How is the Common Man presented in A man for All Seasons?

How is the Common Man presented in A man for All Seasons. Tim Dodwell 11S

Robert Bolt uses the Common Man as a dramatical device to relate to the audience, 'that which is common to us all. This means he has several roles within the play, a prologue, More's steward, a boatman and a gaoler.

It is significant that the Common Man both starts and ends the play providing the original is used. This is significant as it sets the scene for the rest of the play, just as in Macbeth when Shakespeare uses the witches in the first scene. The very first time Common Man speaks Robert Bolt recalls the theatrical device of the Alienation technique, which was first used by Bertolt Brecht (1898-1956). This is when the character steps outside the time of the play and talks one to one with the audience. At the beginning of the play the Common Man is also used to introduce the particular characters in a similar Alienation Style. This is useful as it saves long introductory scenes to introduce the various important characters. Bolt also uses this technique in a number of other places in the play for example when More is to be asked questions about this new act of Parliament by Cromwell, Norfolk, Cramner and Rich. He tells the audience what happens to these people in the future; Thomas was executed for High Treason, Norfolk was also found guilty but was never killed as the King died before signing the death warrant and Cramner was burned alive. Telling the events in this order enhances the feeling of the performance only being a play, which it is making it less realistic.

Password

Confirm Password

I agree to the terms of service and privacy policy

This is a preview of the whole essay

The Common Man uses a light-hearted chatty style, at the beginning of the play; he uses comedy in the play, which tackles some serious issues. In this first scene he uses the image of walking on naked, but again the image has meaning. 'Reduce Adam to the Common Man.' Adam was the first man to walk naked in the Garden of Eden; he then sinned and was cast out which represents the fall of man and in Christians' beliefs led to the development of evil. The fall of man was the effect of the reduction of the original sinner, which is represented by the Common Man in this play.

The use of the Common man is also used in another theatrical device called Epic Theatre, also introduced by Brecht. This is when a set of historical events is presented in a series of vaguely connected scenes. A Man for All Seasons has some of this quality at the start of Act two. 'The interval started early in the year 1530 and it is now the middle of May 1532.' This means that the play does not have to include various stretches of time, which have very little historical affect on the story. This commentary from the Common man enables the audience to follow the historical background to the development of the Church of England, although many people have some general knowledge of this period. While fitting in between the different roles he plays, Robert Bolt uses him as a scene changer. This is shown in the first scene, when the Common Man is giving his proposition, he is also setting up the dinning table for the next scene.In the play a single actor plays the different characters of the Common Man. This enhances the feel of a 'Common Man'.

The Common Man's proposition at the beginning, 'The Sixteenth Century is the century of the common man like all other centuries. In this play it might seem that the King and his Chancellors are the ones that control the 'running of the country and therefore are the most significant. At the end of the play, it is the common man who has the decision of the fate of Sir Thomas More, the jury being represented by the hats of the steward, boatman, innkeeper and the jailer. This proposition can be linked with the use of the alternative ending. In the end 'I'm breathing... Are you breathing too...It's nice isn't it?' Sir Thomas More had very little affect on the outcome of historical events during and after his life. The fact is life still goes on and the Common Man just does the same jobs he always did. This shows he was wise to act stupid, rather than getting involved with the political issues. Robert Bolt writes the play as an example of self-belief and faith where Thomas More was prepared to die for what he believed in. This proves that Richard Rich's statement 'Every man has his price' is not true. Also Thomas's self-beliefs are a great contrast to those of Richard Rich, who seems to change his beliefs depending on his company or contemporary views.

The Common Man has a number of functions within the play. Robert Bolt's main intention for this character is to draw the audience to the play. In his view, stated in the preface, he thinks this role largely fails. The main reason for this is because the idea of 'the Common Man; which is intended to indicate 'that which is common to us all' is seen as a belittling character which people feel is below them. Maybe had the play been written in contemporary times to the events the Common Man would have related better with the audience. I felt that the Common Man drew me into the play. He also helped me to realise who was who and what was happening historically at the time. His importance was emphasised when he was missed out of the film, which made the action seem more realistic, focusing on the historical background rather than the message about self that Bolt tried to put across. Robert Bolt does not try and create a historical play, although most of the historical details are correct. He does not make the play seem realistic to the audience, when they are constantly reminded by Bolt's use of the Alienation technique. The main idea of the play is to show the importance of standing up for what you believe in, shown by the strong will of Sir Thomas More to oppose the Act of Parliament, which might have seemed rather petty to most people. This enables Bolt to not make the play particularly realistic in parts but still gets his meaning and message across clearly. The Common Man is not vital within the story line, which is shown when he is left out of the film, but I feel he does help to explain the different situations. He becomes most useful as a character when the play is performed on stage as he has so many small but important roles.