THOMAS BECKET, AN ENGLISH SAINTAND HISTORIC PERSONALITY IN A. TENNYSON’S DRAMA “BECKET”

The aim of the article consists in characterizing the perception of one of the most important personalities in the English history in Tennyson’s play. The episodes of the conflict between the King and Becket are analyzed in the article, Tennyson’s following the tradition of Shakespeare’s historical plays in representating different social groups is taken into account, the author’s tendency to clear out Becket’s moral superiority over the King is underlined. Being objective in his attitude to the protagonist, criticizing his obsession with one idea, Tennyson presents Becket as an ideal of a man faithful to his duty and capable of mercy and self-sacrifice. Tennyson is mostly famous as an eminent poet of the Victorian era. But his plays also deserve attention as another aspect of his literary heritage which is proved in the article.