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A character that plays all of the other minor, “common” roles in the play. First, he acts as Matthew, Thomas More’s Steward. He later becomes the Boatman, Jailer, Foreman, Innkeeper and Headsman. Robert Bolt describes him as being in his late middle age, dressed all in black so that he can easily assume the roles of his alter egos. The “common” in his name, according to Bolt, represents “what is common in us all.” The Common Man is supposed to be a character the reader can identify with. He isn’t a saint or a king or a member of the upper class; he’s just an ordinary guy. He’s a reminder that most people in history were not the protagonists, but were instead the innkeepers, the servants, etc.—supporting characters that nonetheless influenced history.
The Common Man Quotes in A Man for All Seasons
The A Man for All Seasons quotes below are all either spoken by The Common Man or refer to The Common Man. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 1
Quotes
It is perverse! To start a play made up of Kings and Cardinals in speaking costumes and intellectuals with embroidered mouths, with me.
If a King or a Cardinal had done the prologue he’d have the right materials. And if an intellectual would have shown enough majestic meanings, colored propositions, and closely woven liturgical stuff to dress the House of Lords! But this!
Is this a costume? Does this say anything? It barely covers one man’s nakedness? A bit of black material to reduce Old Adam to Common Man.
Oh, if they’d let me come on naked, I could have shown you something of my own…The Sixteenth Century is the Century of the Common Man. Like all other centuries. And that’s my proposition.
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Explanation and Analysis:
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The Common Man Quotes in A Man for All Seasons
The A Man for All Seasons quotes below are all either spoken by The Common Man or refer to The Common Man. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Act 1
Quotes
It is perverse! To start a play made up of Kings and Cardinals in speaking costumes and intellectuals with embroidered mouths, with me.
If a King or a Cardinal had done the prologue he’d have the right materials. And if an intellectual would have shown enough majestic meanings, colored propositions, and closely woven liturgical stuff to dress the House of Lords! But this!
Is this a costume? Does this say anything? It barely covers one man’s nakedness? A bit of black material to reduce Old Adam to Common Man.
Oh, if they’d let me come on naked, I could have shown you something of my own…The Sixteenth Century is the Century of the Common Man. Like all other centuries. And that’s my proposition.
Related Characters:
Related Themes:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
