Eng426 20th century english literature

Murder in The Cathedral

T.S Eliot’s Murder in the Cathedral is about the murder of Archbishop Thomas Becket. He was murdered by the messengers of King Henry II. Becket and Henry were friends and it was Henry who made Becket the Archbishop of Canterbury but Becket changed his disposition and stopped supporting the King but defended the rights of the Church. When Becket’s action became intolerable for the King, Henry decided to stop Becket. Becket
was accused and tried for misappropriation of funds as a Chancellor. Becket went on an exile to France as a result of this fracas.


Murder in the Cathedral opens with the news that the Archbishop will soon come back after spending seven years in exile. The women especially are excited that the Archbishop is coming back as they feel that Becket’s coming will change the political injustice in Canterbury. Henry had been a bad ruler during Becket’s absence and the people have been exploited and made to pass through all sorts of difficulties. Three different priests who had different opinions air their views on the coming back of Becket to Canterbury. While the first priest fears that his coming will bring trouble, the second feels that the King and the archbishop will not come to terms and the third opines that what will be will be.

After the arrival of the Archbishop Four Tempters who are the messengers of the King approached Becket and tell him to stop resisting King Henry. The First Tempter advises Becket to ‘be easy’ so that he could enjoy his life and live in safety, the second offers him wealth and fame so that he will ‘thrive on earth’, the third offers him power and connection with the Pope, the King, and the Baron while the Fourth Tempter offers Beckett martyrdom, the ‘glory of saints’ which Becket cowardly accepts as the people of Canterbury will believe that he died for what he believed in. He is murdered eventually by Four Knights inside the Cathedral of Canterbury.

3.2 Themes in Murder in the Cathedral