Analysis of T.S. Eliot's "The Murder in The Cathedral" : Religious Elements, Becket as a Passive Character, Becket’s Martyrdom and its Significance
The Religious Elements
For the purpose of his play, the audience became a congregation, having interpreted the significance of martyrdom and being invited to participate in the celebration of an act of martyrdom. Part- II has something of the quality of liturgical celebration. It is not a plain representation of the historical fact which is the spiritual realization of the Holy Communion to the Last Supper.
So the audience is invited to participate in sprite and through the act watching it links with the communion of saints. The play is about devotional morality. But it is not ordinary morality. It is drama beyond drama written as room within spiritual self-conflict of a saint.
From the words of the Tempters, and of the chorus we learn the bare facts of Thomas’s early life. But, it seems, all the time Eliot rejects many poets as of Becket’s human qualities. Thus we find that the character of Becket is a passive one.
Becket’s Martyrdom and its Significance
It may be a personal tragedy but it is a comedy as well for his death has the power to fructify the lives of others. The Canterbury women are transformed and his martyrdom. The tragedy of Becket is a contending tragedy, for in age a church must be crucified at one to God for the sins of humanity. As the chores says:
He thanks thee for thy mercies of blood for thy redemption by blood for .... shall create the holy places.
G. Wilson rightly remarks:
“Murder in the Cathedral dramatizes Becket as a type of Christian hero, conquering palisade and attaining martyrdom.”
2. Murder in the Cathedral - Wikipedia. (2009, May 8). Murder in the Cathedral - Wikipedia. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_in_the_Cathedral
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