“Murder in the Cathedral” by T. S. Eliot Essay

Murder in the Cathedral is a verse drama by T. S. Eliot that portrays the assassination of Archbishop Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral in 1170, first performed in 1935. Eliot drew heavily on the writing of Edward Grim, a clerk who was an eyewitness to the event. The play, relations with an individuals opposition to authority, was written at the time of rising Fascism in Central Europe, and can be taken as a objection to individuals in affected countries to oppose the Nazi regimes subversion of the ideals of the Christian Church.1 Some material that the producer asked Eliot to remove or replace during the writing was transformed into the poem Burnt Norton.2The action occurs between December 2 and December 29, 1170, chronicling the days leading up to the martyrdom of Thomas Becket following his absence seizure of seven years in France. Beckets internal struggle is the main focus of the play. The book is divided into two parts. Part one takes place in the Archbishop Thomas Becke ts h each on December 2, 1170. The play begins with a Chorus singing, foreshadowing the coming violence. The Chorus is a key part of the drama, with its voice changing and developing during the play, offering comments about the action and providing a link between the audience and the characters and action, as in Greek drama.Three priests are present, and they mull over on the absence of Becket and the rise of temporal power. A herald announces Beckets arrival. Becket is immediately reflective about his coming martyrdom, which he embraces, and which is understood to be a sign of his own selfishnesshis fatal weakness. The tempters fetch, three of whom parallel the Temptations of Christ. The first tempter offers the prospect of physical safety.Take a friends advice. Leave well alone,Or your goose may be cooked and eaten to the bone.The second offers power, riches and fame in serving the King.To set down the great, protect the poor,Beneath the throne of God can mankind do more?The t hird tempter suggests a coalition with the barons and a chance to resist the King.For us, Church favour would be an advantage,Blessing of Pope powerful guardIn the fight for liberty. You, my Lord,In being with us, would fight a good strokeFinally, a fourth tempter urges him to seek the glory of martyrdom. You hold the keys of heaven and hell. place to bind and loose bind, Thomas, bind,King and bishop under your heel.King, emperor, bishop, baron, kingBecket responds to all of the tempters and specifically addresses the immoral suggestions of the fourth tempter at the end of the first act Now is my fashion clear, now is the meaning plainTemptation shall not come in this kind again.The last temptation is the greatest treasonTo do the right turn for the wrong reason.The Interlude of the play is a sermon given by Becket on Christmas morning 1170. It is about the strange contradiction that Christmas is a day some(prenominal) of mourning and rejoicing, which Christians also do for mar tyrs. He announces at the end of his sermon, it is possible that in a short time you may have yet some other martyr. We see in the sermon something of Beckets ultimate peace of mind, as he elects not to seek sainthood, but to accept his death as inevitable and part of a better whole. Part II of the play takes place in the Archbishops Hall and in the Cathedral, December 29, 1170. Four knights arrive with Urgent business from the king. These knights had heard the king speak of his frustration with Becket, and had interpreted this as an order to obscure Becket. They cite him of betrayal, and he claims to be loyal.He tells them to accuse him in public, and they make to attack him, but priests intervene. The priests insist that he leave and protect himself, but he refuses. The knights leave and Becket again says he is ready to die. The chorus line sings that they knew this conflict was coming, that it had long been in the fabric of their lives, both temporal and spiritual. The chorus again reflects on the coming devastation. Thomas is taken to the Cathedral, where the knights break in and kill him. The chorus laments Clean the air Clean the sky, and The land is foul, the water is foul, our beasts and ourselves defiled with blood. At the close of the play, the knights step up, address the audience, and defend their actions. The murder was all right and for the best it was in the right spirit, sober, and justified so that the churchs power would not undermine stability and state power.