Everyman

Everyman reminded me of a church pageant play or a “fire and brimstone” sermon. I could imagine a zealous minister telling the story of Everyman to his congregation and urging them to repent before it’s “too late.” I’m still getting used to the personification of abstractions, because as I’m reading I have to remind myself the connotations associated with words like “good.” I think by personifying Knowledge and Good Deeds Everyman proves much more meaningful because the reader can feel directly connected to these characters.

I noticed Everyman seemed similar in some respects to children’s stories or Bible fables in that it is relatively simple. The moral of the story is much clearer than anything else we have read thus far this semester. Everyman urges the reader to live righteously on a daily basis. Because most (if not all) people will not be able to predict or determine when they will die, the Medieval audience of Everyman would be convicted to live in a way that would bring them to heaven.

I have read Everyman once before for another class and, unfortunately it was not any more enjoyable the second time around. The play seems drawn out to me. After the first few pages, I kind of get the point and feel over reading it. Reading this play the second time did help clarify some of the language that was difficult to understand the first time. But, I could definitely live without reading this play a third time.