T.S. Eliot's tragedy Murder in the Cathedral (1935) presents
the historical and psychological circumstances of Archbishop
Thomas Becket's murder during the reign of King Henry II
in 1170. ‘Murder in the Cathedral’ is divided into two parts, with an interlude separating them.
Major
Characters – Chorus, Three Priests, Thomas Becket, Four Tempters
PART 1:
Becket’s
Arrival
The
play begins with the thoughts of the Chorus, a group of common women of
Canterbury. They say that Archbishop Thomas Becket has been away from his
Canterbury seven years.
Becket
has been away because of religious and political conflicts he came to have with
King Henry II. They miss his presence but the Chorus does not wish for Becket
to come back, as they fear his return would enliven old conflicts which might
get him killed.
Three
priests who served the Archbishop in the past then enter the scene, as well as
a messenger who informs them and the Chorus that Becket is in England, back
from France.
The
Chorus feels unsecured and worried that Becket’s return will lead to his death,
and they will lose their spiritual leader).
The
priests welcome Becket back to Canterbury.
Scene
of Temptation
Becket
enters the scene, and is shortly approached by four “tempters”—four people who,
one-by-one, try to tempt Becket.
They
tempt Becket to adopt his old worldly pleasures, political and religious powers
and so on.
They
also threaten him that if he doesn’t accept their proposal, he might be killed.
Becket
denies all the tempters’ proposals and decides that martyrdom—sacrificing his
life in devotion to God—is his fate, and refuses to be tempted by anything or
anyone.
INTERLUDE:
In
the interlude, Becket delivers a lecture to the audience of Canterbury
Cathedral. He asks his audience to think about sainthood from a divine
perspective.
He
reminds the people that Jesus’s disciples became saints only after experiencing
great suffering.
He
ends the sermon by saying that it may be the last time he stands before the
audience, foreshadowing his martyrdom.
PART 2:
Charges
Against Becket
In
the second part of the play, four knights serving Henry II arrive at Canterbury
Cathedral and approach Becket, declaring him unfaithful to the king.
The
four knights say that seven years ago before Becket left, the king appointed
him to be the Chancellor of England as well as Archbishop.
After
initially accepting both positions, however, Becket immediately dropped the
chancellorship.
Further,
the knights say that Becket then began to abandon all the king’s policies which
he had formerly supported.
The
knights say that now King Henry II has asked Becket to appear in his court for
the trial.
Becket
responds by saying that the public ought to be allowed to know Henry II’s
charges against him and personally witness his defense against them.
The
knights disregard this response and move to attack Becket, but the priests and
some attendants enter the scene before they get a chance to.
The
knights leave, promising to return for Becket.
Murder
of Thomas Becket
Knowing
that the knights will be returning to murder the Archbishop, the priests try to
persuade him to go and hide somewhere, but Becket refuses, fully committed to
his martyrdom.
When
the knights come back to the cathedral, the priests kept the door closed to
prevent them from entering.
Becket,
however, demands that the priests open the doors, as it is the Church’s policy
to allow anyone to the cathedral.
The
priests unbar the doors, and the knights enter and kill Becket.
Final Comments by the Priests & Chorus
Shocked
by Becket’s death, the Chorus cries out in painful fear that the sky and air be
cleansed of the death newly sprung upon Canterbury.
The
priests conclude that Becket’s death was a manifestation of fate, and that the
Church is stronger for it.
The
four knights then turn towards the audience and offer arguments in defense of
their decision to murder Becket.
The
play ends with the Chorus asking God to forgive them and have mercy on them for
not seeing or understanding the value and importance of the presence of such a
spiritual being like Becket in their lives.
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