Death Through the Eyes of Everyman

INTRODUCTION
Everyman is a morality play. A morality play is a play on a biblical subject. The characters of this play are a personification of all of mankind. A morality play is a drama generally set in the 15th and 16th centuries which uses characters to portray the soul’s struggle to receive salvation. Everyman talks about how life is transitory. One day everyone will have to stand before God and answer for their life. Everyman depicts a man who is struggling with his own salvation. God sends death to Everyman to send him on a journey to search him. One day all of will have to face death. Death is not always a negative thing. Death can be positive as well.
Everyman can be compared to a Renaissance tragic hero who struggles against his will, passions, his ignorance, and, lastly, his death. One day you will have to stand before God and answer for your good deeds orf your evil ways. Death had a clear message for Everyman. Death will not always come in a personification like he did in this play. Sin may seem good at first, but in the long run you will lose your soul. The Bible says in Mark 8:36, “For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?”
IN THE BEGINNING The Beginning of the play starts with God speaking. He talkings about how he died on the cross to give people life. Death was very important in this instance. This death was necessary in order to save the whole world from their sins. He also mentioned the seven deadly sins. These sins are significant in the fact that the world is corrupt and one day people will answer for their sins during judgment. When you stand before God what will he say? Will he say “well done” or “depart from me thy worker of iniquity I never knew you”. God also talks about how people live for their own pleasure. God will not always send Death to warn you like he did in the play. God says that people would be worse than beast if God did not provide.
THE PERCEPTION OF DEATH The mMeaning of death in this play can be two fold. Death refers to not just the physical, but also the spiritual death as well. Death is a messenger of God. Many people do not know this, but Death is not negative or positive. Death is neutral. Death is sent to do God’s will. Death cannot do any more or less than God tells him to do. He sends Death to send Everyman on a journey to examine his life. He tells Everyman that everyone will be judged and he has to be saved if he does not want to answer to God. Death is a part of human existence. In the beginning, God meant for the goal of existence was to live a long, full life and to die in piece. Spiritual Death refers to the dying of the sinful nature of man. Even though the beginning of the play Everyman did not want to go at first, Everyman even tried to bribe Death. Death is not a sentence to live in hell like many people once thought. Death takes away suffering and it can be a good thing. People live in fear of death. Death is nothing to be afraid of if you are living a holy life. Death takes you closer to the living with God. Sooner or later we will all have to come face to face with God. Death is a state in which a person is seen as psychologically passive and subject to a force beyond them which is God. In the New Testament, Jesus defeated death after he was crucified on the cross when he took the keys from Satan. Death was also seen as atonement for sin. Death could also be used as a way of punishment. People were actually put to death in the Bible days for certain sins. Christians passes through the death experience because of Jesus Christ. Everyman got an opportunity that most people do not get; he got a second chance to examine his life. In Romans death has many means and they all can be equated to this play. Roman 6:6 refers to the physical or biological death. The scripture reads, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin.” Romans 1:32, talks about the punishment for sins for the transgression of the will of God. It says, “Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them. Thirdly, Romans 5:6 refers to death as a sacrificial act as either Christ’s atonement for sins which says “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly”. Psalms depicts Death as a blessing not a curse. It all says that death should not be used as a punishment. True contentment only comes from God anyway. We overcome by our testimony in what we get through. Death brings us our real reward which is in heaven. We should not be afraid top died; we should look at death as a rite of passage. Psalms 30 gives a clear image of death.
PSALMS 30
1I will extol thee, O LORD; for thou hast lifted me up, and hast not made my foes to rejoice over me. 2O LORD my God, I cried unto thee, and thou hast healed me. 3O LORD, thou hast brought up my soul from the grave: thou hast kept me alive, that I should not go down to the pit. 4Sing unto the LORD, O ye saints of his, and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness. 5For his anger endureth but a moment; in his favour is life: weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning. 6And in my prosperity I said, I shall never be moved. 7LORD, by thy favour thou hast made my mountain to stand strong: thou didst hide thy face, and I was troubled. 8I cried to thee, O LORD; and unto the LORD I made supplication. 9What profit is there in my blood, when I go down to the pit? Shall the dust praise thee? shall it declare thy truth? 10Hear, O LORD, and have mercy upon me: LORD, be thou my helper. 11Thou hast turned for me my mourning into dancing: thou hast put off my sackcloth, and girded me with gladness; 12To the end that my glory may sing praise to thee, and not be silent. O LORD my God, I will give thanks unto thee forever.

CONCLUSION
In conclusion, you do not have to think of Death as a bad thing. Death is coming to all of us sooner or later. It all depends on whether or not you are ready. One day everyone will stand before God at the Day of Judgment. Death was used as a messenger. A messenger is important when it comes to delivery. We learned from the play that Death cannot be bribed. When it is your time to die, it there is nothing you can do. God has the power over whether or not you live or die. God has a set time for you to die and there is no negotiation.
Christ came to die for our sins and he conquered Death and took the keys from Satan. He did this so that we could have eternal life. You should not think of death as a punishment. Death can be a blessing and not a curse. Death brings you to your real home which is in heaven. Death can be used as a violent depiction, but we should not see it that way. Christ died for our sins so that we would no longer have to live in fear of death. Death should not be played with. You should embrace death and look at him for what he is. Everyman looked at death for what he was, a messenger. Once he embraces his destiny, he realized who his friends were really and who were not. Everyone cannot go where God is trying to take you. It is important to live a Godly life so you will not have to worry about Death catching you unaware.