Everyman Characters

The characters in Everyman are extremely straightforward, as all of the names of each individual character reflects who they are portraying in terms of morality. Some characters are simply labels for actual beings- such as “Cousin” or “Kindred”, representing Everyman’s family, while others, like Good Deeds and Strength, are simply allegorical characters used to represent the livelihood of our main character, Everyman. The character and story of Everyman reflects the popularity of Morality plays in 15th and 16th century Europe, which reflected Christian teachings. Commonly characters such as Justice and Equity were personified as actors, so the characterization of the people in this show was not too far off from that of other morality plays.


Everyman is our main character, and is supposed to embody just that- the whole of humanity. Throughout the show, his life unfolds in a semi-backwards way, as we are able to see where he fell short, morally, in things like Good Deeds and Strength. Since he is the portrayal of what everyone must encounter in the process of death, he is the one the audience is to sympathize with.

 Better your understanding of Allegory

Death is God’s messenger, and alerts Everyman of his transition to the afterlife.

The characters of Goods, Beauty, Cousin, Kindred, Fellowship, Strength, Five-Wits and Discretion all abandon Everyman in his pilgrimage to the afterlife for one reason or another- the main point being that they do not align with the Christian thought of the transition to Heaven, and are worldly possessions/beings.

 Everyman : a morality . l together,And they will hear you incontinent. lEtjersman My friends, come hither, and be present,Discretion, Strength, my Five Wits and Beauty. Here at your will we be

The characters of Good Deeds and Knowledge (of Christianity), however, join him to his death, but only Good Deeds is able to transition into the afterlife with him. In the beginning, Good Deeds is weak and ill- but becomes stronger as Everyman rids his sins and comes closer to the end of his journey. 

God is the adaption of the deity of the same name, the one that holds judgement over humans as they pass on. 

Angel and Doctor appear at the end of the show, and explain the transition of Everyman as he enters into Heaven. 

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