Everyman (Medieval Literature) Review
The medieval play, Everyman, has defined what literature has come to know as The Everyman: the common, average person or character that is meant to represent every person. It is the character that is meant to allow the reader to identify with them. It is the character that represents society in general. Thus, the real message behind the medieval play Everyman is a social critique of what is wrong about The Everyman.Everyman can be traced back to the fifteenth century where it originated in a Dutch or Flemish play called Elckerlijc authored by Peter van Diest. The version must commonly read today is the sixteenth century English version. At its core Everyman is a morality play. Everyman is the main character who serves as an allegorical figure of the every man. In the play he is summoned by the allegorical figure of death to visit God and account for the life he has been lent by God. On his way, Everyman is told that he must go along, that his friends Fellowship, Kindred, Cousin, Goods and Knowledge will not accompany him. Only Virtue is willing to accompany Everyman and justify him before God.In the play, a messenger informs the audience that they mus
Then, at the end of the play, the messenger returns and tells the audience that "without good deeds, every man would be punished eternally. Good-Deeds thus agrees to accompany Everyman and serve as his witness before God. However, when approached, Goods says he cannot go because Everyman's damnation is a result of him placing to much love with Goods, therefore Goods being there would only make Everyman's case worse. Yet she is the only characteristic qualified to speak to Everyman's virtue because virtue is defined as helping ones fellow man. Good-Deeds on the other hand says that she would go with him but is unable to for she is to weak due to the fact that Everyman has not loved her. When Everyman finds Confession, Confession gives Everyman penance, which makes Good-Deeds strong enough to walk. From his name, it is clear that the main character represents humans as a whole. Cousin excuses himself by complaining of experiencing a cramp in his toe which prevents him from making the journey. Granted, all of these characteristics are important and positive, but they serve no greater purpose than benefiting Everyman himself. Everyman thus goes to find a friend. He realizes that since he has placed much love towards Goods, Goods will have to come on the journey with him and death. At its core, the play is nothing more than a dramatization of the Golden Rule: Do onto others as you want them to do upon you. When they first meet, Everyman attempts to bride Death to get more time, but his request is promptly denied. Kindred refuses immediately, saying that he would rather go to parties and have fun.
Common topics in this essay:
God Death,
Kindred Cousin,
Everyman Good-Deeds,
Dutch Flemish,
,
Golden Rule,
IIISummary Play,
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Five-Wits Beauty,
IVMeaning Everyman,
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serve witness god,
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