Becket's Life

However, the topent theme if one(a) of friendship because the friendship bond between Henry and Becket cannot transcend (survive) these ideological differences.

Henry is every inch a power, exactly Becket is every inch an archbishop. Neither can afford to completelyow an inch because each is a player determined to go away a role within which they go forth not tonicity out of character. Henry will not give much power to the church and lessen his kingship by acquiescing to Becket's refusal to signalise all the articles, and Becket will not give in to Henry's demand to sign all of them and betray his archbishop-hood. Neither the twain shall meet as the saying goes, and the collision of ideologies costs them their friendship as nearly as Becket his life. In the deepest moments of conflict the ii revert bottom to realm and perfection, but friendship is always the emotional absorption of the two. At the end of Act I, Becket tenderly pulls the coverlet over the king and his words bespeak the tragedy in his heart because of the ideologies that start out them as friends "My prince?if you were my true prince, you were one of my race, how simple everything would be. How tenderly I would love you, my prince, in an ordered world. Each of us ring in fealty to the other, head, hear and limbs, with no further questions to take in of oneself, ever" (Anouilh 36).

At the end of this scene Becket questions where his honor is, this property that is a man-made construct but one he feel

Anouilh, J. Becket.

New York, Riverhead Books, 1995.

s make to behave in accordance with in the name of God. Becket will not betray his God for his friendship with Henry, but, as he states to Louis, he believes Henry cannot forgive him for betraying their friendship "Sire, we loved each other and I think he cannot forgive me for preferring God to him" (Anouilh 95). For the memory of when they were companions Henry tells Becket in an emotional scene that he will help him defend the honor of God by allowing him back to England. In the exchanges that follow there is little incertitude that this play's theme is one that transcends kingship and archbishop-hood because friendship is destroyed by two points-of-view at opposing ends of the spectrum.

Farewell, my prince. Will you give me the kiss of quietude?

KING. I should never have seen you again! It hurts too much.

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