Utopia?

            Countless scholars have written numerous accounts on its interpretation. It has been the subject of heated debate since it was published. Some may even say its even the most disputed work ever written. But what is the true meaning behind More's Utopia? Is it the political satire that many believe it to be? Or perhaps did More intend for Utopia to reflect the England that he healed from? Further questions still remain. Was Utopia the idea for and ideal government? Or was it in fact the early day 1984?.
             The truth of the matter is that we will never be able to truly discern the truth behind Utopia. The work itself, as well as the speculations of students and scholars, is all we truly have to go by. While we do indeed know facts of More's life, they do little to shed any light on the meaning of Utopia. For this essay I will focus more on the ideas of Utopia as a place. Rather, through the discussions that follow, I will attempt to discern whether or not Utopia really was a utopia.
             To begin we must first look to the definition of the word the More himself coined. Utopia the word is yet another subject of hot debate. To me it means basically an ideal state that has achieved perfection in social, political, and moral aspects. Yet others may view utopia the word as an impractical or idealistic means for political and social reform. From its Greek origins it could mean "No place" or "Good place." The meaning of this word like the work it comes from will remain a disputed topic for years to come. For sake of argument I will stick to my personal definition with the occasional reference to the more pessimistic definition concerning the practicality, or lack thereof.
             The task of defining what a utopian society would look like is so great that we must first look at what it isn't. By looking to what moral and political practices that couldn't be considered part of a utopia we can also look to the practices of More's Utopians.