Everyman

            Everyman was a little bit more difficult to read than Lysistrata. I also thought it was more boring. There was not much stage direction, and the dialogue was long and hard to follow at times. I think the moral of the story was also too obvious to be effective; although I can understand why it had to be obvious it was being performed to the uneducated medieval masses.

            The story itself was quite repetitive, and fairly boring. Following Everyman around as he is abandoned by all of his companions was boring enough that by the end of the play, I did not really care what Everyman’s fate turned out to be.

            Although I did not enjoy the play, I do respect the unknown author for his ability to write lyrically. The rhyming was impressive and the language used was obviously elevated and elite.

            I am curious to know how the actors performed such a piece. From the reading, it didn’t seem that any stage scenery was needed. The dialect of the play seemed as if it would be difficult to follow if one was only listening and was not able to read along also. I am also curious as to how the rulers felt about the moral of the story (if they ever even saw it performed). For the play speaks poorly of riches and wealth, and anyone who thought that such things could grant them eternal salvation.

            Overall, I was not a fan of the play, but I do see the artistic value in the work and why it has been influential and famous throughout the history of western drama.