Nowadays, within a growing secular audience, we don't spend our days  aching to learn of this almighty God who will damn us to eternal hell overlooking our every waking move, but we have become a place obsessed with our Earthly comforts, consumed by all we can accumulate. Death is inevitable, and when we stand to face it, like Everyman did in the morality play of the 1400s, it reminds us we exit only with the the good things we've done to be remembered by.<!--more-->

Everyman was written by an unknown author; Since then, historians have found monks or priests most likely responsible for a play of that genre. A morality play was a kind of theatrical work written during the Medieval times; they were highly praised among the church since they spoke of morals church members should abide by, through dramatic entertainment. Most of the people who populated Medieval Europe were illiterate and were unable to read the bible or other religious texts, only able to participate in the oral sermons that were given. This alternative way to speak the words of the Old and New Testaments were innovative since it could clearly reach out to everyone longing to hear the words of Christ. (White) Morality plays were a kind of allegory where the protagonist was met with a sea of personified characters which would test his Earthly life to ultimately show us whether our character would go on to live sinfully or choose to follow and honor the Divine. The greatest challenge a man faces are the World, the Flesh, and the Devil. It is strongly emphasized “sin is inevitable,” yet still, “repentance is always possible” (Potter) In Everyman, he is represented as your everyday citizen of the Earth who has abused his freedom, but repents his sins so he may be saved. Fellow characters include, God, the almighty, supernatural being; Death, to summon Everyman, sent by God himself; Cousin, Material Goods, Kindred and Fellowship, who stands aside Everyman in his physical life; Knowledge, who guides Everyman through receiving salvation; Good deeds, what will join him in his life hereafter; Confession, who Everyman admits his sins to; Five-Wits, Beauty, Strength and Discretion, who stand aside Everyman while on Earth, as well, but will not transcend to the afterlife; an Angel, who calls onto Everyman to what awaits for him beyond; and lastly, Doctor, a scholar we meet at the ending of the play who gives us a final cautious speech. (Cummings) Everyman finds himself face to face with Death, who was summoned by the Lord to have Everyman take pilgrimage with him, telling Everyman he must take along those whom will contribute to his soul in the afterlife. His loss of most Earthly acquaintances and personifications of worldly things, throughout the time-span of the play, stress the morals Everyman was written to teach: that man mustn’t become overly consumed with his possessions and objects of wealth. Also, to live against satisfying one’s own pleasure and fulfill a life of virtue aware of Jesus’ sacrifice to us. Although he finds himself juggling the options of his Earthly accompaniment, he ultimately sees which will benefit his soul when standing towards Death. The play displayed a common subject matter, since works of the fifteenth century often displayed men being summoned by death. The bloodshed of war, various widespread plagues and frequent crime made death a common sight to the public. Much poetry and artwork throughout the fifteenth and sixteenth century, dealt with a similar theme. (Sanders) It has been found that not much drama was produced throughout the Middle Ages; Through the never-ending rise of religious faith, the Church of the Middle Ages became responsible for the revival of dramas. (White) Another genre of plays that came about during the time of Everyman were mystery plays. These were theatrical performances which portrayed biblical subjects such as the following: Creation of the world, Adam and Eve, the murder of Abel, Noah and the flood, Prophets, foretelling Christ; and the Last judgement. (Jokinen) Although morality plays and mystery plays both convey biblical events, they each held considerable differences. As a morality plays tells us of morals, mystery plays lie within the mystery in which Christ delivers mankind from sin and saves us all from evil. Also, rather than a one-act as Everyman, these mystery plays, more specifically, “Noah’s Flood,” was part of the “cycles” of biblical tales, to fully dramatize each stage of events to the unlearned. Today, historians and people of all kinds find Everyman to be an intriguing source of finding and learning about the moral code that existed within the Middle Ages. For a modern audience to truly gain from this, they must remember it flourished in a time where these were greatly theological and created to reform the viewers. This allegorical way of thinking came from the medieval faith that felt everything on this Earth had a great moral underlining. When future generations read Everyman, it will go on to be a wonderful way to learn valuable life messages through the medieval mind’s standpoint and create our own personal image of ourselves through what would otherwise seem like intangible characters.
<p style="text-align: center;">&nbsp;</p>
<p style="text-align: center;">Works Cited</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Cummings, Michael. “Everyman: a Morality Play.” <em>Cummings Study Guides.</em> 2010. Web. 7. March. 2011. &lt;<a href="http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/Guides3/Everyman.html#">http://www.cummingsstudyguides.net/Guides3/Everyman.html#</a>Setting&gt;</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Jokinen, Anniina. “Medieval Drama.” <em>Luminarium: Anthology of English Literature.</em> 6. April. 2009. Web. 7. March. 2011. &lt;<a href="http://www.luminarium.org/medlit/medievaldrama.htm">http://www.luminarium.org/medlit/medievaldrama.htm</a>&gt;</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Potter, Robert. <em>The English Morality Play.</em> London: Routlede &amp; Kegan Paul, 1975. 16. Print.</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">Sander, Arnie. “Everyman (after 1485)” <em>Groucher College.</em> 13 Dec. 2010. Web. 7. March. 2011. &lt; <a href="http://faculty.goucher.edu/eng211/Everyman.html">http://faculty.goucher.edu/eng211/Everyman.html</a>&gt;</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">White, David. “Everyman.” <em>WSCC Virtual College. </em>n. d. Web. 7. March. 2011. &lt;<a href="http://vc.ws.edu/engl2410/2002/unit3/06Everyman.htm">http://vc.ws.edu/engl2410/2002/unit3/06Everyman.htm</a>&gt;</p>
<p style="text-align: left;">&nbsp;</p>