Everyman Anonymous

1495 17 Characters

Setting – The script doesn’t give any description of setting, so it would be interesting to see what
different directors do with it following the idea that it could be about everyone.

Plot – God sends Death to tell Everyman that his time is up and he must leave on a pilgrimage
(death). Everyman wants company on his journey and searches for a companion, first going to
Fellowship. Fellowship promises he will stand by Everyman through thick and thin, but once he
finds out the nature of Everyman’s journey, he promptly abandons him. Next Everyman goes to
his Kindred and Cousin, but neither of them will go with him either. Then he goes to Goods, his
wealth and possessions, but Goods is unable to go on such voyages. So Everyman goes to Good
Deeds, but finds that his Good Deeds cannot get up from the ground, because they are restricted
by his transgressions. Good Deeds calls Knowledge and Knowledge leads Everyman to
Confession, where he repents of his sins and asks God’s redemption, which frees Good Deeds.
Then with Good Deeds and Knowledge, Everyman summons Beauty, Strength, the Five Wits,
and Discretion. They encourage him to go to the priest to receive the last sacraments, then all of
them set out for the grave. At the grave, Beauty, Strength, Discretion, and the Five Wits leave
Everyman, and Good Deeds goes to the grave with him.

Items of Note – I’m curious about the history surrounding morality plays like this, because this
isn’t far off from when Shakespeare worked and I was under the impression that acting troupes
were rather disreputable. So how did church plays exist? I was also amused that it so clearly has
the church’s stamp on it in the part where all the characters tell Everyman to go to the priest and
make commentary about how priests rank higher than angels. I would be interested to see how
actors interpret each of the virtue or vice characters and some of the characterization available in
those. Also it appears that having a “doctor” appear at the end and tell the audience the moral of
the story is indeed a standard practice for plays like this.