Everyman: An Essay

Victoria Jensen

Ms. Dean 17 September 2012 IB Senior English Word Count:

During the tenth century there was a revival of theater in Europe inspired and sponsored by the Roman Catholic Church. A type of play called a morality play that was especially influential for the church was the morality play, for it enacted symbolic structure of the Christian life. One such Morality play written in the fifteenth century was perhaps the best; called Everyman this play was symbolic in almost every way, from its characters to plot. In the play, God orders Death to seek out Everyman and prepare him to die. Because of this Everymans reaction to this throughout the play may symbolize the Five Stages of Dying (Denial and Isolation, Anger, Bargaining, Depression, and Acceptance), these are theorized emotions every person goes through before death. These Five Stages of Dying are symbolized through Everymans talk with Death, his realizations on his journey, and his acceptance to the Grave. While Everymans reckoning with Death he experiences the beginning of the Five Stages of Death. There is a reason that Death comes upon Everyman when he is alone, and that it to isolate him in his death. The line This blind matter troubleth my wit fully conveys Everymans confusion about his conversation with Death, and the line, Full unready I am such reckoning to give. I know thee not: what messenger art thou?(101) emphasizes the denial Everyman is facing, he is clearly staring Death in the face yet he is arrogantly asking questions. The second Death reveals himself, Everyman says, Yea, a thousand pound shalt thou have, and defer this matter till another day (121-122). There is no doubt that he is bargaining for his life, the fourth stage of dying. Everymans anger comes not a short while later with the statement, To think on thee, it maketh my heart sick, for all unready is my book of reckoning (132-133). This line is almost foreshadowing his later actions, for everything he does after his talk with Death is a way to get ready for his upcoming end. The symbolization continues when Everyman starts his journey for company to his grave, the moments when his friends and family abandon him take part in the five stages of death. When fellowship utterly forsakes him, Everymans reply is, Farewell, good Fellowship; for this my heart is

sore (298). This is clearly a statement of the beginnings of depression for Everyman, and it only continues when Kindred and Cousin abandon him. His response, I am deceived; that maketh me sad (371) symbolizes to the audience that no one they know would ever follow them into death, that believing so will only deceive them. This realization marks Everymans depression stage, for he outright says that he is sad. But for every person who abandons him or follows him, none mark his final acceptance. Everymans final stage of dying is finally realized in the obvious motion of walking into the audience, otherwise known as his grave: Methinks, alas, that I must be gone, to make my reckoning and my debts pay, for I see my time is nigh spent away (863-865). This action combined with his speech is supposed to give the audience a sense of their own reckoning; that, if they do not succeed in their own good deeds, their fate might not be as peaceful as Everymans.