Abstract Historical events and the life of saints are good sources for dramatists to focus on important events of their time. This comparative research aims to elaborate on similar themes in the works of two significant Modernist dramatists, namely, Eliot and al-Sharqawi. Although these dramatists belong to two different geographical and cultural settings, Britain and Egypt, they portray the same themes in Murder in the Cathedral (1935) and al-Husayn Revolutionary and Martyr (1969). The question this paper tries to answer revolves around the similar depiction of death, God’s will, sacrifice and the idea of victory in two aforementioned plays. In addition, this paper hopes to discuss why Eliot and al-Sharqawi have used verse drama for these special religious heroes. Besides, this paper will discuss the significance of historical events and the influence of Eliot on al-Sharqawi. These similarities are not simply the outcome of influences; that is why this research is going beyond the French school of comparative literature. In other words, the American school of comparative literature will also be used in this paper. We can conclude that al-Sharqawi has moved further; he tries to Arabicize Eliot’s version of Modernism.

Keywords