Murder in the Cathedral Summary

Murder in the Cathedral, written in 1935 in Cambridge, Massachusetts, is a modernist drama and Christian tragedy by T. S. Eliot. Set in Canterbury, England, during December 1170, the play depicts the return of Archbishop Thomas Becket after seven years in France. The climax unfolds when four knights enter the cathedral and murder Becket. While these knights serve King Henry II, the play never confirms whether the assassination was directly ordered by the king or carried out of their own volition. Published in the same year it was written, Murder in the Cathedral explores themes of martyrdom, faith, and political power.

Summary

The play begins with a group of poor women in Canterbury, acting as a chorus like in Greek drama. They speak together, setting the scene and explaining their fears. They feel something important is about to happen, though they are unsure what.

The women describe the harshness of winter and their daily struggles. They mention Archbishop Thomas Becket, who has been gone for seven years. Even though he was kind to them, they do not want him to return because they fear he is in danger from the king and the barons. They believe their role is not to act but to wait and witness events unfold.

Three priests enter and discuss recent events. They confirm that Becket has been away for seven years and talk about the ongoing power struggles between the kings of England and France. They criticize the government for being corrupt and violent.

A messenger arrives with news: Becket is returning to Canterbury. The priests wonder if this means he has made peace with the king of England or if he is relying only on support from the pope and the French king. The messenger says Becket has many followers but is not supported by the English king. He also reminds them that Becket once told the king they would never meet again in life, which worries them.

After the messenger leaves, the priests debate what will happen next. One fears Becket’s pride will cause trouble. Another believes Becket’s return is part of God’s plan. The third says no one can predict the future.

The chorus of women speaks again, expressing their misery. They want Becket to stay away, fearing his return will bring disaster. The second priest tells them to stop complaining and at least try to be welcoming.

When Becket arrives, he tells the priest to be kind to the women because they understand more than they realize. The priest apologizes for not preparing for Becket’s arrival, but Becket says he had to keep his return secret to avoid his enemies.

The first tempter arrives casually. He claims to be an old friend of both Becket and the king from their time in London. He reminds Becket of the good times they once had at court, full of pleasure and friendship. He suggests that Becket should enjoy life again, just like in the past.

Becket responds that no one can predict the future, and only a fool believes he controls what will happen. The tempter insists he can bring back those happy days, but Becket tells him to think instead about repentance and obedience to God.

The tempter reminds Becket that, as chancellor, he was not always so harsh on sinners. Becket replies that it is too late for this argument—twenty years too late. The tempter leaves, but before going, he warns Becket that his "higher vices" will come at a greater cost.

After he leaves, Becket reflects on how even things that are impossible to regain can still be a temptation, distracting the mind from its true purpose.

The second tempter arrives and reminds Becket of past events at Clarendon and Montmirail, where Becket once supported the king and later agreed to negotiations. But he suggests they forget those unpleasant memories and focus on something better—Becket’s time as chancellor. He urges Becket to take back that position.

Becket questions the value of power for a man of God. The tempter argues that earthly power would allow Becket to accomplish more good than relying only on spiritual authority. He warns that if Becket continues on his current path, he will be trapped and powerless in Canterbury. But if he submits to the king, he could outsmart his enemies and bring more of God’s will to the world.

Becket rejects this idea, declaring that his spiritual role is far greater than any earthly power. He reminds the tempter that as archbishop, he holds the keys to heaven and hell, even having the power to condemn the king spiritually.

The third tempter arrives and announces that he is unexpected. However, Becket replies that he was expecting him. The tempter argues that Becket did not expect him in this form or for this purpose.

He introduces himself as a simple country lord, not as refined as a courtier, but someone who understands what is best for England. He tells Becket that his relationship with the king is beyond repair, and his current path leaves him isolated. However, there is another choice—he could ally with the barons and the people to overthrow the king.

The tempter emphasizes that both he and Becket are Normans in a Norman-ruled England. If Becket supports the barons, his position in the church and his connection to the pope would greatly strengthen their cause.

Becket refuses, saying he will not betray the king. The tempter sarcastically remarks that he hopes the king will appreciate Becket’s loyalty. Becket admits he has thought about using his influence to weaken the monarchy, but in the end, he is only willing to sacrifice himself—not others.

The fourth tempter enters, surprising Becket, who expected only three temptations. When Becket asks who he is, the tempter says there’s no need for a name—though they’ve never met, Becket knows him. Unlike the others, this tempter doesn’t argue against Becket’s choices; instead, he praises his strength and dismisses the previous temptations as unworthy.

When Becket asks what he advises, the tempter tells him to embrace martyrdom. He claims that all other paths are closed, but Becket has one final chance for power—one far greater than any he had in life. He speaks of sainthood, eternal glory, and pilgrims visiting Becket’s shrine for generations. Becket admits he has thought about this, and the tempter goes further, saying Becket also fears that even this legacy won’t last—that his shrine will one day be looted and forgotten, and that history may remember him not as a saint, but merely as another political figure.

Becket, shaken, asks if there is anything he can do to avoid this fate. The tempter tells him to make himself low on earth so he may be high in heaven, to glorify God and watch his enemies burn in Hell. Becket realizes this is the worst temptation of all—seeking martyrdom not for faith, but for pride. He wonders if anything he does, whether acting or refusing to act, can truly be free of pride.

The tempter then echoes Becket’s own earlier words about fate and suffering, showing that Becket is trapped in an endless cycle.

The chorus speaks darkly, warning that there is no rest. The four tempters, speaking together, call life a series of lies and accuse Becket of being blind, self-destructive, and an enemy to both society and himself. The priests, also speaking together, plead with Becket not to resist the inevitable path leading to his martyrdom. Then, in alternating lines, the chorus, the priests, and the tempters all reflect on the many ways death lurks close. The chorus mourns that they briefly had hope when Becket returned, only to see that hope fading once again. They beg him to save himself.

Becket, however, accepts his fate. He says the temptations will not return, though the fourth was the most dangerous because it tempted him to do the right thing for the wrong reason. He reflects on how he has given in to temptation before—first to pleasure in his youth, then to political ambition, and later to power struggles. Turning to the audience, he acknowledges that his actions may look like a reckless desire for martyrdom, but he insists that all wrongdoing must be punished. Finally, he prays for his guardian angel to protect him from the swords that will soon come for him.

The interlude of the play is a sermon delivered by Thomas Becket on Christmas morning. In his sermon, he reflects on a deep paradox: at Christmas Mass, the Church celebrates both Christ’s birth as an infant and his suffering and death.

Becket also speaks about the idea of peace on earth. He explains that this peace is not a worldly peace, because war and suffering are everywhere. Instead, he reminds the congregation that Christ told his apostles that he brought peace, but not as the world understands it. Christ sent them into hardship, persecution, and even death. Yet, despite their suffering, the apostles received a different kind of peace—spiritual peace, which gave them faith in God’s plan and the strength to endure their trials.

He then speaks about martyrdom, using the example of St. Stephen, the first Christian martyr, whose feast day falls on December 26. Martyrdom, Becket says, should bring both mourning and rejoicing. It is not an accident, nor can a person choose to become a saint by their own will. True sainthood is entirely the work of God. Only by fully surrendering himself to God’s will can a person be made a martyr.

Becket ends his sermon with a solemn farewell, saying he does not expect to ever preach to them again.

Part 2 of the drama

As the year turns, the chorus notes that there are no signs of spring, and the birds still sing of death. The world is at war, but winter's deaths make way for spring.

The priests enter, noting it is St. Stephen's Day, December 26, honoring the first Christian martyr. They recall how St. Stephen was falsely accused by rulers. The second priest marks the start of December 27, St. John the Apostle’s feast day, sharing scripture for the occasion. The third priest announces December 28, the feast of the Holy Innocents, the children killed by King Herod. The first priest then speaks of December 29, and together they wonder what it will bring. They chant about Jesus’s sacrifice and how time moves toward God's plan.

Four knights enter, and the priests welcome them. The knights claim they have urgent orders from the king and refuse the priests' offer of dinner, warning them instead. Becket arrives, noting how even expected events can be surprising. He says his papers are in order. The knights, wanting to speak privately with Becket, dismiss the priests.

The knights accuse Becket of being ungrateful to the king, who had raised him from a lowly position. They say Becket lied, cheated, and broke his promise to the king. When they threaten him, Becket rebukes them for their blasphemy. The knights insist they are following the king's orders. Becket demands they speak openly so he can defend himself, but the knights prepare to attack. The priests return, standing between Becket and the knights.

The first three knights, one by one, accuse Becket of fleeing to France to turn people against the king. They also say that after his return to power, he showed no gratitude, excommunicating the bishops who crowned the prince, making the coronation invalid. They claim he opposes the king’s men at every chance. Becket argues he never meant to uncrown the prince and that the bishops can take their case to the pope, as it was the pope who excommunicated them. The knights insist Becket started the excommunication and can end it, but Becket refuses. They order him to leave England, but he stands firm, saying he serves the Church, not the king.

The knights threaten him with their swords. Becket responds that he is under Rome’s protection and warns that if they kill him, he will become a martyr who pleads his case directly to God. He leaves, and the knights order the priests to help them catch Becket or face death themselves. The scene ends with the knights chasing Becket with drawn swords.

The chorus mourns the killers in Canterbury and their own helplessness. They beg Becket to forgive them. Becket enters and tells them to be at peace. Things are difficult now, but one day, they will understand God’s plan, and then these painful memories will seem sweeter.

The priests rush in, urging Becket to run to the altar for safety. Becket refuses, saying death has always been approaching him, and when the time is right, it will come. His only task is to fulfill God’s will. The priests insist he must go to Vespers, but Becket tells them to go and pray for him. He will stay outside so no one else is harmed. They pull him into the cathedral, as the chorus cries out that death is near.

Inside, the priests lock the doors, but Becket orders them to open them. This is a church, not a fortress. The priests argue that the knights are not even human but wild beasts. Becket replies that whatever happens is God’s will, and death has already been overcome through faith. He opens the doors.

The knights enter, drunk. The priests try to pull Becket up to the roof, but he stands his ground. The knights mock him, comparing him to Daniel in the lions’ den. Becket remains firm, declaring that he is ready to die for Christ, who died for him. The knights order him to take back his excommunications and swear loyalty to the king. Becket refuses, but he commands them not to harm anyone else in the church.

The knights call him a traitor. Becket turns the accusation back on them, naming one knight a traitor three times over: first, as a disloyal servant in earthly matters; second, as a disobedient follower in spiritual matters; and third, as a betrayer of God for committing violence in a sacred place.

The knights kill Becket. As he dies, the chorus speaks, saying the world is stained by his blood. They call for everything to be cleansed of this terrible act.

After killing Becket, the knights step forward and speak directly to the audience, no longer using poetry like the rest of the play.

The first knight says that, as fellow Englishmen, the audience probably sympathizes with Becket because he seems like the underdog. But he asks them to listen to both sides. He admits he isn’t the best person to explain their case, so he hands things over to the third knight, Baron William de Traci.

The third knight tells the audience that they are not acting for personal gain. They are “four simple Englishmen” who put their country first. They had to drink to prepare themselves for the act because they knew it was their duty. He acknowledges that the king will likely deny any involvement, but he believes reasonable people will understand that Becket had to be stopped. He then invites the second knight, Hugh de Morville, to speak, since he has studied government and politics.

The second knight praises the audience for their sense of fairness and asks them to reconsider Becket’s position. He argues that Becket was not really an underdog—rather, the king was simply trying to create a stable and lawful country by keeping the Church under control. If Becket had cooperated, England could have been an ideal nation. He admits that murder is unfortunate, but sometimes violence is necessary. In the future, he suggests, a parliament could legally remove an archbishop without bloodshed. And later, even that might not be needed. The knights were simply taking the first step toward that future. Since the audience supports the goal, they should accept the methods used to achieve it. If there is any guilt, he says, they all share in it. He then hands things over to the final speaker, Richard Brito.

The fourth knight asks the audience, “Who really killed the Archbishop?” He argues that Becket himself was responsible. Becket knew returning to England was dangerous, yet he refused every reasonable request. He provoked the knights into killing him. In fact, the only fair conclusion, the knight claims, is that Becket’s death was essentially a suicide caused by his own reckless behavior.

The first knight thanks him and tells the audience that nothing more needs to be said. He advises them to go home quietly and avoid causing any public unrest. Then, the knights exit.

The priests return and talk among themselves. The first priest is heartbroken over Becket’s death. The third priest, however, says that the Church always grows stronger when its leaders die as martyrs. He laughs at the knights, calling them liars who are not worth worrying about. The priests then pray, giving thanks that Becket is now a saint.

As the Latin hymn Te Deum is sung, the chorus prays to God. They thank Him for His wisdom, even when His plans seem painful. They see Becket’s blood as a blessing that brings redemption. They admit they are weak and afraid, often too scared to act because of the consequences. Finally, they ask Christ for mercy and pray for Saint Thomas to watch over them.