Murder in the Cathedral - T.S. Eliot
[alert-success] Murder in the Cathedral - T.S. Eliot [/alert-success]
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T. S. Eliot wrote this play Murder in the Cathedral with the expectation that the audience would be familiar with the story of Thomas Becket and King Henry II. It was first performed as part of the annual Canterbury Festival on June 15, 1935, in Canterbury Cathedral. The play is based on the assassination of Canterbury Archbishop Thomas Becket on December 29, 1170.
On December 2nd, 1170, the Archbishop's Hall hosts the premiere of Murder in the Cathedral. A Chorus of Canterbury women has gathered at the cathedral, ominously foreshadowing a terrible event to come. They reflect on how suffering defines their lives and on their archbishop, Thomas Becket, in a lengthy speech. After a terrible clash with King Henry II, he has been exiled from England for seven years. The women are concerned that his return will enrage the king, making their lives more difficult.
Three priests enter the room, lamenting Thomas' absence and debating the consequences of his possible return. A Herald arrives, informing Thomas that he has returned to England and will be arriving in Canterbury soon. The Herald dashes their hopes that Thomas's return will lead to reconciliation with Henry, admitting his own fear that the archbishop's return will be accompanied by violence.
The priests reflect on Thomas's time as Chancellor of England, when he served as Henry's secular administrator, after the heralds have left. As the priests discuss the situation, the Chorus expresses their dissatisfaction with his return, which they believe will bring them more suffering. They admit that their lives are difficult but predictable, and that they would rather "die in peace" than face the turmoil of new political and spiritual upheavals (180).
The Second Priest insults them and tells them that they must pretend to be happy in order to welcome Thomas. During this exchange, Thomas enters and points out that the priest is wrong to chastise them because they are aware of the difficulty that awaits them. He emphasises the importance of patience, stating that no one can truly know God's plans or intentions.
One by one, a series of tempters enter, each attempting to undermine Thomas's integrity. The First Tempter tempts Thomas to relinquish his responsibilities in favour of a more carefree life by reminding him of his youth's libertine ways. The Second Tempter advises Thomas to reclaim the title of Chancellor, claiming that a powerful political position would allow him to do more good for the poor than a religious figure could. In The Third Tempter, a progressive form of government is proposed, in which a ruler and barons form a "coalition." In effect, he gives Thomas the opportunity to rule and make history in government. All three tempters are easily rejected by Thomas because they are forms of temptation that he has already rejected in his life.
A fourth Tempter appears and proposes martyrdom, noting that it would grant Thomas the greatest dominion over his foes. If he allowed himself to die for the church, he would be remembered throughout the ages, while his enemies would be judged and then forgotten. Thomas is shaken by this temptation, which he has entertained many times in his private moments. He understands that dying for the "wrong reason" of pride would jeopardise the integrity of a martyrdom, so he must overcome that impulse if his death is to be meaningful.
All of the characters mentioned so far (except the Herald) give a long speech about life's uncertainty while he considers the dilemma. When they're done, Thomas declares that his "way [is] clear" – he'll no longer seek martyrdom for the sake of fame, but will instead submit to God's will. He's come to terms with his fate. Part I comes to an end here.
In the Interlude between Parts I and II, Thomas Becket preaches a sermon in which he repeats the lesson he learned at the end of Part I. The Interlude takes place on Christmas morning, 1170, in the cathedral. In the sermon, Thomas considers the mystery of Christianity, which mourns and celebrates the fact of Christ's death, mourning the world that made it necessary while celebrating the sacrifice that allows others to transcend that world. He defines "the true martyr [as] he who has become the instrument of God, who has lost his will in the will of God, not lost but found it, for he has found freedom in his submission to God," and defines "the true martyr [as] he who has become the instrument of God, who has lost his will in the will of God, not lost but found it, for he has found freedom in his submission to God" (199). He ends his sermon by stating that he may not preach in front of this congregation again.
On December 29th, 1170, the first scene of Part II takes place in the Archbishop's Hall. The terrified Chorus begins with an ominous address, followed by the entrance of four obnoxious knights. Despite the priests' attempts to distract them, they insist they are there on Henry's business from France and demand an audience with Thomas.
The knights insult and chastise Thomas for what they perceive to be disloyalty toward Henry and misuse of the archbishop's position to incite opposition to England. Thomas denies their version of events, but he also exhibits a calmness and willingness to die if necessary. The knights attempt to attack him, but the priests stop them. Following that, Thomas continues to deny their claims and insults them, accusing them of being overly concerned with petty political matters. The knights, enraged, threaten the priests with death if they allow Becket to flee, and then they leave.
Thomas consoles them after the Chorus delivers a brutal, evocative speech. He recognises that bearing witness to the ritual of his death will make their lives more difficult. He insists, however, that they can take solace in the fact that they were present on that fateful day.
The priests beg Thomas to flee as the knights approach again, but he refuses. Despite his protests, the knights drag him out of the hall and into the cathedral. As the scene shifts, the women of the Chorus brace themselves for the impending death.
The priests barricade the doors, which the knights then besiege. The priests' arguments fail to persuade Thomas, who accuses them of overthinking cause-and-effect instead of accepting God's plan. The priests finally open the door, and the knights enter drunkenly. They demand that Thomas remove all excommunications he has imposed on English rulers. They murder him because he refuses. While Thomas is being killed, the Chorus delivers a long, despondent speech lamenting the life they will now have to live in the shadow of Thomas's martyrdom.
The four knights address the audience directly after the murder is completed. They want to give an explanation and defend their actions. Because the First Knight admits he can't argue, he serves as an MC to introduce the other knights. The Second Knight acknowledges that the audience and history will hate them, but begs the audience to remember that the knights were "uninterested" in the murder; they were simply carrying out orders that were necessary for England's good (216). The Third Knight makes a long and complicated argument that Becket was guilty of betraying the English people and was thus justly executed. Becket, according to the Fourth Knight, willed his own death by pursuing martyrdom for the sake of pride, and is thus guilty of suicide, rendering the knights innocent of murder.
After the knights have left, the priests lament Thomas' death and express concern about the future of the world. The Chorus makes their final speech, revealing that they have accepted their Christian responsibility. They acknowledge that living up to Thomas's sacrifice is difficult, but that they will be spiritually richer for taking on the challenge, and they beg Thomas' and God's mercy and forgiveness.
On December 2nd, 1170, the Archbishop's Hall hosts the premiere of Murder in the Cathedral. A Chorus of Canterbury women has gathered at the cathedral, ominously foreshadowing a terrible event to come. They reflect on how suffering defines their lives and on their archbishop, Thomas Becket, in a lengthy speech. After a terrible clash with King Henry II, he has been exiled from England for seven years. The women are concerned that his return will enrage the king, making their lives more difficult.
Three priests enter the room, lamenting Thomas' absence and debating the consequences of his possible return. A Herald arrives, informing Thomas that he has returned to England and will be arriving in Canterbury soon. The Herald dashes their hopes that Thomas's return will lead to reconciliation with Henry, admitting his own fear that the archbishop's return will be accompanied by violence.
The priests reflect on Thomas's time as Chancellor of England, when he served as Henry's secular administrator, after the heralds have left. As the priests discuss the situation, the Chorus expresses their dissatisfaction with his return, which they believe will bring them more suffering. They admit that their lives are difficult but predictable, and that they would rather "die in peace" than face the turmoil of new political and spiritual upheavals (180).
The Second Priest insults them and tells them that they must pretend to be happy in order to welcome Thomas. During this exchange, Thomas enters and points out that the priest is wrong to chastise them because they are aware of the difficulty that awaits them. He emphasises the importance of patience, stating that no one can truly know God's plans or intentions.
One by one, a series of tempters enter, each attempting to undermine Thomas's integrity. The First Tempter tempts Thomas to relinquish his responsibilities in favour of a more carefree life by reminding him of his youth's libertine ways. The Second Tempter advises Thomas to reclaim the title of Chancellor, claiming that a powerful political position would allow him to do more good for the poor than a religious figure could. In The Third Tempter, a progressive form of government is proposed, in which a ruler and barons form a "coalition." In effect, he gives Thomas the opportunity to rule and make history in government. All three tempters are easily rejected by Thomas because they are forms of temptation that he has already rejected in his life.
A fourth Tempter appears and proposes martyrdom, noting that it would grant Thomas the greatest dominion over his foes. If he allowed himself to die for the church, he would be remembered throughout the ages, while his enemies would be judged and then forgotten. Thomas is shaken by this temptation, which he has entertained many times in his private moments. He understands that dying for the "wrong reason" of pride would jeopardise the integrity of a martyrdom, so he must overcome that impulse if his death is to be meaningful.
All of the characters mentioned so far (except the Herald) give a long speech about life's uncertainty while he considers the dilemma. When they're done, Thomas declares that his "way [is] clear" – he'll no longer seek martyrdom for the sake of fame, but will instead submit to God's will. He's come to terms with his fate. Part I comes to an end here.
In the Interlude between Parts I and II, Thomas Becket preaches a sermon in which he repeats the lesson he learned at the end of Part I. The Interlude takes place on Christmas morning, 1170, in the cathedral. In the sermon, Thomas considers the mystery of Christianity, which mourns and celebrates the fact of Christ's death, mourning the world that made it necessary while celebrating the sacrifice that allows others to transcend that world. He defines "the true martyr [as] he who has become the instrument of God, who has lost his will in the will of God, not lost but found it, for he has found freedom in his submission to God," and defines "the true martyr [as] he who has become the instrument of God, who has lost his will in the will of God, not lost but found it, for he has found freedom in his submission to God" (199). He ends his sermon by stating that he may not preach in front of this congregation again.
On December 29th, 1170, the first scene of Part II takes place in the Archbishop's Hall. The terrified Chorus begins with an ominous address, followed by the entrance of four obnoxious knights. Despite the priests' attempts to distract them, they insist they are there on Henry's business from France and demand an audience with Thomas.
The knights insult and chastise Thomas for what they perceive to be disloyalty toward Henry and misuse of the archbishop's position to incite opposition to England. Thomas denies their version of events, but he also exhibits a calmness and willingness to die if necessary. The knights attempt to attack him, but the priests stop them. Following that, Thomas continues to deny their claims and insults them, accusing them of being overly concerned with petty political matters. The knights, enraged, threaten the priests with death if they allow Becket to flee, and then they leave.
Thomas consoles them after the Chorus delivers a brutal, evocative speech. He recognises that bearing witness to the ritual of his death will make their lives more difficult. He insists, however, that they can take solace in the fact that they were present on that fateful day.
The priests beg Thomas to flee as the knights approach again, but he refuses. Despite his protests, the knights drag him out of the hall and into the cathedral. As the scene shifts, the women of the Chorus brace themselves for the impending death.
The priests barricade the doors, which the knights then besiege. The priests' arguments fail to persuade Thomas, who accuses them of overthinking cause-and-effect instead of accepting God's plan. The priests finally open the door, and the knights enter drunkenly. They demand that Thomas remove all excommunications he has imposed on English rulers. They murder him because he refuses. While Thomas is being killed, the Chorus delivers a long, despondent speech lamenting the life they will now have to live in the shadow of Thomas's martyrdom.
The four knights address the audience directly after the murder is completed. They want to give an explanation and defend their actions. Because the First Knight admits he can't argue, he serves as an MC to introduce the other knights. The Second Knight acknowledges that the audience and history will hate them, but begs the audience to remember that the knights were "uninterested" in the murder; they were simply carrying out orders that were necessary for England's good (216). The Third Knight makes a long and complicated argument that Becket was guilty of betraying the English people and was thus justly executed. Becket, according to the Fourth Knight, willed his own death by pursuing martyrdom for the sake of pride, and is thus guilty of suicide, rendering the knights innocent of murder.
After the knights have left, the priests lament Thomas' death and express concern about the future of the world. The Chorus makes their final speech, revealing that they have accepted their Christian responsibility. They acknowledge that living up to Thomas's sacrifice is difficult, but that they will be spiritually richer for taking on the challenge, and they beg Thomas' and God's mercy and forgiveness.
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