Analysis Of Everym A Mortality Play

Death is something that humans do not really want to think about often, but when talked about most either fear or are uncertain about death. Most people on the planet try to put off death as long as they can, and if they are in a condition where they could possibly die, they will tend to flee or try to avoid the situation. People would prefer to put death off because on Earth people know their position in life, they have a sense of comfort, where death is just a big uncertainty which brings a lot of questions such as what happens after I die. The play, Everyman, is categorized as a morality play about how people view death and was written in the late 15th century and was first printed in 1945 (Jokinen, 2010). A mortality play, according to Merriam-Webster (2017) is “an allegorical play popular especially in the 15th and 16th centuries in which the characters personify abstract qualities or concepts (such as virtues, vices, or death)”. The author of this play is unknown, but although the author’s background is unknown, by reading the play it will tell how the author treats and sees death. Everyman is a great morality play with some good symbolism, and this paper will dissect the protagonist, the story, and the author’s perception of death, and the treatment of death. In order to understand what the author’s perception of death is, first the protagonist Everyman has to be addressed. …show more content…
Everyman in the play is a symbolism referring to mankind in general. He is a symbolism to mankind because in the play he dresses in fine clothes, and has lived a sinful life. According to (Drama for Students), “Everyman is not ready to go since he has not prepared for this day and has more sins than good deeds to his credit”. During the play, Everyman is told that he will die and that he will be judged, so as the protagonist he chooses to go on a pilgrimage to absolve his sin. Now that the protagonist is known, it is time to view the plot of the