As a friend to King Henry II Becket felt that there was "a gap" in him where honor should be. Becket felt that as long as he was "among the conquerors" he would have to improvise his honor. There is foreshadowing in the end of act one, that if Becket meets his honor "face to face," he will be forced to go against King Henry. The Saxons, of which Becket descended, had been conquered by the people he is friends with. He felt for that he could have no honor.

Thomas Becket, as Chancellor of England, feels that he is incapable of love and honor. Becket finds the barons idea of honor to be ridiculous. Becket believed, then, that honor was not in how you fought but only if you won. Honor came solely in victory. There was no honor in following the "rules" of battle only to be slain. Becket believed that being successful was honorable in its self.

The barons were filled with jealousy for Becket. They saw him as less than a man, a Saxon. They wer

Becket did not wish to become the Primate of England. He pleaded with King Henry not to appoint him Archbishop. Once he became Archbishop he changed to a very calm and gentle person. He began to pursue honor with an unshakeable conviction. Thomas Becket first thinks it may be possible to serve both God and England, but soon realizes that Gods honor is unyielding. Becket says that he must defend the honor of God because it is "as vulnerable as a boy-king fleeing from danger." He believed that he was a man without honor and now he has found the honor that he never imagined could become his. He has attained the incomprehensible honor of God. Becket pleads with King Henry at their meeting and begs him to "in all save the honor of God" and he will agree to the other nine articles. Becket will give as much as he deems possible so long as the honor of God is not compromised.

Thomas a Becket, at the moment of his death, realizes "how heavy" the "honor is too bare." His death ultimately opened King Henry's eyes. King Henry finally realized that "the honor of God is a good thing." King Henry made it his personal mission to defend the memory of Thomas a Becket and the honor of God from that day forward. It took Thomas Becket a lifetime to find the honor of God and to realize that it was worth dying for.

Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 890
Approximate Pages = 4 (250 words per page double spaced)