EVERYMAN

Everyman



Everyman

Introduction

One of the most critically acclaimed plays of 15th century, The Somonyng of Everyman commonly referred as Everyman. The concept of Christian salvation was examined and evaluated by the author using symbolic characters guiding the action of everyman what they must do for the attaining it. In connection to the play, this paper will discuss author's perception of death and the treatment of Death in Everyman.

Thesis Statement

The perception of death in Everyman in accordance with the author is undeniable and unpreventable; focusing on the fact that Everyman should expect and meet it.

Discussion

Death in the play has been personified and represented as God's designated agent to visit Everyman, the protagonist of the play. The play discuss one of universal truths that everyman in this world are required to meet the death one day, while the unknown author of the play present the death as an antagonist. The antagonist character of the play aims to represent natural phenomena of death. The utilization of the word death has been the center of attention for people because of its strong impact on the people's mind (Garner, 1987). Every person living on this world one day must realize and meets death as his final departure from this world. This is the reason why many consider this term mostly as the reflection of bitter reality.

The implications of death are very well understood by the author, which in fact is the main reason for the use of death as antagonist character in the play. Death has also been proven effective in grabbing the attention of reseeds of the play. The author in this play, has used death as a symbolic representation of the physical or natural death, while presenting it as an agent of God. While reading the novel, a perception is developed by the author that death is under direct control of God, which one day will visit everyone (Van Laan, 1963).

The character of Death in Everyman has been perceived obedient to the will of God and is obliged to follow God's every command. Being the morality play, Death's characteristics are actually the imitation of natural / physical death of human. During the phase of literature criticism i.e. from 1400 - 1800, author attempted to brought attention to the viewpoint that “the themes in Everyman are strongly reflected in the allegorical characters which populate the work.” The play started with the explanation of the fact that how God directs death to depart from heaven to take the lives of every creature whose time in the world has completed. This is the reason cited for the attribution of this play as moral play (LaBlanc, 2003). Death in the play has been presented as nothing but the transporter and carrier to God, who takes the souls of the creatures on the command of God. Since from the beginning of the play; it is clearly demonstrated by the author that death is nothing, but the creature that only works on the will of ...