Discuss the way that "Everyman" presents ideas about religion and hypocrisy.
The Everyman poem is a story about a man's journey to redemption and a story of a struggling sinful
soul trying to fulfill God's demand of penance. In this poem, Everyman takes the role of the world
and the mankind in it, and his companions and characters are portrayed as some of the virtues and
flaws of humanity God created.
In the very beginning, God mentioning His sacrifice for the safe being of the humans :
"To get them life I suffered to be dead;
I healed their feet; with thorns hurt was my head:
I could do no more than I did truly,
And now I see the people do clean forsake me"
God instantly points out to Everyman's necessity to pay for his sinful acts that befouled
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Even though he knew that God's omnipotence and everseeing nature stands against him, still being
slave to human nature and hypocrisy, he tried to cheat Death and bribe it which he failed to do :
"Yea, a thousand pound shalt thou have,
And defer this matter till another day."
Finally, he agreed he should take his final journey, but asking for companions to help him on his way.
Being human, his first thoughts of perfect company to bring before God, was of a material nature -
Fellowship and kindred. They refused to accompany him, stating they have nothing to do with such
an ethereal voyage. This shows us the very mortality and insignificance of the earthy comforts we
enjoy.
"Whether ye have loved me or no,
By Saint John, I will not with thee go."
Also, his Goods declined his seek for help, and in fact expressed its role in the Everymans sins - it was
the Goods the most that took part on corrupting the human nature and yet he chose to enjoy its