The Theme Of Death In Everyman

Everyman is a moral drama that was written in the medieval ages by an unknown author. During the medieval ages, life was difficult and dangerous with a threatening lack of knowledge in hygiene and health. Death was on everyone’s doorstep, and Everyman is a drama that truly captured the world that was highly religious and marked with death and disease. In the drama, death acts as a character and a theme and is Everyman 's guide through his final journey to judgment. In depth, the author spoke through their usage of death to convey a comforting but warning story to a people that were invested religiously in the future of their soul. Today, the author’s usage and meaning of death in Everyman connect with humanity in such a way that the story is …show more content…
During the medieval age, the usual lifetime was 28-years-old (Presentation 26, slide 2). This fact sets the tone of the age that the author lived in when they wrote the moral play, which influenced the usage of death. Everyman was written to warn the human race of a demoralized society and its threat to the soul; however, the play also had a message and theme of hope. In a world where death was seen as an enemy, the author 's treatment of death was one of respect and honor. Death was the journey that guided one to God and gave a person 's soul the opportunity to find eternal life through Jesus Christ’s mercy. In Everyman, death’s important presence through character and theme and the reaction to death’s role in the story contribute to the author’s message about death in the classical moral …show more content…
He calls humanity “unkind” to Him and “drowned in sin” (1495, verses 23-26). Even though God is angry, He is still merciful to give Everyman a final chance of redemption through death. In this scene, God calls Death His "mighty messenger" (1495, verse 63). This references Death as the bringer of souls to God and the guide of all to their final judgment. Death is unbiased, as it leads all souls; therefore, Death is a foil character in the play that enhances the character development of Everyman and his final journey. While Death is not always present in the story, as it often leaves the scene when Everyman’s earthly companions are called, Death never loses control of the journey. He is the constant companion of Everyman’s soul, as it is the dutiful messenger of God to guide souls to their fate without fail (1945, verse 65). Death’s character also acts as the informer. God does not communicate directly with Everyman as he goes through his journey. Death informs Everyman about what is about to occur and his second chance at redemption (1945, verses 103-12). Death’s role as a character in the story is fearless, constant, unbiased, and loyal. Importantly, Death is beyond humanity’s control, and, in this, the author gives the message that death rests in the hands of God, not humans, for death is not personal. In truth, it