Erasmus on More’s Approach to Education

In “Erasmus on More’s Approach to Education”, Erasmus writes a letter to his friend in which he expresses the impact that a liberal education had on More’s life. More attributes much of his success in life to his liberal education, and because of that, he ensures that his four daughters also receive the same schooling. More believes that an education focusing on the humanities and literature is the best way to keep girls occupied and out of trouble. He claims that “two things in particular are perilous to a girls’ virtue, idleness, and improper amusements, and against both of these the love of literature is a protection”[i]. More’s argument rests on the fact that idleness creates lazy individuals, and therefore a non-productive society. Thus, More has his wife “[give] each one her task and see that she performs it and allows no idleness or frivolous occupations”[ii]. More allows no meaningless free time for his children and therefore he asserts that you will never “see one of the girls idle, or busied with the trifles that woman enjoy”[iii]. Understanding More’s background with a liberal education and his beliefs involving idleness is essential to better understand Utopia and More’s critique of society. More creates this island of Utopia in which everyone is constantly productive, for “the time they have free from work is not wasted in debauchery and idleness”[iv]. In fact, “many devote these intervals to intellectual pursuits”[v]. Here, the parallel between More’s personal life with the raising of his children and the way the citizens of Utopia act is very clear. In both instances, leisure time is spent partaking in academic activities to keep people out of trouble and prevent laziness. More criticizes other countries who “live their lives in idleness”[vi] and claims that these societies are lazy, and the individuals waste their time gambling, drinking, or engaging in other activities that only limit the efficiency of the society. More further critiques these societies by stating that their motivation for working revolves around money because to them, “money is the measure of everything”[vii]. After reading about More’s personal connection with education and idleness, we are able to better understand his motives for critiquing society. He believes that societies in the 16^th century were inherently lazy because the people were idle. More has seen first hand the benefits that a liberal education and staying occupied with intellectual activities has on individuals as well as society. Therefore, we are able to better understand his reasons for critiquing society and his inspiration in creating the island of Utopia, where “nowhere is there any chance to be idle; there is no excuse for laziness, no wine taverns, no alehouses, no brothels, no occasion to be corrupted”[viii]. Because of this, the citizens of Utopia are productive and are able to live in abundance without the fear of ever being impoverished.

[i] Erasmus, “Erasmus on More’s Approach to Education,” Writings on Education, September 1521, 224

[ii] Erasmus, “Erasmus on More’s Approach to Education,” 223

[iii] Erasmus, “Erasmus on More’s Approach to Education,” 223

[iv] More, Thomas. Utopia, Translated by Clarence H. Miller, 2nd ed. Yale University Press, 2001, 61

[v] More, Thomas. Utopia, 61

[vi] More, Thomas. Utopia, 62

[vii] More, Thomas. Utopia, 63

[viii] More, Thomas. Utopia, 73