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Contents:
Thomas
More's Utopia vs. Francis Bacon’s New Atlantis
Study Questions
Study
Outline
In his New Atlantis, Bacon presents
the first model society based on empirical science and on Machiavelli's
critique of classical utopias. As such, he does not present a utopia
(“no place”)
as More did, but Bacon sets forth what he considers to be a realizable
city of peace and prosperity founded on a scientifically inductive
study
of nature and of “humanity.”
To appreciate the issues at stake in
the difference between Thomas More’s Utopia and Bacon’s New
Atlantis, you might consider books three and four of Jonathan
Swift’s Gulliver’s Travels as well as Swift’s “Battle of
the Books.” In this battle between the “ancients” and the “moderns,”
Swift sides with Thomas More while satirizing such enterprises as
Bacon’s New Atlantis in the voyage to Laputa and in the “pure
reason” of the Houyhnhnms. In book three, Swift also praises More as
one of the six great defenders of freedom of all time.
What is the difference between an “ancient”
utopia and a “modern” model of society? To help reflection on
this
issue, see the questions that follow as well as CTMS Study Questions on
Utopia
and Gulliver’s
Travels. A download of the text of the New Atlantis, as well as
PDF versions of the questions and outline below are available on the New Atlantis
Downloads page.
Study Questions
Introduction (pages 1-4)
1. Upon what is our attention focused as we and the travelers are
introduced to Bensalem?
2. What contrast is presented between paragraph one and the six that
follow? What is the significance of Bensalem’s name (which is
Hebrew for “son of peace”)?
Part 1: The Strangers’ House and the History of Bensalem (pages 5-21)
1. What characterizes the Strangers’ House and how do the European
strangers respond to it? What advices does the European leader
give to his fellow travelers?
2. What are the most striking attributes of the Governor of the
Strangers’ House?
3. What is the first question asked by the strangers and how does the
Governor receive that question?
4. What is your reaction to the Governor’s answer? What
do you find most surprising about this account?
5. What is the strangers’ second question and why do you think the
Governor says they “did well to ask pardon” for phrasing that question
as they did?
6. Given the Governor’s answer, what lessons does he want to impart
about Bensalem? Why would he volunteer to given the
information in his “digression” (19-20)?
7. How do the strangers react to the Governor’s history?
8. Why do you think the Governor does not let the strangers kiss his
tippet (21), yet the Father of Salomon’s House does (31)?
Part 2: Marriage Laws and Customs in Bensalem (21-29)
1. What effect is achieved by having the narrator and Joabin describe
Bensalem’s marriage laws and customs?
2. What does this society seem to value most highly, as seen in these
laws and customs? How does it compare and contrast with
the Utopian practices?
Part 3: On the House of Salomon (29-43)
1. What distinguishes this Father of the House of Salomon?
2. What is the subject of his private conference with the narrator?
3. What does this account reveal about life in Bensalem?
Overall
What is most valued in Bensalem by the rulers, the priests, and the
people?
Compare and Contrast
How does New Atlantis differ from More’s Utopia? How do
the objectives of each differ?
Would you prefer to live in Bensalem or in Utopia? Why?
In book three of Gulliver’s Travels, what is Swift satirizing
about Bacon’s New Atlantis?
Study Outline – Francis Bacon's New
Atlantis
Introduction -- 4
pages
Approaching New Atlantis
1
Message
delivered
2
Official
questions
3
Concerns
and an oath
4
Pt 1: Strangers'
House &
History of Bensalem ("son of peace") -- 16 pgs
Strangers’ House
5
Narrator calls for
reform
7
The governor/priest
visits
8
How Christianity came
to Bensalem
10
The Ark
(1570 years ago)
11
Bartholomew’s Letter
12
How they know without
being known 13
Brief
history:
14
Age
of Atlantis (3000 years ago) 15
Great
Atlantis destroyed
16
King
Solamona (1900 years ago) 17
New
laws
18
Salomon’s
House
19
Two voyages
every twelve years 20
The strangers are eager
to stay 21
Part 2: Marriage Laws
and Customs in Bensalem -- 8 pages
Feast of the Family
21
The
Governor’s role
22
The Tirsan
and his Son of the Vine 22
King’s
Charter and grapes of gold 23
Dinner
celebration
24
Blessing
of each
child
25
Joabin, a Jewish
merchant
26
Marriage customs and
laws
26
Irrationality of European ways
27
Superiority of
Bensalem to Europe 28
Superiority of
Bensalem to Utopians 29
Part 3: House of
Salomon -- 13 pages (plus pages 10-11, 19-21)
Father of Salomon’s House visits
29
Private
conference with the strangers 31
Salomon’s
Foundation explained 31
1.
The end
31
2.
Preparations and Instruments 32
Lower, Upper, Middle Regions
32
Works of
hermits
32
Works for
health
33
Poisons; biological experiments 34
Brew-houses, kitchens, wineries 35
Medicine dispensaries; furnaces 36
Perspective-houses
36
Sound-houses
37
Perfume and engine houses
38
Math
and deceit houses
39
3.Employments
and Functions 39
4.
Ordinances and Rites
40
Appended List of
Salomon House's "Wonderful Works"
The Wonderful Works of Nature
42
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