Murder in the Cathedral

Murder in the Cathedral is set in The Archbishop’s Hall of Canterbury Cathedral in Canterbury, England. The play begins in December, 1170. A chorus of women takes to the stage to announce that seven years have passed since the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket, departed in exile. Although his kindness and spirituality were appreciated by his congregation, the people understand his absence. The chorus describes the years of “various oppression” (12) in Becket’s absence, though they can accept their sadness if the rich and powerful leave them alone. These rich and powerful men include the barons, the merchants and the King of England (Henry II).  The chorus feels powerless under the persecution of such powerful figures. Now, they hope that God will take hold of their destinies as they lack the power to change the world themselves; they are barred from all political and commercial power structures. People like them, “the poor” (13), must fend for themselves, relying on their intelligence and their faith for protection. The opening monologue of the chorus ends.

Three priests enter. They talk about the longstanding feud between Thomas Becket and King Henry II. The feud dates back to the time before the archbishop’s departure. Becket has been in France, and the second priest speculates as to how he spends his time. The second priest claims that the French and English Kings are locked in a war of “ceaseless intrigue” (13). The third priest believes that there is no future for everyday political governance which is inferior to religious governance. The keepers of this kind of “temporal government” (14), he suggests, only uphold the law by seizing power; they are greedy and lustful.

A herald enters to announce that Becket has returned to England. The first priests wonders whether the “old disputes” (15) have been resolved. If not, he wonders whether the archbishop is returning for peace or for war. As peaceful and happy as Becket’s return might seem, the herald says, this can only be the beginning of more disorder.

Talking amongst themselves about the herald’s message, the first priest fears for the Church and the archbishop. Becket always seemed out of place and “always isolated” (16) in the world of politics, he suggests. The second priest agrees but believes that the archbishop’s spiritual guidance will lead the people through the constant problems inflicted on them by the King and the powerful landowners. Thus, he believes that Becket’s return should be celebrated. The third priest advises waiting for the consequences of these events to be fully revealed, as the nuances of good and evil can be nearly impossible to understand.

The chorus returns and urges Becket to return to France, as his presence in England is “bringing death into Canterbury” (18).  The chorus decries the time that they have been apart from Becket, though these tough times have been tolerable. A “great fear” (19) has been brought about by Becket’s return, and they fear that they may lose their religious leader. Again, they urge Becket to return to France. The second priest hears the chorus’s comments and disparages the “foolish, immodest and babbling women” (20) of the chorus. He tells them to put aside their doubts and welcome Becket back to England.

Becket enters and addresses the second priest, complimenting the chorus at the priest’s expense, claiming that they understands the situation better than the priest does. Becket launches into a reflection of the bond between suffering and action and declares them to be interdependent: part of a universal pattern of existence. He compares this pattern to an ever-turning wheel; though it turns, it remains “forever still” (21). Apologizing for the chorus’s cold welcome, the second priest laments that he and his fellow priests could not offer a lavish banquet to celebrate the archbishop’s return. They only had short notice of Becket’s arrival, he says. Becket is pleased enough with what the priests can provide; he is more concerned about the  problems facing his church.

Becket tells the priests that on the way to Canterbury, people sought to kill him. He claims that “rebellious bishops” (22) tried and failed to track him during his return from France. The first priest is worried that someone may have followed Becket, who avoids confirming whether he is worried for his own safety. His enemies pursue him like hungry hawks and he predicts that his imminent end will “be simple, sudden” (23) and determined by God. He does not say whether this end will be that of his enemies or of himself.

The first tempter enters. He was once the friend of both Thomas Becket and King Henry II. The first tempter urges Becket to remember when he, Becket, and King Henry were friends and asserts that this friendship should not be allowed to vanish so easily. The first tempter urges Becket to abandon his dispute with the king. By mending their friendship, the first tempter suggests that Becket could end many of the other issues between the church and the monarchy. Becket accepts that the past friendship is worth remembering. When the first tempter looks to the future, Becket reminds him that no one can know the future, except to expect that “the same things happen again and again” (24). The first tempter abandons his attempts to convince Becket. He leaves the archbishop to “higher vices” (25) and mocks Becket’s devotion. He parts amicably, asking the archbishop to remember him during his prayers. In return, he will think of Beckett “at kissing-time below the stairs” (25).

The second tempter enters. He speaks to Becket about their introduction many years before and claims that Becket made a mistake by resigning from the office of Chancellor. He says that King Henry made Becket the Chancellor, a position that is much more powerful than that of the Archbishop of Canterbury. The archbishop may have power in the afterlife, he says, but the Chancellor has power in the current moment. Becket disagrees and cautions against those who prioritize earthly power over spiritual power. The second tempter accuses Becket of being a sinner and exits, leaving “[Becket] to [his] fate” (30).

The third tempter enters. He introduces himself as a “country-keeping lord” (31) and a straightforward Englishman. He assures Becket that he does not meddle in political matters. People like him, he says, truly understand what England needs. He accepts that broken friendships can never truly be repaired and that reconciliation with the king not possible for Becket. However, the tempter claims that the other English lords would enter into a conspiracy with Becket against the king, should Becket be able to secure the Pope’s blessing for their coup. This coalition of middle-class country lords would happily challenge the king’s “tyrannous jurisdiction” (33). Becket rejects this proposal and refuses to betray the king. The third tempter exits, telling Becket that he hopes Henry will appreciate Becket’s loyalty in the future.

The fourth tempter enters; his appearance surprises Becket, who only expected “three visitors, not four” (35). This tempter praises Becket for rejecting the previous tempters and proclaims that spiritual power is far greater than the power of the king. He also asserts that the Archbishop of Canterbury therefore possesses a wealth of power. He states that earthly power only leads to suffering and destruction, and that a king’s rule is by definition impermanent and futile. By contrast, saints and martyrs possess a power of “glory after death” (37). The fourth tempter urges Becket to think about this kind of glorious martyrdom. Becket is horrified by this suggestion, particularly as the fourth tempter understands that Becket is more interested in spiritual desires than in the “earthly glory” (39) put forth by the other tempters. Becket feels ashamed that the fourth tempter has told the world about his most personal desires. He fears that he may be sent to hell for his prideful desire to become a glorious martyr. The fourth tempter reiterates the bond between action and suffering, echoing Becket’s own words.

As the fourth tempter finishes, the other tempters return. Together, they announce that human life is “a cheat and a disappointment” (41) because humans do little more than shuffle between realities, intent on self-destruction. They declare humanity to be its own worst enemy. After the tempters finish, the priests gather together to urge Becket not to enter into a futile battle against the king. Instead, they urge him to wait before implementing his religious doctrine in Canterbury, postponing action until any issues caused by his return can be settled.

The chorus speaks to Becket, assuring him that they are not “ignorant women” (42), nor idealistic. Their expectations are realistic, and they understand the realities of politics and personal hardship. God has given them hope in the past, but there they now fear that God is abandoning them. They urge Becket to save himself in order to save them. If the Archbishop of Canterbury is destroyed, the chorus reasons, then they will also be “destroyed” (44).

Becket delivers a monologue. He feels as though his fate is now set, but he feels so chastened by the words of the fourth tempter that he is determined not to be tempted like this again. The man’s proposal—that Becket should do the right thing for the wrong reason by martyring himself for selfish pride rather than spiritual devotion—has struck a chord with Becket. He remembers his wayward youth, in which he sought out pleasure in an irreligious way. He turned to chess, music, and philosophy to give him pleasure, rather than turning to God. He never planned to become a priest, and he believes that the servants of God risk to sin even more than someone who simply serves their king. Becket acknowledges that many people will view his religious devotion as fanatical. He will commit himself to God anyway, he says, and he prays to the angels of God to protect him in the battle between action and suffering.