The Lie (A Comparision to The Lie and Everyman)
For my final essay I chose "The Lie" by Sir Walter Raleigh. Because "The Lie" is from the Renaissance, which falls after the medieval period and I felt it could be viewed as a transitional work leading from the middle ages to the Renaissance. If one compares "The Lie" to Everyman, from the medieval period, I believe that a transition can be seen taking place. Everyman is focused on life in general. "The Lie" focuses on the individual. Other changes that can be seen progressing through the different periods come from the different writing styles. Everyman is written on a personal, emotional level. "The Lie" is written in a straightforward manner. Because of these progressions, I think "The Lie" can be seen as a transitional work. In Everyman, the author focuses on life in general in the line "How that all creatures be to me unkind, Living without dread in worldly prosperity. Of ghostly sight the people be so blind, Drowned in sin, they know me not for their God. In worldly riches is all their mind:"(pp. 446-47). This line is spoken by God and is focusing on the way humans generally live their lives. He is saying that humans are only interested in worldly possessions and are blind when it comes to
In Everyman, comes the line "O gracious God in the high seat celestial, Have mercy on me in this most need! Shall I have company from this vale terrestrial Of mine acquaintance that way me to lead?"(p. I also believe that humans do not respect moral virtues as they should. Everyman is asking if anyone or any of his worldly possessions will accompany him on his journey with Death. Overall, I think that "The Lie" is a very good example of a transitional work leading from the medieval period through the Renaissance. This is not to say that there was no feeling in the literature of the Renaissance, for there undoubtedly was in works such as Shakespeare's sonnets. In contrast to this, Raleigh comments on values held by different individuals in "The Lie" with "Tell manhood shakes off pity; Tell virtue least preferreth. In this quote Raleigh is attacking social classes and their institutions. When "The Lie" is compared to Everyman from the medieval period, I believe that it can be viewed as a transitional work. He believes that powerful people mimic each other in order to stay powerful. If you tell people who have these characteristics that this is how they are, and they lie by denying the allegations, then one should not hesitate to give them a lie in return. The only thing that will be of value upon their death is the salvation which is granted to them by God through their faith and repenting of their sins. A line from "The Lie" offers "Tell potentates, they live Acting by others' action; Not loved unless they give, Not strong but by a faction.
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Acceptance Essays
