Theatre, in the Medieval Era, played a very important role.
Though there were only certain kinds including miracle plays, .
morality plays, and mystery plays. This was because the Catholic .
Church was in power and had to approve and anything besides Bible .
stories or teachings of the church were forbidden. Morality plays in .
general were not stories from the Bible, but tales of man's life on .
earth and the preparation for the next life. .
The most famous morality play was Everyman. God himself .
summons Death and tells him to tell Everyman to begin his last .
pilgrimage where he will be judged. After trying to have bribed .
Death, Everyman asks him if others could join him on his journey .
and Death allows it. Now Everyman has to find faithful companions. .
He remembers Fellowship and seeks him. Fellowship at first agrees .
than disagrees after hearing of Death's summons. He is then also .
turned down by Kindred and Cousin. He finds Goods who also agrees .
until he learns that his journey will lead him to the highest of all .
judges. He says that he would not make a good impression in the .
eyes of God because goods are not given, only lent. .
Finally Everyman finds Good-Deeds who would go with him .
except for his weakness is so great that he can hardly move. .
Knowledge, Good-Deeds' sister will accompany him until stronger. .
She advises him to go to Confession. After which Good-Deeds has .
been revived. Knowledge says that he must go to a priest to help .
relieve himself of his sins on earth. Knowledge also tells him to call .
upon Discretion, Strength, Beauty, and the Five-Wits. One by one, .
they all end up leaving Everyman, all except for Good-Deeds. .
.
Everyman's purpose was to make people see that this life was .
just a preparation for your soul after death. What you do in this life .
is to be judged by God, not just when you die, but through out your .
life. Your life is the journey and it's your good-deeds that will shine .
through, more than your worldly possessions.
