A Man for All Seasons Fear

While Wolsey is still Cardinal, More can rest easy—it provides a barrier between him and the King. But, as we all know, old Wolsey bites the dust pretty early on in the play, which leaves More terrifiedof what might come next. Whatever it is, it's not going to be pretty.

The subject Cromwell and Matthew are discussing here, by the way, is the King's divorce. More has refused to talk to anyone about the matter since becoming Chancellor, and this interaction reveals the very simple reason behind his reluctance: fear. Good old fear. You might laugh, but you'd be quaking in your boots too if you were in this situation.

In other words, More is saying that he's too much of a scaredy-cat to get himself into trouble. We're not so convinced. Although it is obvious that More is terrified of what could happen to him (and his family), it's equally obvious that he won't back down.

Rich obviously didn't get the memo that More is scared out of his mind. In many ways, however, this works against More. No one would care about his opinion if he were just some regular schmo on the street. Instead, his reputation as a staunch moralist makes his opinion even more valuable.

This passage gives us insight into the nature of More's fear. He's not all that worried about what could happen to him, but he is worried about what could happen to Alice and Margaret. It would kill him if something happened to his family because of his actions.

After resigning from the Chancellorship, More and his family are plunged straight into poverty. It's a nasty scene. Even with this newfound destitution, however, More is still so terrified that he refuses to accept any assistance that could link him back to the Church. Of course, he's also doing this to show that his decisions are his own, and that's an act of bravery.

Oh, wow—More's coming out swinging. Although we know that he's scared on the inside, More puts on a good show of confidence during his confrontation with the shadiest politician in the game, "Crooked" Tommy Cromwell. Of course, More's utter hatred of the guy makes this epic verbal smack-down all the more satisfying.

Once again, we see that More's main concern is his family. At this point, he knows he's up the creek without a paddle, but he still holds out hope that his fam will be safe.

By now, the family has come to terms with reality: More will either be in prison for the rest of his life, or executed for treason. Neither is a great option. As for More, he's finally being forced to face the reality of his fears.

Interestingly, all of More's fears evaporate as soon as he's convicted of treason. No longer is he concerned about legal loopholes or public oaths—he's accepted his fate and almost takes pride in it.