Religion in English Drama

Paper Summary:

This paper compares the manner in which these English plays by Wilde, Eliot, and Bolt express the religious issue of obedience to Christian teachings through plot and language. The author points out that Robert Bolt's play "A Man for All Seasons" dramatizes the sixteenth-century confrontation between King Henry VIII and Sir Thomas More. The paper relates that Wilde and Eliot apply different thematic approaches with Eliot using conflict and dialogue to explore, through poetic drama, universal issues such as the burden of temptation, the need for humility and the role of motivation in human actions.

From the Paper:

"Robert Bolt's memorable play, "A Man for All Seasons", dramatizes the sixteenth-century confrontation between King Henry VIII and Sir Thomas More. Through setting, plot and characterization, Bolt (1990) explores the influence and consequences of religious belief and romantic emotion. Compelled by the expectations and demands of Henry VIII, Thomas More must choose between conscience and expediency, and his ultimate decision exacts a terrible, personal price. In describing two aspects of religious belief that strongly influenced More's fateful decision to follow his conscience instead of cravenly heeding the demands of his king, it is evident that More felt compelled by his deep religious faith and regard for the divine authority of the Roman Catholic Church to defy Henry."

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