Talk:Thomas Becket

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1 Source
2 Ghost
3 Title?
4 Gay or merry?
5 Lara de Rouchenfeld
6 Edward Grim & Assasination
7 Continuity between Exile and Assassination.
8 Aftermath
9 Plagarism?
10 Return to England?
11 works
12 Schism
13 Context
14 Spacing
15 Where's Becket?

[edit] Source

My source for the legends connected with Becket is Folklore, Myths and Legends of Britain (London: The Reader’s Digest Association, 1973), p. 205 (Otford); p. 208 (Strood). Not sure if I need to put this on the page of the main article. --Polylerus 06:10, 30 July 2005 (UTC)

[edit] Ghost

[edit] Title?

If the "à" wasn't a part of his name, shouldn't the article be moved to just Thomas Becket? (I admit I'm only asking because I saw it on QI the other night, but it's still a valid question.) SJO (talk) 15:01, 24 November 2005 (UTC)

Moved to his non-anachronistic title on his feast day. – Kaihsu 15:23, 29 December 2005 (UTC)

WELL IN CANTURBURRY TALES BY GEOFFERY CHAUCER, HE USES THE A'. SO..................WHO KNOWS

Can anyone find a reference that verifies that St Thomas à Becket is incorrect? A mention on the television programme QI is not academically sound. Stephen Fry is a very clever chap, but we should try to find the source he was using. The name St Thomas à Becket is well established and is the name used in the Oxford Dictionary of English, the New Oxford Dictionary for Writers and Editors and Chambers Biographical Dictionary. There are also dozens of schools and churches all over the world that use the "à". Le poulet noir 10:51, 12 June 2006 (UTC)

No! But I can provide a reference that Thomas Becket is not incorrect: the Everyman’s Encyclopedia, 4th edn., London 1961, uses this form. Chambers Biographical Dictionary, 6th edn., 1997, ISBN 0-550-160-60 has him as Becket, Thomas (à), and references a 1970 book called Thomas Becket.

Why don’t we cut the polemic on correctness—which, even if it were supported, would be pretty tangential to an encyclopedia article—and just begin

Thomas Becket (also Thomas à Becket) (December 21, 1118 – December 29, 1170), English saint and martyr, was Archbishop…

Thomas à Becket (also Thomas Becket) (December 21, 1118 – December 29, 1170), English saint and martyr, was Archbishop…

—Ian Spackman 12:01, 4 August 2006 (UTC)

His recent biographer Frank Barlow (Thomas Becket : Berkeley 1986) says that he never used the Becket surname at all, "But much less tolerable is the 'à Becket' surname, which seems to have been a post-Reformation invention, and from which Thomas should be spared." I lean to not using it. Bpmullins 03:59, 15 August 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Gay or merry?

A previous version of the article said "gay, pleasure-loving courtier". The meaning "gay" = "homosexual" is a quite new, and old text obviously used it as "merry", a meaning that is rapidly falling out of use due of the conflict with the new one.

I've did some quick web research, and it seems clear to me that indeed Thomas Becket was not homosexual, but outside from Google-fu, my knowledge is nil. Can an expert comment?

For now, I changed the article to use "merry", as homosexuality among clergy is a strongly controversial subject.

[edit] Lara de Rouchenfeld

The article notes casually and seemingly out of the thread that Beckett married a young maiden by the name Lara de rouchenfeld and furthermore that child was killed for declaring herself a homosexual. I cannot find any reference to Lara de Rouchenfeld online. Is this fact or political?

[edit] Edward Grim & Assasination

The details of the assasination are very sketchy, and I am amazed that there is no mention at all of Edward Grim, because he was one of 5 witness to the murder, and so is a central figure to historians enterpreting (sp?) his murder. And would some one PLEASE write an article on him! --Flintwill 11:29, 30 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Continuity between Exile and Assassination.

The article jumps from Becket in Sens locked in conflict with Henry II in the 'Becket leaves England' section to his murder in Canterbury Cathedral in 'Assassination' but doesn't explain the conditions that allowed him to return to England.

Good point! There needs to a section added. I'll take a look at Barlow and see what I can do. Bpmullins 19:21, 6 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Aftermath

So what became of the fundamental struggle between church and state? Did Thomas accomplish in death what he sacrificed himself for? Was Henry's contrition sincere? Inquiring minds -- oops, that's copyrighted. Moioci 23:03, 11 September 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Plagarism?

Maybe I'm just being sceptical, but the second section, about 1162, seems a bit...suspicious. Maybe I'm just trained to spot any parts in my or other peoples' work that may seem (or is) plagarised, but it would be worth giving your sources for the piece.

[edit] Return to England?

Good article - but on reading through it, it doesn't say when Becket returned to England. We have "Becket leaves England" and then in the next section he is assassinated in Canterbury. Could add details of his return to Canterbury? Gebjon 00:21, 21 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] works

Did Thomas (á) Becket have any significant writings? Any books, or treatises? Cheers, --222.155.213.36 02:12, 21 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Schism

What on earth does schism mean? Couldn't you use easier language?

Schism is terminology rather than jargon. See http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Schism_%28religion%29 Le poulet noir 16:56, 13 January 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Context

"In late 2005, Thomas Becket was selected as one of the ten "Worst Britons," in a poll by the BBC History Magazine." Could someone add as to why he was chosen for this dubious honour given that he is regarded as a saint? The context as to why he was selected needs to be mentioned for someone who is not well versed with this subject. Idleguy 12:32, 3 December 2006 (UTC)

Founding gesture politics and being a hypocrite! BBC News: Saint or sinner? Timrollpickering 23:43, 28 January 2007 (UTC)

Regarding the 1100s, I would've thought the war between Stephen and Maud was just as avoidable and far worse for Britain than the crisis between Henry II and Becket. But of course IANAH. 18.252.5.164 00:11, 20 February 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Spacing

Could some kind person with greater technical know how than me please ensure that the text is not covered halfway down by the picture of Saint Thomas`s burial? Thankyou! Andycjp Dec 29th 2006

[edit] Where's Becket?

An entire entry dedicated to Becket, yet he is not mentioned once in the article! what's up with that? —The preceding unsigned comment was added by 170.148.10.46 (talk) 17:21, 29 January 2007 (UTC).

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