Closely analyse the 'Interlude' in Murder in the Cathedral to indicate its importance in the play.

Closely analyse the 'Interlude' in Murder in the Cathedral to indicate its importance in the play.

In the Interlude, the Archbishop preaches in the cathedral on Christmas morning, 1170. He delivers the entire speech, and there are no stage directions. The Interlude begins with a verse from Luke praising God, after which Thomas promises his sermon will be short. He announces that his intention in the sermon will be to explore the "deep meaning and mystery of our masses of Christmas Day." He notes how there is a contradiction in these masses – they exist both to celebrate Christ's birth and to celebrate his death. It is strange, Thomas notes, "for who in the World will both mourn and rejoice at once and for the same reason?" (198).

Thomas wishes to reflect on the meaning of the word "peace." He notes how Christ told his disciples, "My peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you" (198). By analyzing the context of both Christ and his disciples, Thomas reveals that Christ did not mean the peace of the world, but rather a greater peace. Certainly, he did not mean peace between barons, bishops, and kings in the country of England not yet invented, and considering that the disciples lived lives of misery in service of Christ, it is unlikely Christ meant peace in the sense of worldly comfort free of strife.

Thomas reminds the congregation that the day after Christmas is a day of celebration for Christ's "first martyr, the blessed Stephen." Thomas does not believe this proximity is an accident – rather, he believes that the mystery of Christmas is paralleled on a smaller scale in the celebration of martyrs, since we engage in the contradiction of celebrating death for them. For martyrs, "we mourn, for the sins of the world that has martyred them; we rejoice, that another soul is numbered among the Saints in Heaven, for the glory of God and for the salvation of men" (199).......................................................

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Milan Tomic

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