Explain why Thomas More wrote Utopia? Describe the geography of Utopia. What role does geography play in the way Utopian society developed?Describe...

Sir Thomas More, much like the utopian writers who
followed him, wrote Utopia as a response to the prevailing social,
economic, and political systems of the period.  Writing during the reign of Henry VIII,
a monarch known for his tight control on society and on politics, More builds his
utopian system in many ways as a response to Henry's method of rule.  The geography of
Utopia is that of an island of different cities.  The fact Utopia is an island speaks to
the isolated nature of the society and its distance from the influence of other
societies. 

The nature of the government in Utopia reflects
this kind of response.  Rather than having political power collected in the hands of an
all-powerful monarch, More adopts a more socialist system, in which the people play an
important role in governing the society.  Within the economic system, each member of
society serves a specific function, taking up a particular trade, which serves as their
contribution to the economy.  On a rotational basis, people from the cities go to the
countryside to live in households where they learn trades, so that they can be
productive individuals.  If someone does not contribute, he or she does not reap the
benefits of the economy's success, which instills work ethic in the
population. 

The cities play a vital role in the society of
Utopia.  While Utopians only work a six-hour day, much of the rest of their time is
spent in other pursuits, particularly those involving learning.  Learning refers not
only to the academic education but also moral education.  This idea is built on the very
nature of humanism, a prominent philosophical outlook in the sixteenth century. 
Concerning religion, a number of religious views are present in Utopia, and religious
dogmatism has been outlawed, so More presents a form of religious toleration in this
society, which is certainly a reaction of Henry VIII's own religious views.  In terms of
law, the legal system in Utopia is also founded on a sense of tolerance.  While there
are punishments for a variety of crimes, they tend to be more just and more relative to
the charges against an individual.  This allows for the punishment to be more fitting to
the crime.

The fundamental idea of Utopia is that to
improve society, individuals must improve.  More's view of humanity and human nature is
essentially one of hope. There is hope for humanity, and human nature is essentially
good.  What prevents people from reaching their potential are certain human
characteristics, particularly pride.  More spends the last part of
Utopia discussing this sin and how to address
it.

As far as whether such a society can exist, the meaning
of the world "Utopia" seems to suggest that it cannot.  The word, which More coined,
derives from "ou-topia," meaning "no place," and from "eu-topia," or "good place."  The
former meaning suggests that such a place is not real.  Combining it with the second
definition, such a good place is not real.  In a larger sense, many have attempted to
construct utopian communities with varying degrees of success.  In the long run,
however, none have succeeded in this sense.  When seeking the ideal, it is far too easy
for reality to creep into the picture.