Fear Quotes in A Man for All Seasons

While Wolsey is still Cardinal, More can rest easy—it provides a barrier between him and the King. But, as we all know, old Wolsey bites the dust pretty early on in the play, which leaves More terrifiedof what might come next. Whatever it is, it's not going to be pretty.

The subject Cromwell and Matthew are discussing here, by the way, is the King's divorce. More has refused to talk to anyone about the matter since becoming Chancellor, and this interaction reveals the very simple reason behind his reluctance: fear. Good old fear. You might laugh, but you'd be quaking in your boots too if you were in this situation.

In other words, More is saying that he's too much of a scaredy-cat to get himself into trouble. We're not so convinced. Although it is obvious that More is terrified of what could happen to him (and his family), it's equally obvious that he won't back down.