A True Hero Portrayed: Thomas Becket Edward Grim was a good friend of the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Becket. Around his neck, Grim even bore the cross necklace of Becket. On December 29, 1170, Grim witnessed the horrific murder of his good friend where he was delivering mass in his own cathedral. This was the day that Thomas Becket was martyred for his faith. Grim remained loyal to Becket, writing down the details of the brutality he had seen that day; He called it Martyrdom. Martyrdom is now known as a historically accurate text depicting the murder of St. Thomas Becket. Using Grim’s text as reference, the prestigious playwright, T.S. Eliot, wrote Murder in the Cathedral, with Becket as the central character. Historical accuracies assisted Eliot in creating a character with valor and strength and telling the story of his road to martyrdom.
Firstly, Eliot depicts Becket as a bold man who has no fear. This is clearly exemplified right away by Thomas’ return to England from France. He knows his death is coming and he does not run and hide from it. In his last moments, Becket stands strong for his beliefs, revealing himself to the Knights who have come to bring him to his death. Even as all the monks beside him tremble with fright, Becket remains composed. In his obvious repetition of the word “fear,” Grim depicts Becket’s attitude. He writes:
‘The righteous will be like a bold lion and free from fear,’ he descended from the steps to which he had been taken by the monks who were fearful of the knights and said in an adequately audible voice, ‘Here I am, not a traitor of the king but a priest; why do you seek me?’ (Grim).
Grim repeatedly instills that Becket was a fearless man and this historical accuracy is clearly taken into account and used by Eliot in his own text. Throughout Eliot’s text, one also acknowledges the several parallels between Becket and Jesus Christ. The four temptations that Becket experiences before his death can be compared with the temptations bestowed by the hands of Satan Jesus Christ endured while suffering 40 days in the dry desert. Eliot could obviously perceive that Grim was portraying these comparisons as well. Although Grim does not speak of temptations, he compares the two in other ways. This is clear in Grim’s description of Becket’s actions right before he receives the first blow from one of the knights. He explains how Becket bowed his head and folds his hands in prayer. This can be compared to the Passion of Christ. Like Becket, he knows his death is but mere moments away and he bows his head and prays throughout the whole ordeal. Not once does he think that this is a choice or that he should be saved. It is something that must be done in the Name of God. Grim recalls the words of Becket, “’I am ready to embrace death.’” He further explains,
Neither his hand nor clothes indicated that he had opposed a murderer - as is often the case in human weakness; nor when stricken did he utter a word, nor did he let out a cry or a sigh, or a sign signaling any kind of pain (Grim). Eliot’s character of Thomas Becket is more heroic than anything else. He is a hero of faith and this is the most important concept one can sense after reading Grim’s testimony. He states:
And how intrepidly - how devotedly and courageously - he offered himself for the murder when it was made clear that for his salvation and faith this martyr should fight for the protection of others (Grim).
Only a true hero can demonstrate such a sheer act of bravery. If Eliot portrays one thing about Becket throughout his text, it is that he is a courageous man. A hero is defined as, “a man of distinguished courage or ability, admired for his brave deeds and noble qualities” (Dictionary). It’s as if Eliot read Grim’s account and immediately realized this is the best way to describe such a remarkable man like Thomas Becket. This is strongly exemplified through the words of Becket, Eliot writes, “We are not here to triumph by fighting, by stratagem, or by resistance, not to fight with beasts as men” (Part 2. 72). He continues, “We have only to conquer now, by suffering. This is the easier victory” (Part 2. 73) Thomas Becket proved he was a man of honor through his morals, principles, decisions, and character. He was destined for sainthood when he gave the ultimate sacrifice in the name of God: his life. T.S. Eliot tells the story of Becket’s strength to oppose authority and his road to death in the play, Murder in the Cathedral. His death is the same account told by Edward Grim in his text, Martyrdom, which is known to be of historical accuracy. It is the eyewitness testimony of the brutal murder of Thomas Becket. In his last moments, one can see what sort of man Becket sincerely was. He remained faithful to God until he took his very last breath. By using Grim’s Martyrdom as a reference, Eliot’s central character of Murder in the Cathedral projects this same image of a man dying for what he truly believes in.

Works Cited

Dictionary. “Dictionary.com.” Hero. < http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/hero>.
Eliot, T.S. Murder in the Cathedral. New York: Brace & World, 1935. Print.
Grim, Edward. "Britannia Historical Documents." Martyrdom. Britannia, n.d. Web. 28 Sep
2011. .