Types of interpretations of the murder of Thomas Becket

The range and diversity of interpretations activity.

After studying the topic of Becket and Henry II, the pupils in groups may be given the following chart.

Types of interpretations of the murder of Thomas Becket

TYPE

EXAMPLE

Text-book

Novel

Play

Biography

Information Technology

Brochure

Film

Eye-witness account

Drawings

Academic study

Poetic play

Saga

Mosaic

Personal records

The groups will also receive a set of cards, the contents of which are listed below. With such pupils it will normally be necessary to go through each of the cards giving some explanation of their contents.

Activity 1

The first task for the pupils is to match the description on the cards to the type of interpretation listed in the chart. For most it is a matching exercise with reasonably easy clues.

Activity 2

As the development of the pupils' chronological understanding is an important feature of the Year 7 syllabus, the pupils, again in groups, could be asked to place the cards in chronological order. As with all group activities involving cards, it is useful to number each card to facilitate the feedback session. After the teacher has made sure that the cards have been placed in the correct chronological order, the pupils might be asked to describe how the representations of the earlier cards differ from the more recent ones and try to explain the differences. Such an activity will also contribute towards the further development of the pupils' understanding of the key concepts of change and continuity.

Activity 3

The pupils could be asked to place the cards in three separate piles (or three columns in an exercise books). One pile would be for those interpretations which they felt would be pro-Becket, the second anti-Becket and the third neutral. In each case they could be asked to explain their choice. What were the ‘clues' on the cards, which helped them to make their decision?

Activity 4

Although the pupils are only aged 11 or 12 years of age, they should not be denied the opportunity to consider some of the higher order questions, which they can tackle in their own way. The teacher could ask them to select the card which represents for them the most accurate interpretation and the least accurate. Again, giving reasons for choice. While some will make guesses with little substantiation, the range of responses will give useful data on the how much individual children have begun to understand some of the issues arising from the study of historical interpretations.

1. An Illustrated Story of Becket

2. ‘The Life and Martyrdom of Saint Thomas Becket' by Father John Morris. S.J. written in 1859

3.'Mediaeval Realms. 1066-1500', by J.F.Aylett, published in 1991.

A book produced about 1235, which told the story of Becket's Life with pictures of the main events.

Morris was a Jesuit, that is a member of the Catholic Society of Jesus, begun by Ignatius Loyola.

A school text-book, which gives more detail than most. It covers four pages.

4 . Guide Book to the City of

5 Icelandic Saga, edited by Eirikr Magnusson. Produced in its present form in the early 1300s.

6. ‘God is My Right', a novel by Alf red Duggan, published in 1955.

The Cathedral is the main interest for tourists. The guide-book retells the story of Becket's murder as a background to the visit.

A Saga is a long poem usually describing heroic deeds. It is a feature of Scandinavian literature.Based on a ‘Life of Becket' which has been lost.

Duggan lived from 1903 to 1964. He wrote many historical novels. His writings were based on his religious beliefs. He also wrote a book based on Becket's letters.

7. A description by Edward Grim, written about 5 to 7 years after the murder.	8 . ‘Murder in the Cathedral', a play written in poetry by T. S.Eliot in 1935.	9 . ‘Life of St.Thomas, the martyr of Canterbury ' by Garnier of Pont-Sainte-Maxene, written about 1175
Grim was one of the eye-witnesses of Becket's murder. he was a clerk at Canterbury , who attempted to shied Becket and was severely wounded. He spent a lot of time finding out facts for his account.	T. S.Eliot lived from 1888 to 1965. He became a British citizen in 1927. He was very much concerned with the religious aspects of the event and whether Becket wanted to die for his beliefs.	Garnier like Grim (card 7) was a clerk in the church. He was also a wandering author, who lived on his ability to write. He went to Canterbury to check his facts. He got on well with Becket's sisters.

10. Mosaic in a Cathedral on the island of Sicily, near Italy .	11. ‘Becket', a play by Alf red Tennyson, written in 1884.	12. ‘The Becket Controversy' by Thomas Jones, published in 1970
A mosaic is a pattern or picture made up of small pieces of glass, stone. The Normans ruled Sicily in the 1100s and were responsible for many mosaics there. The mosaic of Becket shows he was highly regarded. Both of Becket's parents were Norman .	Tennyson lived from 1809 to 1892 and was a highly respected poet. The play was one on of three showing the battle of the English people against the Pope in Rome . The play was put on the stage in 1893 and was a great success.	One of several books published to mark the 800th anniversary of Becket's death. A detailed study which goes over all the evidence from the time of the event and looks at how that evidence has been used by the people who have written about Becket and Henry II

13. ‘Murder in the Cathedral' a film produced in 1952.	14. ‘Mediaeval Realms' , a CD-ROM produced by the British Library, 1996.
This film, made in England , was a film version of Eliot's play (card 8). Great efforts were made to make the cathedral appear exactly like it was at the time of the murder and the people's clothes as they would have been in 1170.	Interactive multi-media. This CD-ROM includes 17 sources related to Becket. Some sources are written ones, others are pictures. Some were written near the time of the murder, others as late as the 1400s.

Now consider the following questions. Do you think the activities are consistent with their objective? What problems might you need to anticipate in order to increase the chance of success of the activity? What further questions could be asked of the pupils?

Additionally, you might consider a topic area with which you are particularly familiar and try to devise a similar exercise.

Back to Interpretations home

Back to History PGCE home