Utopia

De Optimo Republicae Statu deque Nova Insula Utopia (translated On the Best State of a Republic and on the New Island of Utopia) or more simply Utopia is a 1516 book by Sir (Saint) Thomas More.The book, written in Latin, is a frame narrative primarily depicting a fictional island society and its religious, social and political customs. The name of the place is derived from the Greek words I I u (&quote;not&quote;) and I I I I I topos (&quote;place&quote;), with the topographical suffix -I I a eia, hence IYI I I I I I a outopeia (Latinized as Utopia), &quote;no-place land.&quote; It also contains a pun, however, because &quote;Utopia&quote; could also be the Latinization of I I I I I I I a eutopeia, &quote;good-place land,&quote; which uses the Greek prefix I I eu, &quote;good,&quote; instead of I I . One interpretation holds that this suggests that while Utopia might be some sort of perfected society, it is ultimately unreachable. Despite modern connotations of the word &quote;utopia,&quote; it is widely accepted that the society More describes in this work was not actually his own &quote;perfect society.&quote; Rather he wished to use the contrast between the imaginary land's unusual political ideas and the chaotic politics of his own day as a platform from which to discuss social issues in Europe.