Becket and other plays

"Becket and Other Plays" by Alfred Lord Tennyson is a collection of dramatic works written during the late 19th century. The central play, "Becket," explores the tumultuous relationship between Thomas Becket, the Chancellor of England who later becomes the Archbishop of Canterbury, and King Henry II, illustrating the conflict between church authority and royal power. The opening of "Becket" sets the stage in a castle in Normandy, where King Henry II and Becket engage in a philosophical game of chess interspersed with discussions about power, love, and loyalty. As the dialogue unfolds, it becomes clear that Becket grapples with his dual loyalties to the king and the church. The scene establishes the tension between the two central characters, foreshadowing the conflicts that will arise as Becket contemplates the responsibilities of his newfound role following the death of Archbishop Theobald. The strong presence of relationships and the interplay of political and personal motives form a significant backdrop to the story that is about to develop. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Alfred Tennyson, 1st Baron Tennyson,, was an English poet. He was the Poet Laureate during much of Queen Victoria's reign. In 1829, Tennyson was awarded the Chancellor's Gold Medal at Cambridge for one of his first pieces, "Timbuktu". He published his first solo collection of poems, Poems, Chiefly Lyrical, in 1830. "Claribel" and "Mariana", which remain some of Tennyson's most celebrated poems, were included in this volume. Although described by some critics as overly sentimental, his poems ultimately proved popular and brought Tennyson to the attention of well-known writers of the day, including Samuel Taylor Coleridge. Tennyson's early poetry, with its medievalism and powerful visual imagery, was a major influence on the Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood.