ABSTRACT
Chapter 2 analyzes three thirteenth-century translations of the biographies of Becket: the fragment known as the Becket Leaves, the South English Legendary, and the Icelandic Thomas Saga. These works, in addition to being major additions to the literature dealing with Becket, reflect the changing social and political circumstances of the new era. They depict a Canterbury martyr who is more human and sympathetic, offering an opportunity for identification by the laity. It is also possible to see in these works the beginnings of Becket’s representation as an icon of English nationhood.
