Pilgrimage in the play "Everyman": Sarah Gingerich

 Recently, I have read the play Everyman for another class, which I find really fitting in the context of this class. Similarly to Pilgrim’s Progress, Everyman is an allegorical story about a character going on a journey that represents a person’s life and death. In the play, the character Everyman is called to account for his life, which prompts him to gather companions like Fellowship, Good Deeds, and Knowledge, among others. These characters symbolize the resources we carry with us on a moral or spiritual journey. This mirrors the idea of religious pilgrimages we discussed in class, where pilgrims undertake a deliberate path with the intent of reflection and discipline. Just as pilgrims encounter challenges and must make choices about whom or what to rely on, Everyman must decide which allegorical companions can accompany him toward salvation.


The character, Good Deeds, like virtue cultivated along a pilgrimage, remains a true guide and source of salvation for Everyman. Reading Everyman in the context of our class parallels how pilgrimages are not just physical travels but also moral reflections and explorations. Good deeds follow everyone, and definitely helps pilgrims on their travels.

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