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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. What does the Chorus claim is their purpose in the action of the play?

2. What does Becket claim is the "substance of our first act?"

3. What does the Third Tempter believe upon his arrival?

4. What is not one of the things that the Tempter describes in his flashback of the "good time" Becket used to enjoy in his service to King Henry?

5. Who does Becket say may have intercepted his letters and planned his demise?

Short Essay Questions

1. What is the initial and more general accusation the Knights' hold against the Archbishop?

2. What is life like for the Chorus of women in Canterbury?

3. After the temptations, what do the Chorus want Becket to do? Why?

4. What does the First Tempter use to entice Thomas Becket?

5. What is a method that Becket uses to outline his sermon in the Interlude?

6. Why was the Fourth Tempter most effective in his temptation compared to the other three?

7. How long has Thomas Becket been away from Canterbury? Why has he chosen to stay away for so long?

8. After the temptations, what do the Priests want Becket to do? Why?

9. Why does the Third Tempter state that joining forces with the barony would be a good idea?

10. In his address to the audience, the Third Knight claims that they are "perfectly disinterested." What does he mean?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

From the beginning of Murder in the Cathedral, we are told of the monotonous and rather unfulfilled lives that are led by the women of Canterbury. In one instance we are told that they believe they are "living and party living."

1) How is the return of Thomas Becket to Canterbury a good thing for its people? What can he offer them that they have been missing in their lives?

2) How does Becket's return affect them negatively?

3) Using examples from the text, how can monotony be a good thing? How is it bad?

Essay Topic 2

After the murder of Thomas Becket, the Four Knights have a chance to explain their different reasons for assassinating the Archbishop. Write an essay with the following parts:

Part 1) Choose one of the Four Knights arguments. Study their speech and outline their argument.

Part 2) Choose to either support their point or debate their point and write an argument for or against the assassination.

Essay Topic 3

The three Priests have been without the Archbishop's leadership for seven years. His return is important to their spiritual well-being.

Part 1) What is the Priests' outlook on Becket's return? What is the opinion of the First Priest? The Second? The Third?

Part 2) Compare the similarities and differences between the individual opinions of the Priests and that of Becket's in regard to his return. What viewpoints do these people represent?

Part 3) Describe how Becket's return was important to these three men and how it reflects the needs of the community of Canterbury as a whole. What is his relationship to this group?

(see the answer keys)

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