43 pages 1 hour read

Murder in the Cathedral

Fiction | Play | Adult | Published in 1935

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Summary and Study Guide

Overview

Murder in the Cathedral is a verse drama by T.S. Eliot that portrays the final days of Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, who was assassinated and martyred in 1170. Written in 1935 for the Canterbury Festival, the play explores themes of faith, power, martyrdom, and the conflict between church and state. Many stage performances of the play have been produced, and Murder in the Cathedral has also been adapted for television, film, and opera. It is considered to be Eliot’s most successful play.

This guide refers to the 1935 Harcourt, Brace and Company edition of the play.

Plot Summary

The play opens in December 1170, after Archbishop Thomas Becket has returned to England following seven years of exile in France. Part 1 takes place in the Canterbury Cathedral, where the mood is one of foreboding and tension. A chorus of women from Canterbury sets the tone by expressing their anxiety and fear over the events that are about to unfold. The women represent the common people, who have no direct control over the high political and religious stakes but sense that a catastrophe is imminent. They are acutely aware of the dangerous political environment and the impending death of a significant figure, which they fear will have profound repercussions on their lives.

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