Thomas Becket

(Paperback)

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Description

The construction and deconstruction of Becket's reputation is central to this provocative new study. The cult of Becket has remained enduring: it was the centerpiece of Chaucer's Canterbury Tales; and in our own time it has carried powerful enough resonance to generate interpretations from T.S. Eliot, Jean Anouilh, and indeed Hollywood. This book investigates whether the popular conception of Becket through the ages is a result of valid assessments of the man and his cause, or a product of a carefully constructed myth, and how far can one correct for the bias and reach the truth.

Reviews

The easy grasp of the source material, the exhaustive analysis of every aspect of the theme, and the soundness of judgement displayed throughout, makes this a book of exemplary scholarship that will surely remain the definitive study for many years to come. Alan B. Cobban, The Historical Association

Author Bio

Anne Duggan is Professor of History at King's College London