Everyman

after 1485

English Literature (I), week 7

 Everyman 1 after 1485
Place of Everyman in English Literature
Classical Age (500BC
(500BC--
500AD)/Renaissance/The Early Half of the
20th Century
Language
The Birth of English Drama:12th/13th
Century/ Play Cycle

1Greenblatt, Stephen, et al., eds. The Norton Anthology of

English Literature. 8th ed. New York: Norton, 2006.
 Medieval Drama

1. Presentation: cycle

2. Types

a. Mystery Play (about Bible)

b. Morality Play (allegory)

c. Miracle Play (about saints)

 The Second Shepherds
ShepherdsPlay

A Mystery Play (13th/14th Century)

Plot: A Parody of Nativity

Characters: Coll
Coll,, Gib
Gib,, Daw
Daw,, Mak
Mak,, Gill,
Angel, Mary
Divine Grace & Social
Criticism/anachronism
 The Shepherds
ShepherdsComplaint, Coll
Colls against
Taxes and Landlords, Lines 11-6
-6

COLL Lord, what these weathers are cold,

And I am ill happed [badly covered];
I am nearhand dold [numb],
So long have I napped;
My legs they fold
My fingers are chapped.
 Lines 18
18-25
-25

No wonder, as it stands
If we be poor,
For the tilth of our lands
Lies fallow as the floor
As ye ken.
Fortaxed
Fortaxed,, and rammed,
We are made hand
hand-tamed
-tamed
With these gentry
gentry-men.
-men.
 Gib the Henpecked, Lines 92
92--
104

But as far as I ken,

Or yet as I go,
We sely [hapless] wedmen
Dree [suffer] mickle [much] woe;
We have sorrow then and then
then
It falls oft so.
Sely [silly] Copple
Copple,, our hen,
Both to and fro
She cackles;
But begin she to croak,
To groan or to cluck,
Woe is him is our cock,
For he is in the shackles.
 Daw
Daw s Complaint against
Overbearing Masters, Lines 183
183-88
-88

Was never sin Noah

Noah
s flood
Such floods seen,
Winds and rains so rude
And storms so keen:
Some stammered, some stood
In doubt, as I ween
ween..
 Lines 222
222-34
-34
DAW Such servant as I,
That sweats and swinks [toil],
Eats our bread full dry,
And that me forthinks [angers]
We are oft wet and weary
When master
master-men
-men winks [sleep],
Yet comes full lately
Both dinners and drinks.
 Both dinners and drinks.
But nately [profitably]
Both our dame and our sire,
When we have run in the mire,
They can nip at our hire,
And pay us full lately.
 Mak
Mak
s Entrance, Lines 283
283-90
-90

COLL Who is that pipes so poor?

MAK [aside] Would God ye wist how I foor
[fared]!
[aloud] Lo, a man that walks on the moor
And has not all his will.
GIB Mak
Mak,, where has thou gane
gane?? Tell us tiding.
DAW Is he come? Then ilkane
Take heed to his thing.
 Mak in the Night, Lines 387
387-94
-94
Now were time for a man
That lacks what he wold [wants]
To stalk privily than [then]
Unto a fold [sheepfold],
And nimbly to work than,
And be not too bold,
For he might abuy [pay for] the bargan [bargain]
At the ending.
Mak Recites a Spell, Lines 399
399-404
-404

But about you a circill

circill,,
As round as a moon,
To [until] I have done that I will,
Till that it be noon,
That ye lie stone
stone-still
-still
To [until] that I have done
 Mak steals a sheep, Lines 421
421-24
-24

A fat sheep, I dare say!

A good fleece, dare I lay [bet]!
Eft
Eft-quit
-quit [repay] when I may,
But this will I borrow.
 Mak and Gill
Gill
s Trick, Lines 477
477-87
-87
GILL A good bourd [trick] have I spied,
Sin thou can none.
Here shall we him hide
To they be gone,
In my cradle. Abide!
Let me alone,
And I shall lie beside
In childbed and groan
MAK Thou red [get ready],
And I shall say thou was light [delivered]
Of a knave
knave-child
-child this night.
 The Shepherds
ShepherdsDiscovery of the
Loss, Lines 646
646-51
-51
DAW Ah, Coll
Coll,, good more.
Why sleeps thou not?
COLL Alas, that ever I was born!
We have a foul blot:
A fat wether have we lorn
lorn..
DAW Marry, God
God
s forbot
forbot!!
 The Shepheards at Mak
Mak
s House (Comic),
Lines 763
763-75
-75
GILL Out, thieves, from my barn [child]!
Nigh him not thore
thore!!
MAK Wist ye how she had farn
farn,,
Your hearts would be sore.
You do wrong, I you warn,
That thus comes before
To a Woman that has farn
farn
But I say no more.
GILL Ah, my middill
middill!!
I pray to God so mild,
If ever I you beguiled,
That I eat this child
That lies in this cradill
cradill..
 Discovery, Lines 832
832-44
-44

DAW The child it will not grief,

That little day
day-starn,
-starn,
Mak
Mak,, with your leaf,
Let me give your barn
But sixpence.
MAK Nay, do way! He sleeps.
].
DAW Methinks he peeps [[].
DAW Give me leave him to kiss,
And lift up the clout [cover],
[lifts the cover
[lifts cover]]
What the devil is this?
].
He has a long snout! [[].
[They toss MAK in a blanket.]
An Angel Appears, Lines 919
919-24
-24
ANGEL Rise, herdmen hend [gracious]
For now is he born
That shall take fro the fiend
That Adam had lorn
That warlock [devil] to shend [destroy],
This night is he born.
 Bethlehem, Lines 1049
1049-61
-61

DAW Hail, darling dear,

Full of Godhead!
I pray thee be near
When that I have need.
Hail, sweet is thy cheer
My heart would bleed
To see thee sit here
In so poor weed,
 With no pennies.
Hail, put forth thy dall [hand]
I bring thee but a ball:
Have and play thee withal,
And go to the tennis.
 Everyman
Structure of the Search: Inward & Outward
Allegory
Language (15th Century)
Theme: Betrayal, Disappointment, Seven
Deadly Sins
Outline of Everyman
Everyman
s Search
EverymanFellowshipKindred, Cousin
EverymanFellowshipKindred, Goods
CousinGoods
Everyman meets Good
KnowledgeBeauty, Discretion, Strength,
DeedsKnowledgeBeauty,
Deeds
-WitsPriesthood
Five-WitsPriesthood
Five
Everyman
Everyman,, illustrations
 Beginning with a Messenger, Lines 1
1-21
-21

MESSENGER I pray you all give your audience,

And hear this matter with reverence,
By figure a moral play.
The SSummoning
ummoning of Everyman called it is,

>>Next
That of our lives and ending shows

How transitory we be all day.

The matter is wonder precious,

But the intent of it is more gracious

>>Next
And sweet to bear away.

The story saith

saith:: Man, in the beginning

Look well, and take good heed to the ending,

Be you never so gay.

>>Next
 The Urgency of Repentance, Lines 11-21
-21

You think sin in the beginning full sweet,

Which in the end causeth the soul to weep,

When the body lieth in clay.

Here shall you see how fellowship and jollity,

Both strength, pleasure, and beauty,

>>Next
Will fade from thee as flower in May.

For ye shall hear how our Heaven

Heaven-King
-King

Calleth Everyman to a general reckoning.

Give audience and hear what he doth say.

 God
God
s and Everyman
Everyman
s Attitudes, Lines 22
22-36
-36

GOD I perceive, here in my majesty,

How that all creatures be to me unkind,

Living witho
without
ut dread in wordly prosperity.

Of ghostly sight the people be so blind,

>>Next
Drowned in sin, they know me not for their God.

In worldly riches is all their mind:

They fear not of my righteousness the sharp rod:

My law that I showed when I for them died

>>Next
They for
forget
get clean, and shedding of my blood red.

------------------------------------------------------------

And now I see the people do clean forsake me.

They use the seven deadly sins damnable,

The Seven Deadly Sins (for the Roman Catholic Church)
& the Seven Virtues

Lust Chastity
Gluttony Temperance
Greed Charity
Sloth Diligence
Wrath Patience
Envy Kindness
Pride Humility
 Everyman
Question 1.

If you are the director, what

would the costumes of
characters playing Gluttony,
Greed, and Envy be like
like??
 God Asks for Reckoning, Lines 45
45-48
-48

Therefore I will, in all the haste,

Have a reckoning of every man

man
s person.

For, and I leave the people thus alone

In their life and wicked tempests,

Verily they will become much worse than beasts;

 The Forsaking Theme, 52
52-59
-59

I hoped well that every man

In my glory should make his mansion,

And thereto I had them all elect.

But now I see, like traitors deject,

>>Next
They thank me not for the pleasure that I to them meant
meant,,

Nor yet for their being that I them have lent.

I proffered the people great multitude of mercy,

And few there be that asketh it heartily.

 God Sends Death, Lines 64
64-71
-71

DEATH Almighty God, I am here at your will,

Your commandment to fulfill.

GOD Go thou to Ev
Everyman,
eryman,

And show him, in my name,

>>Next
A pilgrimage he must on him take,

Which he in no wise may escape;

And that he bring with him a sure reckoning

Without delay or any tarrying.

 Everyman
Question 2.

That God wants everyman to

bring along a reckoning seems
baffling. Do you agree or not?
Why?
 Death Calls Everyman, Lines 85
85-102
-102

Everyman, stand still! Wither art thou going

Thus gaily? Hast thou thy Maker forgeet

forgeet??

EVERYMAN Why askest thou?

DEATH Yea, sir, I will show you:

>>Next
 In great haste I am sent to thee

From God out of his majesty.

EVERYMAN What! S
Sent
ent to me?

DEATH Yea, certainly.

>>Next
 Though thou have forgot him here,

He thinketh on thee in the heavenly sphere,

As, ere we depart, thou shalt know.

EVERYMAN What desireth God of me?

>>Next
DEATH That shall I show thee:

A reckoning he will needs have

Without any longer respite.

EVERYMAN To give a reckoning longer leisure I crave

Thus blind matter troubleth my wit.

 The Sudden Coming of Death, Lines 131
131-37
-37

EVERYMAN Alas, shall I have no longer respite?

I may say Death giveth no warning.

To think on the
theee it maketh my heart sick,

For all unready is my book of reckoning.

>>Next
But twelve year and I might have a biding,

My counting
counting-book
-book I would make so clear

That my reckoning I should not need to fear.

 Fellowship Says that he Will not Forsake Everyman,
Lines 205
205-33
-33

Well met, good Fellowship, and good morrow!

FELLOWSHIP Everyman, good morrow, by this day!

Sir, why lookest thou so piteously?

If anything be amiss, I pray thee me say,

>>Next
 That I may help to remedy.

EVERYMAN Yea, good Fellowship, yea:

I am in great jeopardy.

FELLOWSHIP My true friend, show ttoo me your mind.

>>Next
I will not forsake thee to my life
lifes end

In the way of good company.

EVERYMAN That was well spoken, and livingly!

FELLOWSHIP Sir, I must needs know your heaviness.

>>Next
I have pity to see you in any distress.

If any have you wronged, ye shall revenged be,

Though I on the ground be slain for thee,

Though that I know before that I should die.

----------------------------------------------------------

>>Next
And so ye shall evermore.

For, in faith, and thou go to hell, I will not

forsake thee by the way.

 Fellowship Forsakes Everyman, Lines 270
270-98
-98

EVERYMAN Ye promised otherwise, pardie

pardie..

FELLOWSHIP I wot well I said so, truly.

And yet, if thou wilt eat and drink and make good cheer,

Or haunt to women the lusty company,

>>Next
 I would not forsake you while the day is clear,

Trust me ve
verily!
rily!

--------------------------------------------------------------

EVERYMAN Whither away, Fellowship? Will thou

forsake me?

FELLOWSHIP Yea, by my fay

fay!! To god I betake thee.
 Cousin and Everyman, Lines 338
338-57
-57

EVERYMAN Of all my works I must show

How I have lived and my days spent;

Also of ill deeds that I have used

In my time sith life was me lent,

>>Next
 And of all virtues that I have refused.

Therefore I pray you go thither with me

To help me make mine account, for saint charity.

COUSIN What, to go thither? Is that the matter?

>>Next
Nay, Everyman, I had leif
leifer
er fast bread and water

All this five year and more!

EVERYMAN Also, that ever I was bore!

For now shall I never be merry

>>Next
 If that you forsake me.

KINDRED Ah, sir, what? Ye be a merry man:

Take good heart to you and make no moan.

But one thing I warn you, by Saint Anne,

>>Next
 As for me, ye shall go alone.

EVERYMAN My Cousin, will you not with me go?

COUSIN No, by Our Lady! I have the cramp in my toe:

 The Forsaking Theme, Lines 369
369-72
-72

EVERYMAN How should I be merry or glad?

For fair promises men to me make,

But when I have most need they me forsake.

I am deceived. That maketh me sad.

 Goods and Everyman, Lines 391
391-98
-98

EVERYMAN I will speak to him in this distress.

Where art thou, my Goods and riches?

GOODS [[within]
within] Who calleth me? Everyman? What, hast

thou haste?

I lie her
heree in corners, trussed and piled so high,

>>Next
And in chests I am locked so fast
fast

Also sacked in bags thou mayst see with thine eye

bagsthou

I cannot stir, in packs low where I lie.

 Goods Forsakes Everyman, Lines 403
403-21
-21

EVERYMAN And all my life I have had joy and pleasure

in thee:

Therefore I pray thee go with me,

Therefore

For, peradventure, thou mayst before God Almighty

My reckoning help to clean and purity.

>>Next
 For it is said ever among

That money maketh all right that is wrong.

GOODS Nay, Everyman, I sing another song:

--------------------------------------------------------

>>Next
 Thou shouldest fare much the worse for me;

For because on me thou did set thy mind,

Thy reckoning I have made blotted and blind,

---------------------------------------------------------

>>Next
But if thou had me loved moderately during,

As to the poor to give part of me

Then shouldest thou not iinn his dolor be

 Everyman
Everyman
s Complaint, Lines 451
451-53
-53

EVERYMAN O false Good, cursed thou be,

Thou traitor to God, that hast deceived me

And caught me in thy snare!

 Everyman
Question 3.

After Everyman
Everyman
s
disappointment with Goods, he
begins his self
self-introspection.
-introspection.
What has self
self-introspection
-introspection to
do with salvation?
 From Search Outward to Search Inward, Lines 480
480-95
-95

I think that I shall never speed

Till that I go to my Good Deed.

But alas, she is so weak

That she can neither go nor speak.

>>Next
 Yet will I venture on her now.

My good Deeds, where be you?

GOOD DEEDS [[speaking

speaking from the ground
ground]]

Here I lie, cold in tthe

he ground:

>>Next
Thy sins hath me sore bound

That I cannot stear

stear..

--------------------------------------------------------------

And you do by me, that journey with you will I take.

 Everyman
Question 4.

Predictably, Good Deeds will

go with Everyman. However,
why is Good Deeds a she and
not a he?
 Good Deeds and Knowledge, Lines 516
516-521
-521

EVERYMAN Good Deeds, your counsel I pray you give me.

GOOD DEEDS That shall I do verily,

Though that on my feet I may not go:

I have a sister that shall with you also,

Called Knowledge, which shall with you abide

To help you to make that dreadful reckoning.

 Everyman
Question 5.

What is Knowledge Good

Deeds
Deeds
s sister? Can you explain?
 Knowledge and the Saving of Everyman, Lines 535
535-536
-536

KNOWLEDGE Now go we together lovingly

To Confession, that cleansing river.

 Knowledge and the Attributes, Lines 665
665-668
-668

KNOWLEDGE You must call them all together,

And they will be here incontinent.

EVERYMAN My friends, come hither and be present,

Discretion, Strength, my Five

Five-Wits,
-Wits, and Beauty!
 Everyman
Question 6.

Can you give a reason why

Beauty can lead Ev
Everyman
eryman to
salvation??
salvation
 Priesthood and Everyman, Lines 705
705-710
-710

KNOWLEDGE Everyman, hearken what I say:

Go to Priesthood, I you advise,

And receive of him, in any wise,

The holy sacrament and ointment together;

Then shortly see ye turn again hither:

We will all abide you here.

 Five-Wits and Everyman, Lines 731
Five-Wits 731-737
-737

FIVE-WITS Everyman, that is the best that ye can do:

FIVE-WITS

God will you to salvation bring.

For priesthood exceedeth all other thing:

To us Holy Scripture they do teach,

>>Next
And converteth man from sin, heaven to reach:

God hath to th
them
em more power given

Than to any angel that is in heaven.

Than

With five words he may concecrate

 About Sinful Priests, Lines 758
758-767
-767

Sinful priests giveth the sinners example bad:

Their children sitteth by other men

men
s fires, I have heard;

And some haunteth women

women
s company

With unclean life, as lusts of lechery.

These be with sin made blind.

>>Next
FIVE-WITS I trust to God no such may we find.
FIVE-WITS

Therefore let us priesthood honor,

And follow their doctrine for our souls

soulssuccor.

We be their sheep and their shepherds be

By whom we all be kept in surety.

 Everyman
Question 7.

Knowledge
Knowledge
s accusation against
priests resonates with Chaucer
Chaucers
in The Canterbury Tales and can
shed light on the medieval church.
Still, why does Five
Five-Wits
-Wits defend
the church?
 Beauty Forsakes Everyman, Lines 791
791-802
-802

For into this cave must I creep

And turn to earth, and there to sleep.

BEAUTY What, into this grave, alas?

EVERYMAN Yea, there shall ye consume, more and lass.

>>Next
BEAUTY And what, should I smother here?

---------------------------------------------------------------

I take my tape in my lap and am gone.

EVERYMAN What, Beauty, whither will ye?

EVERYMAN

BEAUTY Peace, I am deaf I look not behind me,

deafI
 Knowledge Forsakes Everyman, Lines 854
854-859
-859

EVERYMAN Gramercy, Good Deeds! Now may I true

friends see.

They have forsaken me every one

one

I loved them better than my Good Deeds alone.

Knowledge, will ye forsake me also?

Knowledge,

KNOWLEDGE Yea, Everyman, when ye to Death shall go,

But not yet, for no manner of danger.

 Salvation, Lines 893
893-895
-895

ANGEL [within]
[within] Come, excellent elect spouse to Jesu
Jesu!!

Here above thou shalt go

Because of thy singular virtue.

 Everyman
Question 8.

Why does Everyman ends with

salvation rather than damnation?