The main plot in the play “A Man For All Seasons” by Robert Bolt is corruption, more specifically political corruption. While the play focuses heavily on the social demise, and moral strength of the character Thomas More. It also covers the inverse process with other characters, such as; Richard Rich, Thomas Cromwell, and the king of England Henry VIII. In the play Thomas More stands as a beacon of selfhood and virtue, while the other three men used manipulation and disloyalty, to gain wealth and power, no matter what the consequences may be.
The character Richard Rich did not start out corrupt in the beginning of the play, but became corrupt with prospect of becoming wealthy and powerful. Rich was denied a high-ranking position by More, and in turn accepted a position from Cromwell in exchange for assisting him in taking down More. Rich is aware that he is being used by Cromwell, but he is so obsessed with jumpstarting his career, and rise to power, he turns a blind eye to it. Throughout the play loses his innocence, he even stated that to Cromwell when he accepted the offer as post at York, and Cromwell ask why he looked so depressed, Rich’s reply was “I’m lamenting. I’ve lost my innocence” (Bolt 74). He is quickly reminded by Cromwell that he had lost it a long time ago, when he decided to assist him and the King in taking down More, who was supposed to be a friend of his. Now, what is pretty ironic about Rich’s situation is that at the beginning of the play he was the one who recognizes the possibility of corruption from his reading of Machiavelli. In a conversation with More, he implied that “Every man has his price” (Bolt 4)! However, he fails to apply this knowledge to his own life, and eventually became a folly in a plot to take down an innocent man, at the price of him climbing to political power. Even though Rich feels guilty for betraying More, he