Man for All Seasons by Robert Bolt - Essay Example

This play revolves around the Common Man as he struggles for exploitation, dishonesty, adultery, treachery, and also his wakefulness and feverish nature in the characters of Steward Matthew, the Jailer and the Boatman. The Jailer is always trying to safeguard his own self but also takes no account of the well being of other people around him. The Common Man displays itself in the form of Steward, Boatman and Jailer as the voices of dishonesty, exploitation, and wakefulness and sometimes make a fool of himself in front of other people to protect his own self from distress and buries himself under his own umbrella where assisting others is a myth.

(Bolt|1996) The dishonesty is embarked in his role of House Steward Matthew where he plots against his Master Sir Thomas and in this conspiracy reveals information about him. He believed his master to be a great one but also forefronts adultery with him. When Sir Thomas renounced his title, he asked Matthew if he will stay on the course with him with a little deduction in pay considering him to be loyal with him; but Matthew refused and proved his master otherwise. He back stabbed Sir Thomas regardless of the symphony he has done for him, and the trust Sir Thomas puts in him.

Sir Thomas was tilted towards Matthew and even confronted in front of him that he will miss him but Matthew had other things on mind. Matthew was too busy being selfish that he did not care a bit about being unfaithful to his employer, his master who praised and liked him. Matthew was just greedy submersed by his own pity intentions that he could have cared less for his master, he could have live on a meager wage as he had no family and little expenses but he choose otherwise. This Common Man in the role of Steward is a disloyal employee, who like all servants of his own cluster, worries about his own self and pays no heed about loyalty or the affection others around him have for him.

(Bolt|1996) As a boatman, his