Murder in the Cathedral (Historical Background)

T.S. Elliot years

1888-1965

Where was T.S. Elliot born?

St. Louis, Missouri

What was T.S. Elliot's religion

Anglican

What were T.S. Elliot's interests?

questions about faith and what's wrong with the world

Literary Modernism

characterized by a deliberate break from Western literary, artistic, and cultural traditions

Literary Modernism (years)

early 1900s

Who said, "Make it new!"?

Ezra Pound

Characteristsics of Literary Modernism

self consciousness, stream of consciousness, multiple points of view, nonlinear narration, open form poetry (free verse)

What styles did T.S. Elliot mix?

he wrote in modernist verse (open form poetry), iambic pentameter (Shakespearean), used choruses (Greek), and had a medieval setting

St. Thomas à Becket (years)

1118-1170 (middle ages)

In 1154.....

Henry II becomes King (and the archdeacon of Canterbury Chancellor of England was under him in the Angevin Dynasty) , (still secular but church and state were together)

"The Angevin" is...?

Henry

Characteristics of Thomas

not a "good priest", worldly, arrogant, ambitious, wants more power in the church

Henry appoints ______ Archbishop of Canterbury

Thomas

Thomas has a ___________________

conversion

Henry issues ________________

Constitution of Clarendon

Constitution of Clarendon

a body of 16 laws that put royal rights over religious rights

Constitution of Clarendon (causes and effects)

-Henry tried to exert authority over the Church
- Thomas fought against this and was attacked forced into exile
-Henry is excommunicated
-Thomas returned and was martyred

When is Thomas martyred

December 29, 1170

Plot points

political tensions, absence of the bishop, and who wants him back (and who does not)