Reading Classics, Chronologically Through the Ages discussion

Everyman is the best surviving example of the type of Medieval drama known as the morality play. The moralities employed allegory to dramatize the moral struggle Christianity envisions universal in every individual.

Everyman, a short play of some 900 lines, portrays a complacent Everyman who is informed by Death of his approaching end. The play shows the hero's progression from despair and fear of death to a ‘Christian resignation that is the prelude to redemption.’” Source

I have this play buried around her somewhere. I'll have to dig it up!

Glad you'll be joining, Cleo! It's a short one, so I think I'll manage to read it in time to discuss (not that it's ever too late, but it's good when I can keep up).

I read Everyman this evening and, frankly, was a little disappointed.

God sends Death to take Everyman on a "pilgrimage", and after Everyman learns that he will die, he goes through a series of steps. Interestingly, the first thing he tries to do is bribe Death to come back a different day. When Death declines, Everyman goes to his friends, neighbors, and a bunch of allegorical objects/ideas such as Goods, Beauty, Strength, and Good-Deeds. He asks all of these things to accompany his to the grave, but all forsake him except for Good-Deeds, but only once he gives her strength through confession and repentance.

Morality plays are obviously not trying to hide what they are, but this one really just wasn't my cup of tea. I ultimately found it uninteresting and simple. It doesn't seem like something that can be analyzed to find subtle meaning, because it is the opposite of subtle and outright declares the moral of the story. Mildly amusing, but not one of my favorites.