Everyman and Its Dutch Original, Elckerlijc

Faced with death’s certainty-and the uncertainty of the time of its coming, particularly in a historical period of widespread plague and other afflictions-as well as the inevitability of the hereafter, what is one to do? Everyman speaks to this dilemma… . The protagonist is one who, because he has laid up treasures on earth, has been in a position to do good deeds, but he has been very lax about it and instead has pursued enjoyment and wealth, the latter hoarded instead of being shared with the poor and needy… . Now he must, as the medieval mystics knew, endure the solitariness of leaving behind all that has given him comfort in this world… . This facing page translation of this Continental play will be useful to all students of theater.