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