III. Rhetoric in More's Letters: Letter to Oxford,
Letter to Erasmus
(For copyright reasons, the full text of these letters could not be reprinted
here. Reference to where they may be found is given below, as well as accompanying
study questions.)
More's
Letter to Oxford University, 1518
In his new office as Royal Counselor, More writes to the
directors of Oxford University about a serious danger there. At that
time, Greek studies were new to England and one faction at Oxford denounced
those engaged in Greek and caused great hostility on campus. This faction
even formed a society called the “Trojans” set on eradicating the “Greeks.”
Text of letter: Selected Letters by Thomas More. Trans.
Elizabeth F. Rogers. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1947. Letter
#19, pp. 94-103.
Study Questions
-- Letter to Oxford
1. The first three paragraphs form the introduction or “exordium.”
Why does More start in this unusual way? What effect or tone is More trying
to create?
2. The next four paragraphs are the “narratio,” or statement of facts.
For a supposed statement of facts, More uses many emotionally-charged words
such as“despised,” “perverse,” “insanity,” “deranged,” “stupid,” “frivolous,”
“degradation,” “outrageous,” “Bacchanalian ravings,” and “defamation.” Is
this a continuation of the tone of the introduction or a contrast to it?
Why would he use such words with this straight-laced, academic audience?
3. The next section is called the “argument” of the letter and goes all
the way to, but excludes, the last paragraph. What is the tone of this
section?
4. According to More, why should one study the liberal arts and especially
what the Greeks wrote?
5. What is More trying to get the leaders of Oxford to do by the end of
this argument section? What does he appeal to in his efforts
to get them to do it?
6. The last paragraph is the conclusion. What is the main point he wants
to emphasis before he signs off?
7. What is the tone of this ending? Why would he want to end with this
tone?
More's Letter to Erasmus after Resigning as Lord Chancellor:
Text of
letter: Selected Letters by Thomas More. Trans. Elizabeth
F. Rogers. New Haven, Conn.: Yale University Press, 1947. Letter #46, pp.
179-183.
Study Questions -- Letter to Erasmus:
1. Why is More so anxious that Erasmus publish his letter along with
the epitaphs for his tomb?
