And Now The End Is Near…

 

And so, I face my final Becket-based curtain. Alas the search for proof for the international development of popular piety is nearing a close.

When I started this blog, my hypothesis was to prove that Becket was essential to religious popularity in the 12th Century and that much of this popularity was shown through art. So what does this add to our understanding of the time?

It’s difficult in a time of scientific developments happening practically every day to believe in miracles and for a lot of people, religion too. Visiting Canterbury Cathedral really enforces how important religion was to those living in the 12th Century. Considering this contributes to actually understanding history, rather than seeing it as a list of dates and events. Becket was a real man, who cared for his religious life, comparable to a medieval Martin Luther King. He went against those higher up to help those below. This develops our understanding of our rights; people like Becket over the centuries have all contributed to modern day rights.

The windows in Canterbury are a reminder of faith and of belief. Standing next to the very point where he was murdered is surreal and a must for any history lover. Pilgrims of Becket still arrive every 29th of December and according to the guides, they come from all corners of the globe, asking him to heal their relatives, or just to remember a man that nine centuries ago, fought for the same things they believe in now. This is also proof that the importance of religion remains – although I am not religious myself, the very fact that once a year, people go to pray for a long dead saint demands a kind of respect for this.

Looking at all of the types of art – architecture, paintings, windows etc also contributes to our understanding of how art has developed over the centuries. Learning the methodology too develops our knowledge; in a world without steel machinery, the idea that they created such tall windows and impressive structures makes it enthralling to learn the original processes.

Conclusion:

The biggest argument for this project was deciding whether or not Becket actually deserved the international praise he attained; he is often considered both a martyr and a traitor. Whatever he was though, he was certainly good for popular piety in England – and abroad. The texts were the vital part of my research; without literature I could not have understood much of the art. For the most part, many of them considered how Henry II’s order for the death of Becket was most likely just a throw-away comment made in anger. Henry’s public penance, walking barefoot to the Cathedral and begging forgiveness, demonstrates how Becket probably was an innocent man. Overall, I reached the conclusion that he deserved the recognition and nearly all of the art supported this– art is subjective and as much of it agreed with the idea of martyrdom, it seems like an agreed general consensus that Becket was unfairly murdered.

In 1982, Becket’s importance in modern religion was certified when Pope John Paul II and the then Archbishop of Canterbury prayed for Becket. This signified the end of a dispute between Rome and our Monarchy; it was not a win for the papal over the regal, but more a coming together of faiths. The plaque below is about a foot away from the physical location of Becket’s death.