The Role of the Common Man in A Man for All Seasons

In A Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt the Common Man is seen as someone who has been pushed around and has become, by being bullied, a vice ridden creature who often uses Sir Thomas More, the epitome of moral goodness and upstanding men, for the outlet of his vice. The Common Man in the play is the culmination of all ordinary people of every age. That in different stations of the common people, vice runs through them on a daily basis and that they embrace vice so that they will not have to suffer for others. The Common Man embraces the vices of disloyalty, exploitation, and cowardice in the roles of the Steward Matthew, the Boatman, and the Jailer whilst trying to protect himself but also with a disregard for the well being of others.

The Common Man shows his disloyalty in his role as the House Steward Matthew. Matthew sells information about his Master Sir Thomas even though he says that Sir Thomas is a good Master. Matthew is also disloyal when Sir Thomas renounces his title and asks Matthew if he will stay on with a cut in pay. He declines Sir Thomas even though Sir Thomas had always been good to him and even says that he will miss him. Because Matthew is so busy looking out for himself he does not care if he is disloyal to a good employer, he is only watching out for himself even though he could subsist on a smaller wage as he is single with little expenses. He does not care about Sir Thomas because he is worried only about himself and not others. The Common Man is disloyal servants, whom like all such servants of any age, which only takes care of himself with no regard for loyalty or others around him who are affected by his disloyalty.

The Common Man shows his exploitive nature in his role as the Boatman. He tries to get more money from Sir Thomas to take him home. He thinks that because Sir Thomas is decent and rich he can get extra money from him for the same amount of work that he would normally do and get a set wage. The Boatman does not consider Sir Thomas when he asks for more money, he is only thinking about himself and that he could get more money from a good man. This plays into the Boatman as the common man of every age who tries to get more from upstanding men than what he deserves. The Boatman is an exploiter that tries to capitalize on upright men without regard for the men they try to swindle.

The Common Man shows his cowardice nature in the guise of the Jailer. He says that he would let Sir Thomas out if only he could. He knows that Sir Thomas is a good man but he is afraid of what would happen to him. He does not truly consider Sir Thomas, he only thinks of how an action would affect him. He also shows his cowardice by not letting Sir Thomas have more time with his family even though it would only be a few extra minutes and the last time Sir Thomas would see his family. When he is implored for more time he says that they should think of how letting they have more time would affect him. He says that they should think of his trouble instead of their own. The Jailer as the representation of all men with a difficult choice picks the easiest route and indulges his own cowardice.

The Common Man in the costume of the Steward, the Boatman, and the Jailer displays the vices of disloyalty, exploitation, and cowardice and even embraces them to shield him from discomfort and hide his face from the common welfare of other people.

He prominently displays disloyalty while helping himself. He also displays a manipulative exploitation but does not scrutinize who his actions affect others. Again he displays cowardice in not affording others another chance or even simple comfort while ignoring his own beliefs. The Common Man can be seen in people of every age, gripping vise as tightly as a life preserver to prevent unease while never considering others, that is why one should try to emulate Sir Thomas the upright man who though often gets imposed upon in this life will enjoy eternal happiness in the next.