Commonwealth

A political community organised for its people's shared welfare; Gonzalo imagines one without wealth, poverty or service.

Gonzalo announces that he “would by contraries / Execute all things”: he would put arrangements into practice by reversing familiar ones. His commonwealth would have no trade, magistrates, wealth, poverty, service or private boundaries. Nobody would need to labour because nature would provide enough food for everyone.

A political community organised for its people. Gonzalo uses the word when imagining how society on the island could operate.

Use Montaigne to illuminate Gonzalo’s commonwealth, explaining how its rejection of rulers and property challenges European society.

A political community or state, considered in terms of how its people live and are governed.

Gonzalo declares, “I would by contraries / Execute all things” in Act 2 Scene 1: he would do things contrary to familiar European arrangements. His commonwealth would have no trade, magistrates, riches or poverty, service, inherited property or boundaries dividing land. Nature would provide enough for everyone without labour.

A political community organised for its people’s shared welfare; Gonzalo imagines an ideal version without wealth divisions, service or sovereign power.

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AQA GCSE English Literature · 8702

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Edexcel GCSE English Literature · 1ET0