Why Is Everyman Important

Salvation and the Importance of the Soul in the 15th Century

In an era filled high infant mortality, short life expectancy, and daily public executions, it is no surprise that beliefs concerning salvation and the afterlife were something that was on the forefront of the minds of people living in Medieval and Renaissance era. For people living during this time, there was a heavy emphasis placed on the morality of one’s daily actions. People were unsure of whether or not they were predestined for heaven. Some Christians held firm to the idea that one’s actions, good deeds, and decisions were the primary determinant for one’s entry into heaven. Others believed that God decided whether or not you were going to reach salvation before you were
The story centers around the notion of Christian salvation and what actions and decisions human beings must make while on earth in order to obtain that salvation. In the play, God is angry that people have been placing such a heavy emphasis on material happiness and greed. He is upset with mankind and sends Death as his messenger to end the sinful lives that the people on earth have been living. Death approaches Everyman who begs fore more time on earth. However, death denies him and Everyman is faced with a problem. Death explains to the well-dressed Everyman that: “On thee thou must take a long journey:/ Therefore thy book of count with thee thou bring;/ For turn again thou can not by no way,/ Ad look thou be sure of thy reckoning:/ For before God thou shalt answer, and show/ Thy many bad deeds and good but few; How thou hast spent thy life, and in what wise,/ Before the chief of Lord Paradise” ( Everyman p. 39) This is the first time that the issue of whether or not one is predestined for heaven is brought up in the play. In the play , it is made fairly clear that at the end of your life, God is going to judge you based on your “book of count”. This is essentially a tally of all of the good and bad things you have done in your life. Under this view of heaven, one’s soul has the chance of reaching salvation if they act morally and do good
The Scholars in the play Dr. Faustus parallel the Good Angel in that they encourage Faustus to set aside his lust for power and knowledge. At the very end of the play, the Second Scholar states, “Yet, Faustus, look up to heaven. Remember God’s mercies are infinite” (5.2.13-14 Marlowe). This reaffirms the idea that with confession, contrition, good deeds, and faith in God and salvation, human beings’ souls have a chance at salvation even if they make poor decisions. The second scholar represents the good-hearted and faithful members left in society. At the very end of the play Dr. Faustus, the chorus states, “Faustus is gone. Regard his hellish fall,/ Whose fiendful fortune may exhort the wise/ Only to wonder at unlawful things,/ Whose deepness doth entice such forward wits/ To practice more that heavenly power permits” (Epilogue. 4-8 Marlowe). This chorus is stating that Faustus biggest downfall was his thirst for power and his pride. Pride is Faustus’s biggest sin as well as the sin that many men and women fall victim