Becket and other plays - Alfred Lord Tennyson

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Résumé :
PROLOGUE. _A Castle in Normandy. Interior of the Hall. Roofs of a City seen thro' Windows_. HENRY and BECKET at chess. HENRY. So then our good Archbishop Theobald Lies dying. BECKET. I am grieved to know as much. HENRY. But we must have a mightier man than he For his successor. BECKET. Have you thought of one? HENRY. A cleric lately poison'd his own mother, And being brought before the courts of the Church, They but degraded him. I hope they whipt him. I would have hang'd him. BECKET. It is your move. HENRY. Well--there. [Moves. The Church in the pell-mell of Stephen's time Hath climb'd the throne and almost clutch'd the crown; But by the royal customs of our realm The Church should hold her baronies of me, Like other lords amenable to law. I'll have them written down and made the law. BECKET. My liege, I move my bishop. HENRY. And if I live, No man without my leave shall excommunicate My tenants or my household. BECKET. Look to your king. HENRY. No man without my leave shall cross the seas To set the Pope against me--I pray your pardon. BECKET. Well--will you move? HENRY. There. [Moves. BECKET. Check--you move so wildly. HENRY. There then! [Moves. BECKET. Why--there then, for you see my bishop Hath brought your king to a standstill. You are beaten. HENRY (_kicks over the board_). Why, there then--down go bishop and king together. I loathe being beaten; had I fixt my fancy Upon the game I should have beaten thee, But that was vagabond. BECKET. Where, my liege? With Phryne, Or Lais, or thy Rosamund, or another?...

Sommaire:
Becket and Other Plays by Alfred Lord Tennyson explores the tumultuous relationship between Thomas Becket, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and King Henry II of England. The play is set in the 12th century and delves into the conflict between the authority of the Church and the power of the monarchy. Becket, once a close friend and Chancellor to Henry, is appointed Archbishop with the expectation that he will support the King's interests. However, Becket's newfound religious convictions lead him to oppose the King's attempts to diminish the Church's power, resulting in a dramatic and ultimately tragic confrontation. The narrative unfolds with Becket's internal struggle between his loyalty to the King and his duty to the Church, culminating in his martyrdom. Tennyson's portrayal of Becket is complex, highlighting his change from a worldly statesman to a devout religious transformation. The play also examines the political machinations of the time, with various characters representing different facets of the societal hierarchy, including barons, bishops, and the Queen. Through rich dialogue and historical context, Tennyson presents a vivid depiction of a pivotal moment in English history, emphasizing themes of power, loyalty, and faith....