ABSTRACT
Everyman is the central character in the most famous English morality play, which was first produced in the late fifteenth century (Evans 1970: 386). In the play Everyman is an unprepared sinner informed by Death of his imminent judgement day. As he faces his maker, he is deserted first by his friends and his family and then by his wealth; these are then followed by his strength, beauty and knowledge. All that is finally stacked in his favour in the divine audit are his good deeds. As Tim Adams (2006) notes, ‘It is not a cheerful tale’. More recently, the famous American author, Philip Roth, has taken Everyman (2006) both as the title and the theme of his book which provides a powerful portrait of a dead man seeking absolution. However, while Roth may provide echoes of the fifteenth century morality play, nowadays Everyman more simply refers to ‘everyone, without exception’, ‘every man Jack’ (Evans 1970).
