EverymanEverymanANDAND

The Morality PlayThe Morality Play

Mr. KottMr. Kott

What is the purpose of a Morality What is the purpose of a Morality Play?Play?

To make Christianity more real to the To make Christianity more real to the audience by dramatizing the meaning audience by dramatizing the meaning of religion in terms of everyday of religion in terms of everyday human experience.human experience.

Deals with an abstract, moral conflict, Deals with an abstract, moral conflict, turned into drama in the real world.turned into drama in the real world.

Good Vs. Evil- Good Vs. Evil- PsychomachiaPsychomachia Constantly going on in the soul of Constantly going on in the soul of

everymaneveryman

EverymanEveryman

Before 1500Before 1500 Possibly last section of larger playPossibly last section of larger play Doesn’t include a beginning where Doesn’t include a beginning where

man is innocent and about to fall into man is innocent and about to fall into sinsin

Dark tone, not much of a satireDark tone, not much of a satire

What is the moral of the story?What is the moral of the story?Can you pinpoint an exact Can you pinpoint an exact

reference in the text?reference in the text?

Lines 864-869Lines 864-869

Oh the Burdens of dealing with the Oh the Burdens of dealing with the uneducated…uneducated…

Lines 902-921Lines 902-921

We all need somebody to Lean We all need somebody to Lean on…on…

What is Everyman’s support structure What is Everyman’s support structure throughout the play? Chart his support…throughout the play? Chart his support…

Fellowship

Kindred & Cousin

Goods

Good Deeds

Knowledge Confession

Beauty, Strength, Discretion, Five Wits

Good Deeds ETERNAL LIFE!

Everyman as a Type of Everyman as a Type of “Containment Strategy”…“Containment Strategy”…

PriesthoodPriesthood Positive: Positive:

KnowledgeKnowledge Line 706& up to Line 706& up to

749749 What is the play What is the play

saying about the saying about the clergy?clergy?

Negative:Negative: 750-771750-771 Is it really negative?Is it really negative?

ConfessionConfession

Why have Why have Knowledge bring Knowledge bring Confession?Confession?

““that cleansing that cleansing river” (536).river” (536).

Confession Confession speaks… Lines 554 speaks… Lines 554 through 572through 572

Now why would Post-Henry VIIINow why would Post-Henry VIIIEngland have a problem with this?England have a problem with this?

The priest thing…The priest thing… The 7 SacramentsThe 7 Sacraments Faith versus Good DeedsFaith versus Good Deeds