EVERYMAN

Every man is a late 15th century morality play. It was written in the Middle English during the Thiru period, but the identity of the author is unknown. Let'see a short s In an introduction, a messenger asks for the audience's attention. The action begins with God complaining that man have become weak and have taken for granted everything he has given them. He s Death obeys and comes upon every man walking alone. He asks every man if he has forgotten God and tells him he must make a pilgrimage to the afterlife to be judged. This will be a journey from which he can never return. Every man begs for more time. He complains he was not expecting death and exasperated death, tells him he should have known better and gives him a brief time to prepare himself. Every man laments his fate. He asks fellowship who represents his earthly friends for help. Fellowship declares he would walk through the hell with every man. However, he quickly changes his position when he realizes the afterlife is where every man is going. He says he will be with every man if he wants to enjoy life, but he will not go on his journey with them. Every man turns to kinder than cousin who makes similar promises, but also abandon him when they learn where he is going. Every man calls out to Goods who represents his wealth and worldly possessions saying he loved Goods best of all. Goods says he can fix any earthly problem, but will only hurt every man's case with God as love of wealth is a trap that damned souls. Every man calls out to Goods to come with him and speak to God. She says she would if she were not so weak from the weight of this sin. He sends him to resist the knowledge who will guide him. Knowledge brings every man to see confession, who gives every man a penance to absolve his sins. Every man performs his penance and prays God forgiveness. Once this is done, Goods is healed and able to come with him. Agent Goods did advise every man to gather virtues to himself, beauty, strength, discretion and five wits. The virtues urge every man to receive communion and extreme action before he dies. Five wits and knowledge discuss sacraments and how priests hire God's actors on earth, knowing that the soul cannot receive salvation without their important work. Every man returns from the sacraments ready to go to his grave, but his earthly virtues, beauty, strength, discretion and five wits leave him as he dies. Which stays with him until the end, but she cannot follow him after death. However, she hears the angel sing and knows Goods did as gone with every man to heaven, where he will be saved. Salvation Angel affirms that every man has been saved. The play closes as a doctor enters and explains that in the end, a man will only have his good deeds to follow him beyond the grave.