Everyman Theme

      The theme of "Everyman" is that there is more to life than appearance and material goods. The most important thing in life is to do good deeds because if a person doesn't, once everything else is gone, they will have nothing left.

      In the play after Beauty, Strength, and Discretion leave, Good-Deeds says, ,"All earthly things is but vanity:/ Beauty, Strength, and Discretion, do man forsake,/ Foolish friends and kinsmen, that fair spake,/ All fleeth save Good-Deeds" ( 14). This is saying that caring only about beauty, strength and discretion in life is vain. These attributes all disappear at some point, but if one does good deeds they will stick with the person through death and live on even in their memory.

      By hoarding these physical and material belongings people "will become much worse than beasts;/ for now one would be envy another up eat;/ Charity they all clean forget" ( 2). This quote is stating  how people can become hateful and deceiving by fighting for these things and through it they forget to do good. If people concentrated on just doing good things for themselves and others, the world would be a much better place. This is why the theme of "Everyman" is not being vain and doing good.