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Conversations with Tyler · June 24, 2026 · 50:04

Joanne Paul on Thomas More and the Tudor World

Joanne Paul
Show Notes

Historian Joanne Paul joins Tyler to discuss Thomas More and the Tudor era. She explains why the 16th century fascinates her as a transitional period between the medieval and the modern, and why examining 'paths not taken' can help us question the inevitability of our own world. The conversation covers More's complex legacy, his influence on Erasmus, the ambiguous nature of Utopia, and how fear drove his persecution of heretics. They also explore how the Tudor period set the stage for Shakespeare and the scientific revolution, and highlight surprising social mobility in 16th-century England.

This summary was generated from show notes and public descriptions, not from a full transcript review. Details may contain inaccuracies.

Highlights

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The 16th Century as a Crossroads
Joanne Paul describes her attraction to the 16th century as a period between the medieval and the modern, where 'paths not taken' raise questions about whether our own world had to turn out this way.
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Utopia as a Provocation, Not a Prescription00:03:42
Paul discusses Thomas More's Utopia not as a naive blueprint for a perfect society but as a layered text that unsettles the reader and forces them to think critically.
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Fear as the Engine of Persecution00:19:25
Paul argues that More’s persecution of heretics was motivated less by malice than by fear—of chaos, of instability, and of the unraveling of Christendom.
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The Tudor Launchpad for Shakespeare and Science00:22:29
The educational expansion and cultural ferment of the Tudor period created the conditions for the later explosion of Shakespeare and the scientific revolution.
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Surprising Social Mobility in the Tudor World00:27:24
Contrary to depictions of rigid hierarchy, Paul describes a Tudor England with avenues for social ascent and a degree of tolerance.
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References

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Thomas More: A Life — Joanne Paul — the guest's biography of Thomas More
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Utopia — Thomas More — discussed as a central work

Misc

✧Paul reflects on her Canadian upbringing and how it shaped her interest in English history.
✧She offers a perspective on what lies beneath Britain's current stagnation.
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