I have not read the play, but show this film annually in
my senior classes when we are studying the
Anglo-Saxons.
Henry II is portrayed as a beligerent and
self-centered king, which I have no doubt was true based on what I've read of his
history. He displays his power in his family (belittling his children, chiding his wife
and mother) and in his country (brow-beating servants, noblemen, church officials, and
even his friend, Thomas Becket).
Henry is constantly at
odds with the power of church and its wealth, since at this time in England, the church
was every bit as powerful as the head of state. Henry was determined to get money from
the church to fund the wars and building projects during his
reign.
One way Henry thought he could get around the issue
of Church vs. State was to appoint his best friend, Thomas Becket, to the highest church
position available in England: Archbishop of Canterbury. Of course, Henry does not
consider that this appointment will alter Becket's relationship with Henry. Becket,
however, is a man of conscience and morality. He truly worked hard at being an
excellent Archbishop and to serve the people of England well. He gave the poor the
cloak off his back and the shoes from his own feet if they were in need which endeared
him to their hearts.
Becket would not betray his job at
Archbishop to serve Henry's needs. The breaking point came when one of Henry's noblemen
committed a crime against a man of the church and Becket demanded that the nobleman be
punished for his misdeed. Henry refused, as it was not politically prudent. Therefore,
the tension between the two former friends grew until such time that Henry declared,
"Won't anyone rid me of this cursed bishop?" Consequently, several of his own knights
traveled to Canterbury and murdered the Archbishop in the cathedral. To this day, there
are still pilgrimmages to the cathedral to pay homage to the man who served them so
selflessly.
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