Abstract

[Eliot, the temporal power and the spiritual one. With the translation of «Murder in the Cathedral» and its original text] Murder in the Cathedral was written by Eliot in 1935 and represented the same year in Canterbury. The chief character is the Archbishop of Canterbury, Thomas Beckt, for a long time Chancellor of the King of England, Henry the Second. After a good friendship in the political questions, they didn’t accord on the relation between spiritual and temporal power. The spiritual power, from the point of view of Beckt, resigned as Chancellor of State, was the Pope’s power. I.e., a power that first is of God and then of Pope, a power that is higher of temporal power, a power that is the supreme guide for State and Church. Beckt dies on December 29th, 1170. Four Knights kill him by their swords, in the name of King. So the temporal power, in spite of Middle Ages, triumphs on the spiritual power. Dante and Shakespeare are still far-off. The Chorus, an another important character, expression of the poor people, closes the poetical drama with an invocation to God, Christ and Beckt.