ROGER ASCHAM
So, there was this dude named Roger Ascham, born around 1515 near York, England. He was a smarty-pants humanist, writer, and scholar. This dude Roger Ascham (1515-1568) had some pretty sweet gigs at court and universities. One of the coolest things he did was tutor Princess Elizabeth (later Queen Elizabeth I). He had this clever teaching method called double translation, and it became a big hit. As time went on, he became the Latin Secretary for Queen Mary I, and he kept that job even after Elizabeth took the throne. What made him stand out was his awesome writing style and how he supported using the everyday language of people (vernacular) in his works. But that's not all! He also had some cool ideas about education. Sadly, he kicked the bucket on December 30, 1568, in London. His legacy lives on!
Major Works:
Toxophilus :
Ascham's first book, "Toxophilus" (which means "Lover of the Bow"), hit the scene in 1545, and it was a dedication to none other than Henry VIII. This book had two main goals: firstly, to promote the art of shooting with a longbow, and secondly, to show off a higher level of English writing than anyone had dared to attempt before.
When Ascham presented the book to Henry VIII at Greenwich, it was a total win, and he even got hooked up with a pension of £10 a year. Not too shabby, huh? "Toxophilus" was a big deal because it was the first book about archery written in English. The book's format was a dialogue between two characters, Toxophilus and Philologus, kinda like a Platonic convo.
The book had quite a journey, with editions coming out in 1571, 1589, and even way later in 1788. Edward Arber took charge of re-publishing it in 1868 and 1902. So, it left a lasting mark on the literary scene!
The Schoolmaster:
after Roger Ascham passed away, this super famous treatise of his got published. It's like a big deal in the world of English education, even though Ascham himself was just a tutor and never taught in a grammar school.
The treatise is split into two parts. The first one talks about the perfect teacher and student, like their nature and habits and all that jazz. Ascham believed that formal learning was crucial for good judgment and virtuous behavior, and part of that involved having an eloquent tongue, not a nasty one.
The second part, though it seems to be unfinished, explains this cool teaching technique called "double translation." Basically, students would translate classical stuff into English and then back into Latin. Pretty nifty, huh?
In the book, Ascham also talks about how flogging was a popular but ineffective way of teaching, which inspired him to write the whole thing. So, he was really ahead of his time with his ideas on education!
THOMAS ELYOT
Sir Thomas Elyot, (born c. 1490—died March 26, 1546, Carleton, Cambridgeshire, Eng.), English author and administrator, memorable for his championship and use of English prose for subjects customarily treated in Latin. As a philosopher and lexicographer, he endeavored to “augment our Englysshe tongue” as a medium for ideas.
He was clerk to the Privy Council (1523–30) and was knighted in 1530. A member of Sir Thomas More’s circle, Elyot was suspected of being out of sympathy with Henry VIII’s plan to divorce Catherine of Aragon and probably owed his lack of advancement to his friendship with More.
Literary Career:
So, in 1531, Sir Thomas Elyot dropped a book called "The Boke Named the Governour," and he dedicated it to the king. Later that year, he even became the king's envoy, representing him at the court of the Holy Roman Emperor Charles V. Fancy stuff!
Elyot's "Governour" was a huge hit! It was all about how to raise young gentlemen who would take charge in the kingdom someday. This bad boy was the first major education book in English and played a big role in shaping the English notion of a true gentleman.
He wasn't just about education, though. He also wrote "Castel of Helth," a popular health guide that got some flak because he wasn't a professional in medicine, but people still loved it and read it all over the place.
And wait, there's more! Elyot made the first-ever English Dictionary of Classical Latin in 1538. Talk about groundbreaking! He was all about being useful, bringing classical and Italian authors to the general public through his translations, giving practical tips in his writings, and even adding new words to the English language. Quite the language master, huh?
SIR THOMAS MORE
Thomas More was quite the talented guy! He was born on February 7, 1478, in London, and his dad was a successful lawyer. As a kid, he even hung out at the house of John Morton, who was the Archbishop of Canterbury at the time.
He studied at Oxford and became a lawyer, but get this—he actually considered becoming a monk too! From 1510 to 1518, he worked as one of the under-sheriffs of London. But then, in 1517, he joined the king's team and became one of Henry VIII's most important and trusted civil servants. He did it all—being a secretary, interpreter, speech-writer, chief diplomat, advisor, and confidant to the king. Talk about wearing many hats!
In 1521, he got the fancy title of "knight," and in 1523, he became the speaker of the House of Commons. Later in 1525, he became the chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster. Quite the impressive resume, right?
Thomas More was one heck of a scholar! He had a tight bond with the radical catholic theologian, Erasmus, but didn't hold back when it came to writing arguments against Martin Luther and the Protestant Reformation. This dude was no joke!
Around 1515, he wrote "The History of Richard III," which totally tarnished that king's reputation, painting him as a real tyrant. People called it the first-ever masterpiece of English historiography. Impressive, huh?
In 1516, he dropped his most important work, "Utopia." It was this super cool book about an imaginary republic ruled by reason, meant to show how much better things could be compared to the messy politics in Europe at the time.
More was super passionate about defending Catholic beliefs. He wrote pamphlets against heresy, banned unorthodox books, and even took charge of interrogating heretics during his time as chancellor.
Speaking of which, he became the lord chancellor in 1529, just when Henry VIII was dead set on divorcing Catherine of Aragon. The previous chancellor couldn't get it done, but More took the job. When Henry declared himself the "supreme head of the Church in England," More quit his role as chancellor in protest. He was not on board with the new Anglican Church and the split from Rome.
He kept speaking out against the divorce and the break with Rome, and in 1534, he got arrested for refusing to swear an oath supporting Henry's decisions. The trial ended with a treason charge, and on July 6, 1535, More was executed on Tower Hill. He stood by his principles till the very end!
UTOPIA
Utopia is a rad piece of fiction and social-political satire written by Thomas More back in 1516. It's written in Latin and is like a little, true book that's both enjoyable and thought-provoking. The story is all about this made-up island called Utopia and the society that lives there. More paints a picture of their religious, social, and political ways, and you know what's cool? It kinda feels like a glimpse into life in monasteries. Pretty interesting stuff!
SUMMARY
So, Thomas More heads to Antwerp as an ambassador for England and King Henry VIII. While there, he meets Peter Giles and they have these deep conversations about intellectual stuff. One day, they come across a bearded man who turns out to be a philosopher and traveler named Raphael Hythloday. The three of them chat over dinner, and Hythloday starts talking about his crazy adventures, traveling to places like the New World with Amerigo Vespucci and ending up on this mythical island called Utopia.
Hythloday's got some bold ideas, and More and Giles think he'd be an awesome advisor to a king. But Hythloday's like, "Nah, not interested." They have a little debate, and Hythloday tells a story about proposing some smart alternatives to England's messed-up practices, which surprisingly get taken seriously by Cardinal Morton. But in the end, he realizes it's futile to advise a king when other counselors just agree with whatever the king says.
After lunch, Hythloday spills the beans about Utopia—how it was founded and its society. He describes this ideal place with communal property, no greedy obsession with gold, no major class distinctions, no poverty, and minimal crime or bad behavior. The Utopians even have religious tolerance and don't go crazy with war. Basically, it's a society that Hythloday thinks is way better than anything in Europe.
More finds some of these Utopian customs a bit absurd, but he admits he'd love to see some of it implemented in England (although he doubts it'll happen). The guy's got some big dreams, that's for sure!
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