Murder in the Cathedral: Overview
|
Introduction |
T.S. Eliot's play, "Murder in the Cathedral," is a complicated reworking of the story of Thomas a Becket and his murder in the Canterbury Cathedral. This is not an easy, nor action-packed play and it will require much thinking. |
|
Table of Contents |
This following are the handouts, readings and projects for "Murder in the Cathedral." |
|
|
Handout |
Page |
|
|
Becket's Background |
D-2 |
|
|
The Hollow Men |
D-4 |
|
|
Murder 11-26 |
D-5 |
|
|
Murder 26-46 |
D-6 |
|
|
Murder 46-Conclusion |
D-8 |
|
|
Murder Quotes |
D-10 |
|
|
Murder Exam |
D-11 |
|
|
Murder Feedback |
D-12 |
|
Becket's Background
|
Introduction |
The following is an unusual request. I ask you to go to the library or to an on-line service and research Saint Thomas a' Becket in order to answer the following questions. |
|
Questions |
Answer the following questions fully. 1. When was Becket born? |
When did he die?
How old was he when he died?
|
2. Who was Henry I? |
How did Becket help him advance to the throne?
Who else is in the Plantagenet line?
|
3. Who succeeded Henry I to the throne? |
How did Becket help?
Do you suppose Becket was a nice guy or a powerful jerk at this point?
4. What did Henry II do for Becket?
Why?
Continued on next page
, Continued
5. On what topic did Henry II and Becket disagree?
As a result, what did the King do?
Who did the King want Absolution for?
What is "Absolution"
6. How was Becket killed?
What is a martyr?
What day is his feast day?
Why is that day important otherwise?
7. What literature did Becket inspire?
The Hollow Men
|
Introduction |
In addition to many other famous poems and short stories, T.S. Eliot wrote this poem, which is on page 543 in DWM. This poem, though difficult, offers a "key" to Eliot's outlook and his style. Read the poem, then answer the following questions |
|
Questions |
Answer the following questions fully. Recalling: 1, 2, 4 Interpreting: 1, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 |
Murder in the Cathedral: 11-26
|
Introduction |
Read carefully the following passage and answer the questions as you go along. |
|
Questions |
Answer the following questions fully. 1. Where are the women? |
What role do they play in the drama?
What style of play is this going to be?
|
2. What has happened to the countryside? |
How long has this been going on?
|
3. What are the powerful men like? 4. What are the Archbishop and the King compared to? 5. What is this peace like? 6. What do the priests want from the Archbishop? |
Do they really want him to return?
|
7. What is the wheel? |
What does it show?
|
8. How are the women partly living? 9. Explain this line: "The ending will be simple, sudden, God-given." 10. What is the first tempter's temptation? 11. Why does the first tempter speak in partial rhyme? |
What is the effect of the rhyme?
Murder in the Cathedral: 26-46
|
Introduction |
Read carefully the following passage and answer the questions as you go along. |
|
Questions |
Answer the following questions fully. |
1. What is the temptation that the Second Tempter brings?
2. How could Becket also serve God and be Chancellor?
3. Why will he not give up the keys to power?
What are Peter's Keys for?
4. What is the Third Tempter's offer?
Why is important that he calls himself a "Straightforward Englishman"
5. The Fourth Tempter is a tricky one. Why is he there?
6. Why is he more successful than the rest?
Why must Thomas banish him with more energy?
7. What will happen to his "shrine"?
8. Complete the phrase: "When men shall declare that there was no mystery _________________________________"
Explain.
9. How can suffering be action and action, suffering?
10 How can the wheel turn and forever "be still"?
Continued on next page
,
Continued
11. What are the evil omens?
12. Complete the phrase "To do the right deed _________________
__________________"
Explain.
13. Is the phrase "Destroy yourself and we are destroyed" true?
Explain.
Murder in the Cathedral: 46-Conclusion
|
Introduction |
Read carefully the following passage and answer the questions as you go along. |
|
Sermon Questions |
Answer the following questions fully. 1. What is the mystery of the Mass? 2. What did Christ mean by "Peace"? What do most other people mean by "Peace"? 3. Why should they rejoice at martyrdom? How does a Martyr fit into the Hero Path? 4. What Peace does Becket bring? |
|
Play Questions |
Answer the following questions fully. 1. What is the weather like? Why is that important? 2. Why must the world be cleaned in winter? How does it get cleaned? 3. According to the knights, what is the Archbishop? 4. What does the line "Then let your new coat...torn" (61) mean? |
Continued on next page
, Continued
|
5. What is the King's command? 6. Why do the women wish to be forgiven? What have they done wrong? How are they similar to the Hollow Men? 7. Finish the line "Humankind can't have too much _________________" Explain. 8. What is the void like? What does it remind you of? 9. Explain the line "Now is the Triumph of the Cross."
10. What is the reaction of the chorus to Becket's death? 11. Why the instruction to "Wash them"? |
Continued on next page
, Continued
|
Knight's Questions |
Answer the following questions fully. 1. What is the emotional effect of the very formal style of the knight's?
2. One commentator has stated that the knights come in with the "innocence of Judas." Who is Judas? How could he be innocent? 3. What is William di Traci's argument? 4. What is Morville's argument? 5. Why does Brito say that it was suicide? |
Murdering Quotes
|
Introduction |
The following quotes are taken from the play. Who said the quotes and what do they mean? Be sure to think about the Hero Path. |
|
Quotes |
Answer the following quotes fully. 1. "We are the Hollow Men." 2. "Who shall stretch out his hand to the fire and deny his master?" 3. "For us the poor, there is no action, but only to wait and bear witness." 4. "For good or ill, let the wheel turn." 5. But now a great fear is among us...a fear like birth and death." 6. That the pattern may subsist, for the pattern is the action, and the suffering, that the wheel may turn and be forever still." 7. "Now that the Kind and you are in amity, Clergy and laity may return to gaiety Mirth and sportfulness need not walk warily." 9. "I leave you to the pleasures of higher vices." 10. "Rule for the good of the better cause, dispensing justice make all even, is thrive on earth and perhaps in heaven." 11. "Saint and martyr rule from the tomb." 12. "When men shall declare there was no mystery about this man who played a certain part in history." 13. "Living and partly living, Picking up the pieces..." 14. "Peace" 15. "Not as the world gives, give I unto you." |
Murder in the Cathedral Exam
|
Introduction |
The following questions are designed to be done in a group. Work slowly and carefully. Make sure everybody does some work. You may use the play. |
|
Questions |
Answer the following questions using several sentences. 1. What Becket's two definitions of "peace"? Which is the one that Christ and Becket gave us?
2. When the priests, at the end of the book, acknowledge themselves as "type of common men." What do they mean? How are the priests similar to the chorus and the knights? How do they differ from Thomas?
3. What are the four temptations given to Becket? How does he answer each of the four? Why is the last one the most seductive?
4. Right after the murder, the chorus cries out to "wash the sky." What do they mean? Why do they cry that then? For the common folk, how has the world changed?
5. How is this play similar to the first third of Beowulf?
6. How is this play different from the "Frog Prince"?
7. Who are the Hollow men in this play? Explain.
8. Put Becket on the hero path. What is his climactic battle? What is his boon? |
Murder in the Cathedral: Feedback
|
Introduction |
Feedback gives you the opportunity to comment on the work you have just studied and how you studied it. Your answers will affect how I teach "Murder in the Cathedral" in the future. |
The Work
|
The unit |
Answer the following questions by marking a number between 1- 10. 10 means you are extremely happy, while 1 means you are heavily bummed. • How hard were the homeworks? ___ • How hard were the quizzes? ___ • How hard was the other work? ___ |
Continued on next page
, Continued
|
Open ended Questions |
Answer these questions with a short phrase or sentence. • Did you use any other tools (video, Cliff notes, oral tapes) to help you understand this play? • What could I do to make this play more interesting or accessible for students? • Did you do any of the challenges that relate to this play? • Did you write any essays that relate to this play? • What was your grade on the exam? |
|
Other Thoughts |
Do you have other thoughts or concerns about the class or the work? If so, please put them right here. |
|
|