The play “Everyman” helps depicts human nature and the source of strength everyman tends to seek before realizing to power and strength is only found in God.
Human Nature
The character Everyman, who symbolically represents every man, seeks a companion as he journeys closer to God. Never does Everyman seek God as a companion. Instead Everyman tries to get undependable characters like Beauty, Strength and Discretion to go with him to God. Here Everyman shows how unwilling man is to rely on God, instead relying on fleeting earthly values. God is depicted as disappointed. His foolish servant Everyman travels through his journey knowing he is to meet God at the end, but never tries to build a relationship with God along the way.
Friends
Everyman’s friends signify the things from which every man draws comfort and strength as he journeys through life. The characters Beauty, Strength, Discretion and Five Wits show how useless it is to put faith in things that are destined to fail. The values the characters represent have no eternal value and will leave Everyman standing alone at the end of his journey. Everyman’s friends leave him in much the same order the values his friends represent leave an aging man. First Beauty and second Strength as Everyman continues his journey. Then, Discretion and Five Wits as Everyman comes closer to the end of his Journey.
Extra Credit
“Everyman” reflects the historical and cultural influences in the Medieval era by showing the most common earthly vises that the people put value in, those being beauty, strength and etc. If, this story was rewritten to day the characters Fame and Fortune would likely be added, being the most common values sought after for comfort and fulfillment today. Though, “Everyman” still holds great value to day since fame and fortune have no more eternal worth than discretion and five wits.
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