Murder in the Cathedral is a verse drama by T. S. Eliot, first performed in 1935 (published the same year). The play portrays the assassination of Archbishop Thomas Becket in Canterbury Cathedral during the reign of Henry II in 1170. Eliot drew heavily on the writing of Edward Grim, a clerk who was an eyewitness to the event.[1]
Some material that the producer asked Eliot to remove or replace during the writing was transformed into the poem "Burnt Norton".[2]
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The Question and Answer section for Murder in the Cathedral is a great resource to ask questions, find answers, and discuss the novel.
Forgiveness is not addressed in the play, outside of the fact that it is an important part of Christianity. In the play's conclusion, however, the Chorus seeks Thomas' forgiveness for not being strong enough to sacrifice what he is willing to...
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Overall, Eliot uses the shape and conventions of Greek tragedy both to evoke the idea of fate and to imbue this historical tale with the weight of myth and symbol. There are many conventions that he uses from Greek tragedy, including the Chorus,...
