Custom Treatment of Death in Everyman.

This paper focuses on the authors perception of death and treatment of death of the play,
Everyman. Everyman is a morality. Everyman is a story that demonstrates the value of life and death
and is used as a spiritual message from God to man. The subject of death in the play is related with
the search of the reasoning of life. Death is viewed differently in different cultures and it tends to
influence a persons character within a group. The journey to death is linked with lifes values,
morals, and experiences, though each persons reactions to death differ. Everyman is the central
character in the play and he represents mankind and their experiences in life until the Day of
Judgment. Everyman has to bear consequences for his actions under the face of Death. Death, who
is another main character in the play, is sent to earth by God to judge Everyman. Death is also an
allegorical character as he appears as a human being. In the play, Death is the reminder to
Everyman that he has to pay for his good and bad actions that he has committed throughout his life.
However, through Gods grace, he has a second chance to reevaluate his life and make corrections
where he went wrong. God is able to bring Everyman to repentance and salvation through the use of
Death. Death continues to restore Everymans memory of the actual system of values. Death is used
to illustrate that good deeds and repentance will bring eternity. The author also uses Death to show
that facing ones destiny is inevitable, regardless of ones actions in their life. People have no choice
when it comes to death. This essay demonstrates that death is one of the few things that we cannot
evade in our lives.
At first, God becomes upset with Everyman because he concentrates on the search of material
wealth. Therefore, God sends Death to Everyman to convey a message that his life is coming to an
end. ...Go thou to Everyman, And show him in my name, A pilgrimage he must on him take In
reaction, Everyman tries to bribe Death with material possessions but Death refuses. Death has no
value for material possessions and it is unavoidable. Death is viewed in a negative way because
Everyman was trying to bribe Death so that he could evade it. Death informs Everyman that the
decision is inevitable. everyman I arrest and no man spare, for it is God's commandment that
all to me should be obedient. He asks if he can come back to earth once, he gives his account to
God. He is told it is not possible once he has lived on earth. This demonstrates that one has only
one chance to live. Everyman resolves to mustering friends so that they can accompany him during
his journey so that he does not face judgment alone.
Death is also perceived as the cause of loneliness and alienation, as no one wants to be associated
with death. Everyman convinces his friends and family to accompany him on his journey, but none of
them is willing. He is ready to enjoy his life on earth; however, the idea of Death is still deeply rooted
in his mind. This illustrates that Everyman will eventually face judgment alone, since neither of his
family, friends, or the material possessions will come to his rescue. For instance, when Everyman
goes to Fellowship, who represents companions and friends, he requests Fellowship to accompany
him through his journey to judgment. Though Fellowship had promised to stand beside Everyman
when faced with any circumstance, Fellowship declines Everymans request. Fellowship says that he
fears judgment of God. This shows the extent to which death is feared. Everyman feels that he
needs a companion to face Gods judgment. However, everyone declines his request and he is left
alone. Everyman becomes brokenhearted and goes to look for help elsewhere. Therefore, the
earthly possessions and the physical body are left to the world upon Everymans death. The material
goods, Everymans cousin, Kindred and Fellowship represent the worldly things. After not all his
friends and family came to his rescue, Everyman decides to rely on himself. Although he receives
some good advice from each person, he realizes that they will not take him far in his journey to give
an account of his life to God.
Everyman realizes that Death is inevitable and he becomes so afraid. As a result, he decides to do
right. Nevertheless, Good Deeds cannot accompany him to Death because he has rejected Good

Deeds for all those years. Good Deeds lacks the motivation and strength due to a long time of
abandonment and neglect. However, Good Deeds requests the sister Knowledge to accompany
Everyman. It is at this point that Everyman seeks forgiveness of his sins and as a result, Good
Deeds gains strength and accompanies Everyman up to eternity.
Death is also perceived to carry out Gods plan and conviction for humankind. Everyman has been
living his life his own way. God wanted to make him realize and see his purpose, so he calls in Death
to execute his will. Death crushes our best hopes and ends our plans and dreams. Everyman
becomes convinced that he is going to die. Everyman declares, .Oh God in Heaven, have
mercy on me. When Everyman sees Death, he realizes he cannot run away from him.
Everyman also perceives Death as undeniable. He treats Death as something one can and should
expect. The author uses Death as an allegory of physical death to help us visualize the invisible
idea. Death often subjects people to fear and causes an enormous deal of anxiety. Though the fear
of death is common among people, the author illustrates that God has the power to control death
and uses it to bring people back to Him. It is a condition that humans have to undergo and plan for
eternity. Therefore, the Five Wits, Discretion, Strength and Beauty accompany Everyman as he goes
to face Death. These are meant to give Everyman strength to face Death. They cannot accompany
him to eternity however. Before he dies, Everyman receives his last sacrament, which signifies
rituals that the Catholics conduct.
The character of Death is also viewed as submissive to Gods commands. The characteristics of
Death are portrayed as those of a humans physical death. Merely, Death is a carrier and a
messenger for God. [h]ere beginneth a treatise how the High Father of Heaven sendeth Death to
summon every creature Death is sent to Everyman to tell him that he must give an account of
his life. Death conveys all the information to Everyman as he was sent by God without altering
anything. Thus, Death is perceived as being obedient to Gods commands. God is seen as the
controller of everything and as the lone authority. God uses death to usher people into eternity.
Death is also portrayed as abrupt and unexpected. Everyman is in distress when Death shows up.
This is because he does not have a ready account of his life. Death's visit troubles him. Everyman
even goes to the extent of weeping but Death will not let him go. He even tries to bribe Death, and
also begs for more time so as to prepare himself. Death declines Everymans requests, but finally
allows Everyman to look for someone to accompany him to speak of his good virtues in the time of
judgment. The thought of Death troubles Everyman as he finds himself unprepared.
However, despite Everymans sinful nature, God is still merciful and gives him a chance to repent his
sins. No one can avoid the Day of Judgment. When the moment strikes, Everyman will be judged
according to his actions. After Everymans friends and family decline to accompany him in his
journey to judgment, he turns to his worldly goods with no better fortune. In fact, the goods assure
him that they could only lead him to hell. But still, after all this, Everyman goes to Confession and he
repents his sins. Even though he suffers physical punishment for his sins, God forgives him and
Good Deeds gains strength to accompany him.
In conclusion, Death is perceived from a Catholic point of view in the play. The objective of eternal
life in heaven sets up the tone of the play. Everyman illustrates that everyone has to be saved before
death so as to attain eternal life. Death is a spiritual journey with God to heaven. Every man is held
responsible for his own actions in life upon facing judgment. In addition, the only way to evade death
is to strive towards attaining everlasting life and through living a Godly life by avoiding the seven
deadly sins. The play brings out the issue of Christian faith. Though death is inevitable and people
have no control over it, Christianity offers an eternal option. For one to acquire eternal life, they have
to repent their sins and walk in Godly ways. Death is also brought out as a consequence of sin.
Death becomes the only way to usher people into eternity and, at the same time, making them
account for their deeds in their lives. Therefore, this play depicts that eternity depends on ones good
deeds in life.