Abstract
임이연 Im, Yeeyon: The “Scourge of Penance” and a “Garment of
Sorrow”: Catholic Reforms and the Spectacle of the Passion in
Everyman Medieval and Early Modern English Studies Volume 24
No. 2 (2016) 131-149
Everyman, arguably the most popular English medieval play, still
appeals to the modern audience as a work of the ars moriendi.
Despite its universal theme of death, however, the play in its
entirety is far from being timeless. This essay draws attention to
its unique structure that encases its cardinal Catholic doctrine
in the middle, which allows an easy cutout in modern adaptations.
The scene of Everyman’s visit to the House of Salvation breaks the
play into two parts: the general lesson of contempus mundi in the
first half and the actual pilgrimage to death in the second half.
The middle scene at the House of Salvation, I would argue, forms a
climax theatrically as well as thematically. This particular scene
has not received sufficient attention that it deserves, although
quite a few critics have analysed Everyman theologically as well
as theatrically. Drawing on previous reformist interpretations of
Everyman, I would emphasize the importance of this scene as a
spectacle of the Passion in the imitation of Christ, which
reflects the reformist movements within the Catholic Church. In
doing so, I wish to underline, once again, the historicity of
Everyman as a cultural product of the religious crisis in early
Tudor England, and to promote the importance of theatre-based
approaches for a comprehensive understanding of the play.
Keywords
Everyman, medieval morality play, passion play, penance,
salvation, flagellation, Catholicism, the Reformation