The Ends of Life: Roads to Fulfillment in Early Modern England

Hailed as ''immediately and universally recognized as indispensable'' ( TLS ) and ''compellingly readable, richly researched, fascinatingly detailed, delightfully written'' ( LRB ), here is a masterful exploration of the ways in which people sought to lead fulfilling lives, illuminating the central values of early modern England, while casting incidental light on some of the perennial problems of human existence. Keith Thomas, one of the foremost historians of our time, sheds light on the origins of the modern ideal of human fulfillment and explores the many obstacles to its realization, looking at work, wealth, possessions, friendship, family, and sociability. The book looks at the cult of military prowess, the pursuit of honor and reputation, the nature of religious belief, and the desire to be posthumously remembered. The Ends of Life offers a fresh approach to the history of early modern England, providing modern readers with much food for thought on the problem of how we should live and what goals in life we should pursue. Contents......Page 14 List of Plates......Page 16 List of Figures......Page 17 Introduction......Page 18 The Idea of Fulfilment......Page 25 The Constraints of the Age......Page 30 New Aspirations......Page 46 Individuality......Page 54 Arms and the Man......Page 61 The Waning of the Military Ideal......Page 79 Appendix: Monarchs and Military Prowess......Page 93 The Primal Curse?......Page 95 The Rewards of Labour......Page 108 Goods and the Social Order......Page 127 Possessions and their Meaning......Page 136 From Hostility to Acceptance......Page 149 Wealth as Fulfilment?......Page 159 Precedence and Superiority......Page 164 Aristocratic Honour......Page 171 The Honour of the People......Page 177 Credit and Shame......Page 191 The Decline of Honour?......Page 196 The Idea of Friendship......Page 204 Male and Female Friends......Page 215 Marriage and Children......Page 231 Sociability......Page 237 Heaven and Hell......Page 243 Posthumous Fame......Page 252 The Quest for Immortality......Page 269 Inexorable Oblivion?......Page 279 Note on References......Page 286 Abbreviations......Page 287 Notes......Page 290 A......Page 386 B......Page 387 C......Page 389 D......Page 391 E......Page 392 F......Page 393 G......Page 394 H......Page 396 I......Page 397 L......Page 398 M......Page 399 N......Page 401 O......Page 402 P......Page 403 R......Page 404 S......Page 405 T......Page 407 V......Page 408 W......Page 409 Z......Page 410 "The Ends of Life examines the ways in which English men and women between the early sixteenth and late eighteenth centuries sought to lead fulfilling lives. In doing so it illuminates the central values of the period, while at the same time throwing incidental light on some of the perennial problems of human existence. How should we live? That question was no less urgent for English men and women who lived between the early sixteenth and late eighteenth centuries than for this book's readers. Keith Thomas's masterly exploration of the ways in which people sought to lead fulfilling lives in those centuries between the beginning of the Reformation and the heyday of the Enlightenment illuminates the central values of the period, while casting incidental light on some of the perennial problems of humanexistence. Consideration of the origins of the modern ideal of human fulfilment and of obstacles to its realization in the early modern period frames an investigation that ranges from work, wealth, and possessions to the pleasures of friendship, family, and sociability. The cult of military prowess, the pursuit of honour and reputation, the nature of religious belief and scepticism, and the desire to be posthumously remembered are all drawn into the discussion, and the views and practices of ordinarypeople are measured against the opinions of the leading philosophers and theologians of the time"--Provided by publisher How should we live? That question was no less urgent for English men and women who lived between the early sixteenth and late eighteenth centuries than for this book's readers. Keith Thomas's masterly exploration of the ways in which people sought to lead fulfilling lives in those centuries between the beginning of the Reformation and the heyday of the Enlightenment illuminates the central values of the period, while casting incidental light on some of the perennial problems of human existence. Consideration of the origins of the modern ideal of human fulfilment and of obstacles to its realization in the early modern period frames an investigation that ranges from work, wealth, and possessions to the pleasures of friendship, family, and sociability. The cult of military prowess, the pursuit of honour and reputation, the nature of religious belief and scepticism, and the desire to be posthumously remembered are all drawn into the discussion, and the views and practices of ordinary people are measured against the opinions of the leading philosophers and theologians of the time. The Ends of Life offers a fresh approach to the history of early modern England, by one of the foremost historians of our time. It also provides modern readers with much food for thought on the problem of how we should live and what goals in life we should pursue. Oxford University Press, USA Contents 14 List of Plates 16 List of Figures 17 Introduction 18 1. FULFILMENT IN AN AGE OF LIMITED POSSIBILITIES 25 The Idea of Fulfilment 25 The Constraints of the Age 30 New Aspirations 46 Individuality 54 2. MILITARY PROWESS 61 Arms and the Man 61 The Waning of the Military Ideal 79 Appendix: Monarchs and Military Prowess 93 3. WORK AND VOCATION 95 The Primal Curse? 95 The Rewards of Labour 108 4. WEALTH AND POSSESSIONS 127 Goods and the Social Order 127 Possessions and their Meaning 136 From Hostility to Acceptance 149 Wealth as Fulfilment? 159 5. HONOUR AND REPUTATION 164 Precedence and Superiority 164 Aristocratic Honour 171 The Honour of the People 177 Credit and Shame 191 The Decline of Honour? 196 6. FRIENDSHIP AND SOCIABILITY 204 The Idea of Friendship 204 Male and Female Friends 215 Marriage and Children 231 Sociability 237 7. FAME AND THE AFTERLIFE 243 Heaven and Hell 243 Posthumous Fame 252 The Quest for Immortality 269 Inexorable Oblivion? 279 Note on References 286 Abbreviations 287 Notes 290 Index 386 A 386 B 387 C 389 D 391 E 392 F 393 G 394 H 396 I 397 J 398 K 398 L 398 M 399 N 401 O 402 P 403 Q 404 R 404 S 405 T 407 U 408 V 408 W 409 X 410 Y 410 Z 410 ISBN-13:,9780199247233 Keith Thomas, one of the foremost historians of our time, sheds light on the origins of the modern ideal of human fulfillment and explores the many obstacles to its realization, looking at work, wealth, possessions friendship, family, and sociability. The book looks at the cult of military prowess, the pursuit of honor and reputation, the nature of religious belief, and the desire to be posthumously remembered. --from publisher description 'The Ends of Life' examines the ways in which English men and women between the early 16th and late 18th centuries sought to lead fulfilling lives. In doing so it illuminates the central values of the period, while at the same time throwing incidental light on some of the perennial problems of human existence Keith Thomas. This Book Is A Revised And Expanded Version Of The Ford Lectures Given In The University Of Oxford In Hilary Term 2000--pref. Includes Bibliographical References (p. 269-367) And Index.