Murder in the Cathedral

The play is largely set in and around Canterbury Cathedral. As one of the oldest Christian religious institutions in England, the cathedral is a symbol of Christianity. Already hundreds of years old at the time the play is set, it is a formidable and venerated seat of religious power, and the Archbishop of Canterbury is closely associated with the edifice itself, sharing in this symbolic religious power. Therefore, the cathedral becomes more than just a building, for it represents the centrality of the Christian religion in English life. Because Eliot’s play focuses on the role of religion and England, its action is set entirely within the confines of this physical space. Almost a character in its own right, the cathedral becomes a staging area for the philosophical and physical battle between religion and earthly powers, as well as a mute witness to the martyrdom of Thomas Becket. In the aftermath of the violence, the cathedral endures, as does Becket’s martyrdom, symbolizing the triumph of the religious over the earthly. After the martyrdom of Thomas Becket, the cathedral stands as both a functioning religious institution and a pilgrimage site, for it is imbued with meaning by those who have witnessed the brutal murder.