Final answer:
The author’s change of Thomas Becket's dying words to "Poor Henry" likely serves to add emotional depth to the historical narrative and express Becket’s apparent forgiveness, spotlighting the complex relationship with King Henry II.
Step-by-step explanation:
The alteration of Thomas Becket's dying words to "Poor Henry" could be attributed to the author's creative license to emphasize a sense of pity or understanding for King Henry II. By portraying Becket as sympathetic even in his dying moments, the author might be aiming to highlight the complex and tumultuous relationship between Becket and Henry, suggesting Becket's forgiveness or perhaps casting Henry as a tragic figure, ensnared in the consequences of his actions.
In historical dramatizations, such modifications serve to add depth to characters and evoke particular reactions from the audience. This showcases the power authors possess in shaping perceptions of historical figures and events through literature. As with the incidents of manuscripts published without consent, like the case of Henry King's Poems, there is a long-standing tradition of writers influencing and transforming original narratives.