Grade Level:
9 - 12
Literary Form:
British Drama
Paired with:
Galileo13 Lesson Plans/20 Handouts/102 Pages
ISBN:978-1-56077-345-0
Regular Price: $19.95
On Sale For: $14.95 |
Description:
The drama portrays conflicts in the mind of Thomas Becket as he awaits the violent end of his relationship with Henry II (1170). Murder in the Cathedral is a play T. S. Eliot wrote specifically for Canterbury Cathedral, for an audience of devout Anglicans and Roman Catholics. Students share many of the fears and foibles of the drama and indulge in the psychological machinations of Thomas Becket as portrayed by Eliot. Written in the 1930s, the drama challenges the audience to look at familiar events in new ways and examine the problem of good versus evil.
Activities:
Lessons address the terms paradox, figurative language, theme, characterization, and exposition. In this unit, students block stage scenes and experiment with costuming. They examine the character of Thomas Becket and analyze characteristics of the women of the era. They research the history surrounding the drama. Students prepare and deliver presentations in small groups. They explore the role of the Chorus and Interlude. They examine Eliot’s use of contrast and satire.
Supplementary materials feature a study guide, suggested responses, projects, essay topics, a Thomas Becket biography, test, and answer key.
Ethical Values:
Gratitude Justice
Loyalty
|
