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A Morality Play Written in the Late 1400's by an Unknown Author A Study Guide |
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Plot Summary by Michael J. Cummings..© 2005 . .......The author introduces the play with the following announcement:
.......“Ye think sin in the beginning full sweet,” he says, “which in the end causeth the soul to weep when the body lieth in clay.” .......God then speaks. He laments that his creatures live preoccupied with worldly prosperity, blinded to what is really important. “Drowned in sin, they know me not for their God,” the King of Heaven says. He summons the messenger, Death, and tells him to inform Everyman that his time on earth has ended and that he must now give an account of his life. .......Everyman says he needs more time, but Death refuses to grant it. Everyman then attempts to muster acquaintances to support him. When he begs Fellowship to help him with a problem, the latter pledges assistance. However, when Fellowship learns that Everyman wants him to testify in the land of death, Fellowship says he would normally accompany Everyman everywhere—to eat, drink, make merry, and pursue the pleasures of lust. He would even help Everyman commit murder. But to go with him to the afterlife and help him give an accounting of his life, that is out of the question, Fellowship says. Under no circumstances will he undertake such a fearsome journey. .......Everyman then seeks help from those related to him, Kindred and Cousin. But they, too, refuse to take part in the perilous journey. Sorely distressed at their unwillingness to support him in his time of need, Everyman now thinks that the material possessions he has stored up may enable him to buy his way into heaven. He calls out to Goods, saying “money maketh all right that is wrong.” Goods answers that he cannot stir from his position, for he is a heap of chests and bags and sacks. .......“But if thou had me loved moderately,” Goods says, giving part of Goods to the poor, “then shouldest thou not in this dolor be.” .......Desperate, Everyman turns to Good Deeds: I pray you, help me in this need.......Because he has been long neglected, Good Deeds is in a sorry condition. Although he is willing to go with Everyman, he cannot muster the strength—at least not at the moment—to do so. However, he introduces Everyman to his sister, Knowledge, who says she can help him by taking him to Confession. Everyman weeps for joy. .......Confession tells Everyman he will give him a precious jewel, penance, if he confesses his sins. Everyman calls on the Lord to forgive his grievous offenses, acknowledging that he is a “sinner most abominable,” and calls on the Virgin Mary to intercede with her Son on his behalf. After Everyman completes his confession, Knowledge informs him that his friend Good Deeds is healthy and whole once again. Good Deeds himself then comes forth and says Everyman is now prepared for eternity. Knowledge outfits Everyman with a robe of contrition, signifying that he repents his sins. .......Good Deeds introduces Everyman to Discretion, Strength, his Five Wits, and Beauty and asks them to accompany Everyman on his journey. Knowledge then tells him before he leaves he must receive the last sacraments of the church—Holy Viaticum (which is a special name for Holy Eucharist or Holy Communion when given to anyone about to die) and anointment with an oil. After he receives the sacraments, Beauty, Discretion, Strength, and the Five Wits go with Everyman to his grave but refuse to accompany him to the afterlife. Disheartened, Everyman cries, “O, Jesus, help! All hath forsaken me.” However, Good Deeds says, “Nay, Everyman, I will bide with thee.” Knowledge remains a while longer: “I will not from hence depart / Till I see where ye shall be. . . .” .......Everyman then prays that the Lord will receive him, saying “In manuas tuas, commendo spiritum meum” (Latin for “Into thy hands, I commend my spirit”). .......Knowledge hears angels singing. One of them invites Everyman into the heavenly regions. Only Good Deeds accompanies him. ....  Setting The action begins in heaven when God sends Death to summon the main character, Everyman. Thereafter, the action takes place on earth. Since the author intended the main character to represent every human being, the action on earth could take place anywhere. Everyman: Typical
human being who has neglected his spiritual life but repents his sins in
time to be saved.
Everyman is a morality play, an allegorical drama that teaches a lesson about how Christians should live and what a person must do to save his soul. A morality play was, in effect, a sermon that was acted out. The characters of a typical morality play include personifications of virtues (such as hope and charity), vices (such as pride and sloth), or other qualities, as well as personifications of objects (such as money) or activities (such as death or fellowship). In addition, God and angels may appear as characters, as they do in Everyman. Everyman was written in the late 1400's. The source for it has not been established. A Flemish work entitled Elckerlijc, with the same story and theme, was written about 1495 by Peter van Diest. The existence of that work has prompted speculation that (1) Everyman was based on Elckerlijc, (2) Elckerlijc was based on Everyman, or (3) Everyman and Elckerlijc were based on a story predating both works. Everyman presents a Roman Catholic point of view. The central character, representing every man and woman, earns his eternal reward through good works and reception of the sacraments of the church, such as penance (confession) and the Holy Eucharist. In Roman Catholicism, a person in danger of death receives Holy Eucharist given under the name Viaticum, a term derived from Latin words meaning travel and road and loosely translated as provision for the last journey. He or she also receives extreme unction, a sacrament in which a priest anoints a person’s ears, eyes, nose, lips, and hands (which represent the five senses) with oil that was blessed on Holy Thursday. After confessing his sins, Everyman receives both of these “last rites,” as they are called, before he enters the afterlife. Live for tomorrow—that is, life after death—by leading a holy and virtuous earthly life that includes doing good works. Everyman learns this lesson before it is too late. He confesses and repents his sins and thus earns paradise on the strength of his contrition and the good works that he has performed . A man may gain a world of riches, but they are as nothing if he suffers the loss of his soul. Everyman discovers the truth of the adage You can’t take it with you. “It,” of course, is his store of material goods, a burden that encumbers his spirituality. Good Deeds tells him that he should have lightened this burden by giving possessions to the poor. Man in his youth perceives sin as beautiful, like a spring flower. But this flower fades and dies in the autumn and winter of life. In lines 10-18 at the opening of the play, God’s messenger, Death, warns the audience to take heed of this truth. Humans snub God’s mercy. Caught up with the pleasures of life and the pursuit of material possessions, people neglect to petition the Lord to receive forgiveness for their sins, which He is every ready to bestow. God calls attention to this human fault near the beginning of the play: I proferred the people great multitude of mercy,No human being can escape final judgment. God tells Death that the day will come when every person must undertake a final journey and give an accounting of his life before the Lord. No man can escape this task; every man will face a day of reckoning. . Climax
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