Everyman
A unique history, which is shared
with countless other similar stories
The Somonyng of Everyman was a late fifteenth century
morality play by an anonymous English author, printed in about 1529. The play
is the allegorical account of the life of Everyman, who represents all
mankind. In the course of the play, Everyman tries to convince other
characters to accompany him in the hope of improving his life. It is a story of
conflict between good and evil and the interactions between characters.
The play was
written in Middle English during the Tudor period, but the identity of the
author is not known.
The use of
the term everyman from the early twentieth century refers to the
portrayal of an ordinary person as a personification of the journeys of many.
The term everywoman
also originates in the early twentieth century and was used by George Bernard
Shaw to describe the character Ann Whitefield in his play Man
and Superman.
|
Aaron
Copland’s composition written during the Second World War proclaiming the
dawning of the Century of the Common Man. |
