The Concept Of Redemption In Saint Joan, Murder In The Cathedral, The Crucible And A Man For All Seasons A:

Ahmad Mustafa Sakr ;

The concept of redemption is considered the essence of Christianity and is widely mentioned in the Bible which induced the commentators of this holy book to handle it with deep interest,presenting a great heritage. As a natural result, this prevalentreligious heritage worked as an inspiring source for the distinguishedwriters and poets in general. Shaw, Eliot, Miller and Bolt are some ofthe gifted and adept dramatists that tackled this concept in theirplays. To substantiate such a point, it was necessary to reveal in theintroduction the extent to which the Christian world is saturated withthis religious concept.According to the Christian thought, the original sin of Adam’sand Eve’s disobedience of God’s order by eating of the tree ofknowledge was not forgiven. For no obvious reason, this sin wasdestined to move from one generation to another with nothing to stopit until the crucifixion of Christ. Despite the Christian God’s love ofHis children, human beings, He could not forgive them because He isjust. Their repentance, for the sin they inherited, was not enough.Sacrificing their lives does not satisfy Him since these creatures,including prophets, are sinners. The only solution was asking asinless being to disguise himself as a human through incarnation, andGod’s only Son was the One fated to do this. The sin is too great tobe forgiven by a sacrifice of an angel, a genie, a bird, etc. Seeing Hisonly Son crucified at the hands of human beings, the sinners, was theonly way to appease this God’s ire that resulted from Adam’sdisobedience. Christ’s human body was the ransom paid to redeemhumanity. By Christ’s death, all human beings are redeemed fromtheir original sin. Adam’s eating of the tree of good and evil was a sinand the suffering and death of the masqueraded Son was the pricepaid to the Christian God to forgive that sin. Believing in redemptionis humanity’s only way to salvation which illuminates its importance.This is the concept of redemption reflected in the four plays handledin this thesis. The ubiquity of this concept participated in forming thecultural background of the writers, paving the way for handling thisperennial story in their works. The protagonists’ demise is a kind ofredemption similar to that of Jesus Christ.Chapter I deals with Shaw’s Saint Joan. In this chapter, there isan elucidation of how the concept of redemption is reflected in thisplay. Joan is a saint that dies for a goal similar to that of Christ.Although Christ is sinless by nature and so he was chosen forsalvation, Joan‟s original sin is forgiven by believing in Christ andfollowing Him. Incinerating this pure-hearted sinless girl is a kind ofredemption for the sinners.Different comments on Saint Joan, including Shaw‟s, arereferred to, but the main concern is on the play itself. According tothe Christian concepts, the play shows that Joan is a Christian saintand martyr while her judges are mere demonic villains. Thesedevilish scoundrels are redeemed by Joan‟s death that leads to theirrepentance. Every other opinion or attempt to defame Joan or justifythe actions of the court is refuted by the text itself. Although Shawdid his best, he partly failed to achieve what he intended to do insuch a field. It is substantiated that Shaw contradicts himself in hispreface and it is reflected in the play too.Chapter II handles Eliot‟s Murder in the cathedral in an attemptto substantiate its being influenced by the Christian concept ofredemption. Thomas Becket, the protagonist of the play, sacrificeshis life to redeem his generation. It is an imitation of the crucifixionof Christ who, according to the Christian thought, saved humanity bydying for them.The concept of redemption is so conspicuous in Murder in theCathedral. Eliot succeeded in conveying this concept through hisportrayal of the character of the historical figure Thomas Becket tothe extent that the play may turn every Christian reader into a personwho only waits and witnesses. Christ agonized without repulsion andhis followers of the saints and martyrs must do the same. Theabettors who espouse certain Christian ideas must suffer not repugnuntil they get lynched or dismembered and those who accept this actof self-murder attain exculpation or forgiveness. This is the case ofThomas Becket, the protagonist of this play, and the audiencerepresented by the witnesses or the chorus. Even the knights,Becket’s murderers, intend to play the role of saviors by claimingsacrificing all for the sake of their nation. In short, the concept ofredemption is conspicuously reflected in Murder in the Cathedral,presenting another savior to the world.Chapter III tackles Miller‟s The Crucible in which JohnProctor, the protagonist of the play, and some other characters followthe Christ in sacrificing their lives to save others. The Concept ofRedemption is so conspicuous in Proctor‟s multiple sacrifices endedby his self-immolation to redeem the whole town. Though Christ isoriginally virtuous, Proctor‟s offence is forgiven through his act ofbelieving in Christ and following his instructions. His regret,suffering and repentance are patent from the very beginning. Hefinally sacrifices his life for the sake of his friends and all membersin his community, dying as an honest human being. He stands forwhat is right and protects his community. In this respect, Hurrellstates that Miller intends his dramatic works to ”make man morehuman.” (46).In short, the concept of redemption is reflected in The Cruciblenot only through the protagonist but also through all those hanged:…the innocent victims of the tragedy are like Jesus. Christiansbelieve that Jesus died to save future generations. Those who learnfrom the deaths in Salem are also saved. They are saved fromrepeating history and suffering another great loss of life. (Online:“Novel Guide on The Crucible”)Chapter IV elucidates the extent to which Bolt’s A Man for allSeasons is a play in which the concept of redemption is so patent. SirThomas More, the man for all seasons, sacrifices his life for the sakeof God exactly the way Christ did. The protagonist of the play isprepared, from the beginning, to be one of the christs that die to saveothers. Whatever Robert Bolt states about his More, the one portrayedin the play is a christ. Although he does not seek martyrdom, hedreams of it. In all his demeanor, he prepares himself to be chosen byGod for that mission. His life is based on prayer, he fears his God inall his actions, knowing that he is watched by his Creator. He does- 262 -not want to do the right thing for the wrong reason but waits for theright moment to act. He is not a defector but remains loyal to his Kingand his country to the last moment as long as this does not contradicthis religious principles. He abstains from following his King in what hesees as against God. Yet, he, also, advises his King when he has thechance. Before his meeting with Henry, his action is mostly personal.But after the meeting, he puts all his family in danger. However, hedoes not retract but goes on until his silence has influence on so manyothers. He resigns his chancellorship when he thinks it may affect hisattitude. His action turns from the personal to the general. Hisresignation is considered a signal for insurgence though, for him, this isa normal moral action. Christ was doing the right not for the sake offame but simply because he thought it was right. More is now followedby so many and whatever the decision he makes, it will affect them. Heis responsible before God for those people and so his decision must bethe right one. He does not care about incarceration or suffering for he isfollowing Christ who suffered too much. He is not afraid of death sincehe is going the same way Christ passed through. His mortal life isnothing compared to the people he is to save and to his place inHeaven. Therefore, he remains steadfast. Christ‟s Crucifixion was forhumanity‟s salvation and More‟s death is for humanity‟s redemption.To conclude, it is noted that the biblical concept of redemptioncame to be the inspirer of the storywriters all over the ages. Yet,though, at the end of the plays, tackled in this thesis, all theprotagonists, like the Savior, pay their lives as a ransom to redeemothers, the talented dramatists managed to handle this concept invariant forms that suited their purposes enticing each hero or heroine in a way that suits his/her nature.The thesis is entitled ”The Concept of Redemption In SaintJoan, Murder in the Cathedral, The Crucible and A Man For AllSeasons: A Study of Theme and Context”. It is divided into anintroduction, four chapters and a conclusion. The Introduction ismeant to illustrate the meaning and significance of redemptionin Christianity and the Christian world. This Introduction isfollowed by a critical analysis of Saint Joan, Murder in theCathedral, The Crucible and A Man for all Seasons, in fourchapters.The choice of four playwrights is to corroborate the greatimpact of religion on drama and that drama is the mirror ofsociety. The redeemer or the savior is portrayed in a differentmanner, in each play, to accomplish certain purposes that servethe writer’s community. Although the redemption of Christ istoo eerie to be believed, it has an interesting dramatic side. Theman who sacrificed his life to save others is an exampleportrayed by writers to follow. It is mostly used to teach valuesof love and philanthropy, to urge people to be positive in theirreactions or to remind them of Christianity.In Saint Joan, Bernard Shaw succeeded in presenting acharacter similar to that of Christ. Like Jesus, Joan who iscalling for a direct contact with God is disbelieved and brutallymurdered. Joan is a saint that dies for a goal similar to that ofChrist. Although Christ is sinless by nature and so he waschosen for salvation, Joan’s original sin is forgiven by believingin Christ and following Him. Incinerating this pure-heartedsinless girl is a kind of redemption for the sinners. Like Christ’ssurreptitious resurrection, the appearance of Joan’s soul after herdeath assures her righteousness. Joan’s murderers, like those ofJesus, are forgiven for their ignorance.Murder in the Cathedral is further substantiation for thedramatists’ obsession with the concept of redemption. Therecurrence of the events of such a story in their writings affirmssuch a point. In Murder in the Cathedral, Eliot sheds light uponthe suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. He, also, refers tothe temptations Christ passed through before His death. Christagonized without repulsion and his followers of the saints andmartyrs must do the same. The abettors who espouse certain Christian ideas must suffer not repugn until they get lynched ordismembered and those who accept this act of self-murder attainexculpation or forgiveness. This is the case of Thomas Becket,the protagonist of this play, and the audience represented by thewitnesses or the chorus. Even the knights, Becket’s murderers,intend to play the role of saviors by claiming sacrificing all forthe sake of their nation. In short, the concept of redemption isconspicuously reflected in Murder in the Cathedral, presentinganother savior to the world. The import of the message Eliotintended to convey to his audience is that believing in Christ andHis redemption is the only way to avoid Hades, advising them toblindly follow Christ without using their minds because Hisways are different from theirs.Chapter III tackles Miller’s The Crucible in which JohnProctor, the protagonist of the play, and some other charactersfollow Christ in sacrificing their lives to save others. TheConcept of Redemption is so striking in Proctor’s multiplesacrifices ended by his self-immolation to redeem the wholetown. Though Christ is originally virtuous, Proctor’s offence isforgiven through his act of believing in Christ and following hisinstructions. He pays his life as a simple price to redeem others.In Chapter IV, Sir Thomas More, the man for all seasons, sacrifices his life for the sake of God exactly the way Christ did.Bolt’s distinguishedness looms in handling the concept ofredemption through a character of another Thomas in a differentmanner. In A Man for all Seasons, Thomas More is a man whocares for his family and afraid to lose his life as normal humanbeings do. Yet, this does not prevent him from preferring his God to everyone and everything else. He sacrifices his life for the sake of God, and his martyrdom was a lesson for people toact and say “No” in front of injustice whatever the cost may be.A comparison between the four plays, in the Conclusion, reveals the dramatists’ genius and prodigy. They were able topresent the concept of redemption in variant shapes. Possessingthe capability of presenting a hero or a heroine who representsJesus Christ, in different forms, sets each of them as adistinguished dramatist. Although the protagonists reflect Jesus’behavior, it is obvious that neither the heroes nor their acts are the same or a copy of each other. Moreover, enticing each heroor heroine in a way that suits his/her nature substantiates theplaywrights’ talent. They could emanate from the biblical concept of redemption new flexible moulds.