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1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the Study Robert Bolt Is an English Screenwriter and Dramatist Noted for His Epic

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1 CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the Study Robert Bolt Is an English Screenwriter and Dramatist Noted for His Epic CHAPTER I INTRODUCTION 1.1 Background of the Study Robert Bolt is an English screenwriter and dramatist noted for his epic screenplays. Bolt began working in 1941 for an insurance company, attended Manchester University in 1943, and then served in the Royal Air Force and the army during World War II. After earning a B.A. in history in 1949, he worked as a schoolteacher until 1958, when the success of his play Flowering Cherry (1957), a Chekhovian study of failure and self-deception enabled him to leave teaching. Bolt's most successful play is A Man for All Seasons, a study of the fatal struggle between Henry VIII of England and his lord chancellor, Sir Thomas More, over issues of religion, power, and conscience. “Bolt also wrote the screenplays for director David Lean's epic films Lawrence of Arabia (1962) and Doctor Zhivago (1965) and then adapted A Man for All Seasons (1966) for director Fred Zinnemann's motion picture. His other screenplays included Ryan's Daughter (1970), Lady Caroline Lamb (1972), The Bounty (1984); and The Mission (1986). The most successful of Bolt's later plays was Vivat! Vivat Regina! (1970)”. (Smith, 2005). Most of his works are using historical events and figures such as Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, The Bounty, The Mission and A Man for All Seasons. Bolt tries to combine his fantasy in writing a play with his interest in historicism. There are several reasons why I choose Robert Bolt as the author. The first reason is because some of his works illustrate historical figures, such as: Sir Thomas More and Henry VIII. The second is because in most of his works he tries to convey his message through metaphors. The third is because of his style in writing, a story rather than a plot, and openly theatrical means of control from one condition to another. The fourth is because he is as well intended to draw the audience into the play, and not thrust them off. The last one is because many of his works were played in theater even made as a film. In addition, “He is also 1 Petra Christian University 2 claimed to be writing against the grain of contemporary historicism he was simultaneously exploring, utilizing, and honing the most current theatrical techniques of his time”. Robert Bolt created a different style in showing his play at that time. Most author were focusing in the real event of historical play and did not put their own story inside the play. However, Robert Bolt used his own story with a taste of historical event. In most of his plays Bolt used the theatrical technique called alienation. “Alienation was a highly didactic and authoritarian method of encouraging (and sometimes forcing) the audience to think about the characters and the message on the stage, rather than simply viewing theatre as entertainment.” (Leeper,1988) Hence, I’m very interested to Bolt’s works since he used different technique of writing from other writers. He asked the readers to think about the characters and his message which he conveyed in every of his works. Bolt’s work that I’m going to analyze is A Man for All Seasons. I am interested in the play as it explores about the causes of a man to stand in his believe and the consequence he must accept. I choose A Man for All Seasons to be analyzed because it shows a part of England’s history and essentially showing of just one prolonged conflict of wills where the main character, Sir Thomas More is faced to a difficult situation. The play portrays one extended exposition of a man’s refusal to disagree with his spiritual and convictions at the insistence of his King. In this case, Sir Thomas More is forced by his surrounding to surrender his conscience regarding king Henry VIII divorce. I prefer A Man for All Seasons as it reveals the issues of religion, power, and conscience which take place in the play. The religion represents by the church who does not agree with the king decision in divorcing Catherine while power represents by king Henry VIII who has the absolute power in his kingdom, and conscience here represents Sir Thomas More as the king’s chancellor and a true catholic. Another reason I choose A Man for All Seasons to be analyzed because it pictures inspires admiration, courage and thought of one person, Sir Thomas More. I prefer this play since it is about the conflict, which Sir Thomas More experienced as a good chancellor of the king and a true catholic. I choose A Man for All Seasons because it is about a man with a sure purpose, a man of principle, a man of his destiny, a Petra Christian University 3 man with a true sense of his worth. In addition, I choose this play as Bolt described the main character, Sir Thomas More as the "great man" in the historical tradition of England. Bolt creates Sir Thomas More with a stable and centered self- image, a man of conscience to determine what he will believe and how he will act. These reasons make me to choose A Man for All Seasons to be analyzed. The topic that I am going to analyze is Sir Thomas More’s loyalty to his king and to his faith and its consequences. I prefer this topic since the play describes more on this matter where Sir Thomas More is in the middle of this conflict. The play really illustrates Sir Thomas More’s pressures as the consequence of his loyalty. As a good chancellor of his king, he must obey the demands of his king, Henry VIII, including his approval toward Henry’s decision to divorce Catherine and marry Anne Boleyn. As a good catholic he is demanded to obey every command comes from the church according to his faith which disagrees with Henry’s wills. This situation later on shapes Sir Thomas More’s loyalty to his king, Henry VIII and on his belief as a true catholic. I choose the topic since Bolt describes Sir Thomas More as a "great man" who has a strong belief to his religion as a catholic, a strong obedience to his king as the king's chancellor and he also has a strong principle over himself where he believes that he belongs to himself. 1.2 Statement of the Problem From most of the problem through this play, I would like to find out how Sir Thomas More is loyal to his king and to his faith and what are the consequences of Sir thomas More’s loyalty. 1.3 Purpose of the Study The aim of this study is to reveal Sir Thomas More’s loyalty to his king and to his faith as a catholic and its consequences. Petra Christian University 4 1.4 Significance of the Study Through this study, I expect the readers to recognize Bolt’s message concerning to Sir Thomas More as the main character that keeps his own loyalty eventhough he has to give his own life. I want to encourage the reader to understand the main character, Sir Thomas More in which Robert Bolt wants to deliver his message about a man who keeps his loyalty. I hope that I can give a contribution to those who want to know more about Robert Bolt and his works. By writing this thesis, I want to encourage the readers to consider Robert Bolt’s literary works as worth reading. Through this thesis, I want to show the interesting part of studying one of Bolt’s works in which he combines historical figures with an imaginative story without destruct the real event of the play itself since the play shows how the historical characters develop each imaginative dialogues and adjust it with the true event. I want to encourage the readers to do a deeper analysis on Robert Bolt’s A man for all Seasons, which could be interesting, in order they can see that being loyal to two different things have its own consequences. By doing so I hope I can attract the readers’ in discussing Bolt’s other masterpieces. Also, I expect this thesis can help the readers who want to learn more about A Man for All Seasons. Hopefully after reading this thesis, the readers can understand A Man for All Seasons better than before since the play does not only tell about an absolut power or a horrible death but also tells the sacrifice of man to stand his own conscience. By the analysis, I, as well, hope that the readers who are willing to discuss the same topic will get help and information. 1.5 Scope and Limitations The scope of my analysis is going to be on the play’s most substantial focus, Sir Thomas More’s loyalty to his king and to his faith and its consequences. Nevertheless, in order to be more specific with the issue of Sir Thomas More’s loyalty to his King and to his faith and its consequences, I am going to limit my analysis only to the main character Sir Thomas More and also his relationships with other characters. The other characters are Richard Rich, Duke of Norfolk, Alice More, Margaret More, Cardinal Wolsey, Thomas Cromwell, Chapuys, Petra Christian University 5 William Roper, The King and Cranmer are only discussed in relation with Sir Thomas More. Thus, when I mention other characters from the play, they only support the analysis 1.6 Methodology I do library research in this thesis.
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