Everyman

Thesis statement

The play defines peoples’ understanding and comprehension of death and that they have no capacity to get away with it without regard to their riches once death is knocking at the door. Death is used as an inevitable admission between heaven and hell, and going to heaven requires repentance of sins.

Introduction

“Everyman” is a short English play that was created in the late fifteenth century by the author, who is unknown. Everyman is considered to be the finest representative of morality play and one of the greatest medieval dramas in history (Kalish, 2019). “Everyman” is concerning the aspect of end of life of one’s life pattern on earth. Death in the play is associated with the exploration of the reasoning of life. The subject of death is perceived in a different way by different cultural setups, and it is inclined to impact a persons’ ethics, morals, and experiences (Beavis, 2016). Everyman is a morality play that offers insight and gives a demonstration of how peoples’ lives are hindered by death. The play defines peoples’ understanding and comprehension of death and that they have no capacity to get away with it without regard to their riches once death is knocking at the door. Death is used as an inevitable admission between heaven and hell, and going to heaven requires repentance of sins.

The most noteworthy themes that are conspicuous in the play are forgiveness and inevitable death and that everyone will take full responsibilities on judgment day (Makutoane & Naudé, 2004). Forgiveness cuts through everyone because we are all involved in actions that are detrimental to someone else with or without our knowledge and consciousness (Beavis, 2016). Therefore, it is required that we should seek forgiveness. Individuals should demonstrate kind-heartedness to the significant other and show a sense of gratitude when it is required (Johnson, 2017). The second theme of the inevitable death and that not a single person is capable of escaping from the wrath of death and every soul will be answerable.

There are many characters in the “Everyman” play. The central character in the play is Everyman, and he serves as mankind, and they encounter in life up to the time and date of judgment. Everyman was required to transform his sinful deeds by repenting in order for his life to be spared (Johnson, 2017). The second character in the play is the messenger of God (death). Death is sent to the earth by God to judge Everyman. Additionally, death is an allegorical character since he comes into view as a human being (Makutoane & Naudé, 2004). The author uses death as an admonition to Everyman, requiring him to be accountable for the actions that he has perpetrated in his life..

Perception of death

Death is perceived to administer the plans of God and judgment for humankind. Everyman has been conducting his own way manner of living, but God wanted to express his intentions and make Everyman recognize his purpose. To execute his purpose, God calls in dearth to deliver his will (Kalish, (2019). Upon realization that death squashes our hopes and terminates our plans and dreams, Everyman gets assured that his death is inevitable (Beavis, 2016). He, therefore, cries out for mercy and forgiveness since he cannot run away from it.

Death is also perceived as undeniable by Everyman since he treats it as inevitable for every being. The author employs the use of death just as an analogy of physical death to aid in visualizing the invisible concept (Johnson, 2017). People are normally subjected to fear that sparks a great deal of anxiety caused by death. Nevertheless, the fear of death is prevalent among people; the author exemplifies that the power and authority to control death is a reserve of God and that He uses it to bring people back to Him. It is a mandatory condition that all humans have to encounter and prepare for eternity. As a result, discretion, beauty, strength, and the Five Wits go along with Everyman as he goes to encounter and faces Death (Goldhamer, 1973). The company is designated to strengthen Everyman as he faces death as he cannot be accompanied to eternity. Before the occurrence of death, Everyman is presented with his last sacrament as an embodiment of rituals conducted by Catholics.

The character of death is also seen to be as submissive to God’s authority and command. Death’s traits are depicted as those of human beings’ physical death. Death is viewed as a sole messenger and carrier for God as he sends him to Everyman to deliver His information without alteration. Therefore, it illustrates total commitment and obedience Death has to God’s command (Beavis, 2016). God is perceived as the controller and the only authority of everything in existence, and He makes use of it to initiate people into eternity. Additionally, Death is perceived to be instantaneous and unforeseen. The occurrence of Death puts Everyman in great anguish because he is not prepared to account for his life. Everyman cries out and begs for an extension of time to prepare his account of the life, but all of his requests are declined. However, he was asked to come with a company that can highlight his good deeds (Goldhamer, 1973). In the end, Everyman is given more time to prepare to repent his sins regardless of his sinful nature. When the judgment day strikes, no one can be left as Everyman will be judged as per his deeds. Eventually, Everyman is forgiven after he confessed, asked for forgiveness, and repented his sins.

Perception of treatment of death

In the beginning, Everyman concentrates on looking for material wealth, and this upsets God. This prompts God to send Death Everyman to pass a message that is life is approaching an end. As a response to the message, Everyman makes an attempt to bribe Death using material possession, but Death declines (Porter, 2017). This demonstrates that material possession is meaningless to Death, and it is inevitable. Death is perceived negatively as Everyman made an attempt to lure it to run away from it. However, Death announces the inevitability of it to Everyman. The announcement indicates that there is only a single chance to live. Everyman takes a decision to marshal his friends to give him company during judgment in order to evade solitary judgment.

In the play, Death is depicted as isolation and lonesomeness as no one wants to have a link with death. Everyman tries to convince his family and friends to go along with him in his journey to judgment, but no one gives in (Johnson, 2017). Everyman wants to enjoy his life, but the idea and thoughts of death are engraved in his mind. The refusal of his family and friends to accompany him, suggests that in the end, he will stand before judgment alone. Family, friends, and material possessions will not save him.

As soon as Good Deeds persuades her sister to go along with Everyman, they go to meet up with Confession (Porter, 2017). Atonement is offered to Everyman by Confession with a clear condition to repent his sins. Therefore, Everyman asks for forgiveness in attendance. The act of seeking forgiveness punishes Everyman with affliction. Subsequent to this, Confession announces that forgiveness is granted to Everyman. Therefore, Good Deeds becomes comfortable to accompany and confident enough to go along with Everyman in his journey (Beavis, 2016). At the end of time, Everyman dies, and Good Deeds is the only one who goes along with him to eternity. This is a clear demonstration that all the other values and qualities disintegrate and fall out apart from his good deeds. The fear of Death exhibited by Everyman prompts him to repent his sins so that he gets forgiven when he presents his life’s account.

Consequently, material possessions and the physical body remain to the world in the occurrence of Everyman’s death. Everyman’s family, material goods, and Fellowship is a representation of worldly materials that do not go along with Everyman upon his death (Goldhamer, 1973). He eventually decides to depend on himself as he realizes that material things and family will not go along with him to the end of his journey to judgment as he presents his life’s account to God.

Conclusion

The play Everyman perceives death is illustrated form the Catholic perspective. The play illustrates and speaks of death in a comprehensive manner. It tries to show how people can live without having a fear of death. The author in the play observes that people do not need to have a fear of death, but they are required to acknowledge that God is in full control of death, and He makes use of death as His messenger. The author illustrates that Everyman needs to be repent and get saved before death to be granted eternal life. In addition, Everyman is held accountable for his own activities during judgment. Death does not take into consideration the earthly possessions but is a way of receiving salvation and living an eternal life with God. According to the author, the only way to run away from Death is to endeavor to attain eternal life and to live in accordance with God by keeping away from the seven deadly sins. Therefore, the play illustrates the concept of Christian faith, as demonstrated by Catholics.

References

Beavis, M. A. (2016). Fargo: A Biblical Morality Play. Journal of Religion & Film, 4(2), 3.

Goldhamer, A. D. (1973). Everyman: A dramatization of death.

Johnson, K. W. (2017). [Weekly Devotional]”Principles for Christian Liberty.”

Kalish, R. (2019). Death and dying: Views from many cultures. Routledge.

Makutoane, T. J., & Naudé, J. A. (2004). Reanimating orality: morality plays Everyman/Elkerlijk in Southern Sotho. Journal for Semitics, 13(2), 159-185.

Porter, K. (2017). Dr. Faustus, A Morality Play Update: Marlowe’s Dramatization of Spiritual Individualism and Characterization.