"Murder in the Cathedral" is a verse drama by "T.S Eliot". It was first performed in 1935, that portrays the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket in the Canterbury Cathedral during the reign of Henry 2nd in 1170. The play is devided into two parts and in between the parts there is an interlude.
About Author
"Thomas Stearns Eliot" was born on 26 September, 1888 and died on 4 January, 1965. He was a poet, essayist, publisher, playwright, literary critic and editor. Considered one of the 20th century's major poets, he is a central figure in English language modernist poetry. He was educated from Harvard University.
His best known poems in the English language, including "The Waste Land" (1922), "The Hollow Men" (1925), "Four Quarters" (1943). He was also known for his seven plays, particularly "Murder in the Cathedral" (1935) and "The Cocktail Party" (1949). He was awarded for the "Nobel Prize" in literature in 1948, for his outstanding pioneer contribution to present day poetry. He was honoured with "Order of Merit" (1948).
Plot Summary
The story behind the play starts when Thomas Becket and King Henry 2nd were close friends and Thomas Becket was a chancellor of the King Henry 2nd. Later, the King decides to make Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury Cathedral because Becket is his friend so, through him, the king wants to keep the power of Church under his control. But Becket protests to become an Archbishop because he knows that the king will infringe the rights of the Church, which Becket will not allow as an Archbishop, that will create a stress between their friendship. But eventually, he was elected as an Archbishop and as he predicted before, his friendship with the king became strained when Becket excommunicated the Archbishop of York and two other bishops for presiding over the coronation of the son of King Henry 2nd. After this incident, King became very angry on Becket and punished him to leave England. After spending seven years in France, Becket decided to return England but when he returned, he was killed by the four knights of King Henry 2nd in the Canterbury Cathedral.
The play is in two parts which is separated by an interlude. The first part takes place in the Archbishop Thomas Becket's hall on 2 Dec, 1170. This part starts with the entrance of the chorus (the common women of Canterbury) singing and foreshadowing the coming violence by remembering their Archbishop Thomas Becket, who has been away from Canterbury Cathedral for seven years but still the chorus don't want Thomas Becket to return because they think, it may be a cause of his death. Three Priests, who were in Thomas Becket's service in the past, enter the scene and discuss about Thomas Becket and King Henry 2nd when the both were friends. While their discussion a Herald comes and announces that Thomas Becket has returned to England. To hear this news the chorus begins to lament but the priests become happily ready to welcome Thomas Becket.
Thomas Becket enters the scene and meets four tempters one by one, inner conflicts of Thomas Becket, each offering him a way to save his life. The first tempter reminds Becket about his old friends of court and advices to relax his principal, the second tempter advices him to gain his power of chancellor again, the fourth tempter advices him to overthrow the crown and giving the church supremacy over England and the fourth tempter suggests him to continue on his path of martyrdom for self glory but Becket refuses their suggestions and choices to become a martyr not for self glory but for God's will. The part ends with it.
In the interlude, Thomas Becket gives a sermon on a Christmas morning 1170, he preaches about Christmas that it is devoted to both celebration and lamentation. And at the end of his sermon he announces that it's possible that in a short time you may have yet another Martyr.
After this interlude, part 2nd of the play starts in the Archbishop Thomas Becket's hall on 29 Dec,1170. In this part, four knights of Herny 2nd come to accost Becket, calling him a traitor to the crown but Becket disagrees it. The knights ask Becket to appear before king for his misdeeds but Becket refuses to appear alone and wants the attendance of audience to see the King's charges against him. The knights begin to attack on Becket after his refusal but stop when the priests arrive. The knights warn him and goes to return with their swords to kill Becket. Knowing that they will return back, the priests try to save Becket but he becomes ready to die. When the knights return to kill Becket, the priests begin to bar the door of Cathedral to save Becket but he tells them to unbar the door saying it's against the Church's policy to exclude anyone from entering the Cathedral. The priests unbar the door and the knights kill Becket by their swords calling him a traitor.
After the murder of Becket, the knights come to the audience and confess that how Becket was a traitor to the crown and tells that it's their duty to follow the King's order so, they killed Becket. The preists consider Thmoas Becket's murder as a martyrdom. The play ends with the Chorus asking God to forgive them and have mercy on them.
About Author
"Thomas Stearns Eliot" was born on 26 September, 1888 and died on 4 January, 1965. He was a poet, essayist, publisher, playwright, literary critic and editor. Considered one of the 20th century's major poets, he is a central figure in English language modernist poetry. He was educated from Harvard University.
His best known poems in the English language, including "The Waste Land" (1922), "The Hollow Men" (1925), "Four Quarters" (1943). He was also known for his seven plays, particularly "Murder in the Cathedral" (1935) and "The Cocktail Party" (1949). He was awarded for the "Nobel Prize" in literature in 1948, for his outstanding pioneer contribution to present day poetry. He was honoured with "Order of Merit" (1948).
Plot Summary
The story behind the play starts when Thomas Becket and King Henry 2nd were close friends and Thomas Becket was a chancellor of the King Henry 2nd. Later, the King decides to make Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury Cathedral because Becket is his friend so, through him, the king wants to keep the power of Church under his control. But Becket protests to become an Archbishop because he knows that the king will infringe the rights of the Church, which Becket will not allow as an Archbishop, that will create a stress between their friendship. But eventually, he was elected as an Archbishop and as he predicted before, his friendship with the king became strained when Becket excommunicated the Archbishop of York and two other bishops for presiding over the coronation of the son of King Henry 2nd. After this incident, King became very angry on Becket and punished him to leave England. After spending seven years in France, Becket decided to return England but when he returned, he was killed by the four knights of King Henry 2nd in the Canterbury Cathedral.
The play is in two parts which is separated by an interlude. The first part takes place in the Archbishop Thomas Becket's hall on 2 Dec, 1170. This part starts with the entrance of the chorus (the common women of Canterbury) singing and foreshadowing the coming violence by remembering their Archbishop Thomas Becket, who has been away from Canterbury Cathedral for seven years but still the chorus don't want Thomas Becket to return because they think, it may be a cause of his death. Three Priests, who were in Thomas Becket's service in the past, enter the scene and discuss about Thomas Becket and King Henry 2nd when the both were friends. While their discussion a Herald comes and announces that Thomas Becket has returned to England. To hear this news the chorus begins to lament but the priests become happily ready to welcome Thomas Becket.
Thomas Becket enters the scene and meets four tempters one by one, inner conflicts of Thomas Becket, each offering him a way to save his life. The first tempter reminds Becket about his old friends of court and advices to relax his principal, the second tempter advices him to gain his power of chancellor again, the fourth tempter advices him to overthrow the crown and giving the church supremacy over England and the fourth tempter suggests him to continue on his path of martyrdom for self glory but Becket refuses their suggestions and choices to become a martyr not for self glory but for God's will. The part ends with it.
In the interlude, Thomas Becket gives a sermon on a Christmas morning 1170, he preaches about Christmas that it is devoted to both celebration and lamentation. And at the end of his sermon he announces that it's possible that in a short time you may have yet another Martyr.
After this interlude, part 2nd of the play starts in the Archbishop Thomas Becket's hall on 29 Dec,1170. In this part, four knights of Herny 2nd come to accost Becket, calling him a traitor to the crown but Becket disagrees it. The knights ask Becket to appear before king for his misdeeds but Becket refuses to appear alone and wants the attendance of audience to see the King's charges against him. The knights begin to attack on Becket after his refusal but stop when the priests arrive. The knights warn him and goes to return with their swords to kill Becket. Knowing that they will return back, the priests try to save Becket but he becomes ready to die. When the knights return to kill Becket, the priests begin to bar the door of Cathedral to save Becket but he tells them to unbar the door saying it's against the Church's policy to exclude anyone from entering the Cathedral. The priests unbar the door and the knights kill Becket by their swords calling him a traitor.
After the murder of Becket, the knights come to the audience and confess that how Becket was a traitor to the crown and tells that it's their duty to follow the King's order so, they killed Becket. The preists consider Thmoas Becket's murder as a martyrdom. The play ends with the Chorus asking God to forgive them and have mercy on them.
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