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Major events in murder in the cathedral
Return of Becket: After seven years of exile in France, Archbishop Thomas Becket returns to Canterbury, despite knowing the dangers that await him.
Tempters
First Temptation: Physical Safety and Pleasure.
The first tempter offers Becket a return to his carefree youth and former friendship with King Henry II.
Second Temptation: Political Power
The second tempter offers Becket restoration as Chancellor of England his formal position.
Becket's Response: He rejects this, understanding that serving both church and state would create an impossible conflict of interest.
Third Temptation: Alliance with the Barons
The third tempter suggests Becket ally with the barons against the king.
Thomas response: He rejects this as treason and a corruption of his spiritual office.
Fourth Tempter – Pride in Martyrdom
To embrace martyrdom for the sake of eternal fame and glory.
That is He tempts Becket to die not for God, but for self-glorification.
The interlude on Xmas day
Christmas Day Sermons: Becket delivers a sermon foreshadowing his own death and reflecting on the nature of martyrdom.
The murderers
The Murder: Four knights, believing they are acting on King Henry II's wishes, enter the cathedral and murder Becket.
Aftermath: The knights justify their actions to the audience, claiming they acted for the good of the state.
Major Themes
1. Martyrdom in Christianity
This is the central theme of the play. Becket returns to Canterbury knowing he may be killed, but he accepts this as God’s will. He believed that he can not die if God didn't predestined him for that. However if he dies, he accepts it to be God's design for him and not by his own pride or desire.
Thomas Becket's nterlude (his Christmas Day sermon), he preaches that "A martyr is one who has become the instrument of God," showing that he sees martyrdom as a divine calling, not personal glory.
2. Faith and Doubt
Becket struggles internally with whether his desire for martyrdom is for spiritual reasons or personal pride.
Instance: When he rejects the Fourth Tempter—who tempts him with the idea of eternal fame—Becket shows growth in faith, realizing that dying for glory is not true martyrdom.
The Chorus also begins in fear and doubt, saying, “We are afraid in a fear which we cannot know,” but their understanding deepens by the end of the play.
3. Mortality and Transcendence
The play contrasts the fear of death with the hope of eternal life. Becket’s acceptance of death reflects his belief in spiritual transcendence.
Instance: Before his murder, Becket prays, "Now is my way clear, now is the meaning plain," showing he sees his death as a passage into divine purpose, not defeat.
The Chorus, who once dreaded death, later recognize it as part of God’s design.
4. Comparison of Opposites
Eliot uses opposites to emphasize Becket’s moral dilemma: life vs. death, power vs. humility, worldly glory vs. spiritual truth.
Instance: The tempters offer him safety, political power, revenge, and glory—but Becket chooses suffering and death, showing he prefers spiritual truth over temporal gain.
5. Power and Corruption
Secular power is shown as dangerous when it is disconnected from moral responsibility.
Instance: The four knights justify Becket’s murder as a political necessity. After the killing, they even speak to the audience, defending their action as a way to maintain order. Eliot uses this to show how power, when abused, leads to injustice.
The Role of the Chorus
The Chorus plays a key role in connecting the audience to the themes of martyrdom, faith, and transformation.
Represents the Common People: The Chorus speaks for the ordinary citizens of Canterbury, showing their fears and concerns about Thomas Becket’s return and al clash of religious and political power.
Provides Commentary: They comment on the events, expressing emotional and spiritual reactions, helping the audience understand the deeper meaning of the action.
Creates Tension and Foreshadowing: Their fearful tone and warnings build suspense and hint at Becket’s impending martyrdom.
Undergoes Transformation: The Chorus moves from fear and confusion to spiritual enlightenment, accepting Becket’s death as part of God’s will.
Enhances the Poetic and Religious Tone: Their lyrical and chant-like speeches add to the play’s ritualistic and solemn atmosphere. They shape tone and mood of the play.
Literary devices
| Literary Device | Definition | Example in the Play |
|---|---|---|
| Chorus | A group that comments on the action and reflects public opinion | Women of Canterbury express fear and confusion about Becket's return |
| Symbolism | Use of symbols to represent deeper meanings | The Cathedral (spiritual refuge); Knights (corrupt power) |
| Dramatic Irony | Audience knows more than the characters | Audience knows Becket will die; characters act uncertain |
| Soliloquy / Monologue | A long speech revealing inner thoughts | Becket’s Interlude sermon on true martyrdom |
| Allusion | Reference to other texts or ideas, often religious | Becket compared to Christ; biblical language |
| Imagery | Descriptive language appealing to the senses | “The earth is heaving to parturition of issue of hell” – Chorus |
| Verse Drama | Use of poetic form in drama | Dialogue in unrhymed iambic pentameter (blank verse) |
| Allegory | Story or characters represent moral or spiritual concepts | Becket’s journey as the soul’s struggle with pride and humility |