmith. Marvellous stuff - I still feel the same thrill about this book as I did way back at high school, and that's a long time ago."
"When I read this play back in school, I was asked what the meaning of it was by my teacher.
"Some men die in their bed, some lose their head."
I was keeping with this earned resignation of its protagonist as to the world, but not his beliefs. Yet, it didn't quite come across at the time.
No matter, the play is still a great read. Bolt doles out true wit without sarcasm or cutting down another person, while also garnished with wisdom.
One great line that I forgot (and which isn't in the movie)...
The traitor Rich is being coaxed into betrayal, and once it's implied that he will betray More, Cromwell says he looks depressed, Rich says he isn't, he's "Lamenting...I've lost my innocence."
To which Bolt via the character Cromwell adroitly notes about such a person:
"You lost that some time ago. If you've only just noticed, it can't have been very important to you."
Zing. Very true. Those "loss of innocence" stories told in the tone of lament always bothered me, and now I know why: they are disingenuous. And only a sincere writer would be able to bring that to the surface. And Bolt is part of that rare breed.
Also, the play gives context, some history: all the people that went with the King for political gain in the plot against More...also met the same fate as More.
Always in life, thinking that a betrayer won't betray you, as you are you is sheer hubris. A very important lesson to understand."
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