Author Description

"Everyman and Mankind are morality plays which mark the turn of the medieval period to the early modern, with their focus on the individual. Everyman follows a man's journey towards death and his efforts to secure himself a life thereafter, while Mankind shows a man battling with temptation and sin, often with great humor. Both texts are modernized here and edited to the highest standards of scholarship, with full on-page commentaries giving the depth of information and insight associated with all Arden editions. The comprehensive, illustrated introduction argues that the plays signal the birth of the early modern consciousness and puts them in their historic and religious contexts. An account is also given of the staging and performance history of the plays and their critical history and significance. Editor Douglas Bruster is a Professor at the University of Texas at Austin. Editor Eric Rasmussen is a Professor of English at the University of Nevada.^ Everyman and Mankind are morality plays which mark the turn of the medieval period to the early modern, with their focus on the individual. Everyman follows a man{u2019}s journey towards death and his efforts to secure himself a life thereafter, while Mankind shows a man battling with temptation and sin, often with great humor. Both texts are modernized here and edited to the highest standards of scholarship, with full on-page commentaries giving the depth of information and insight associated with all Arden editions. The comprehensive, illustrated introduction argues that the plays signal the birth of the early modern consciousness and puts them in their historic and religious contexts. An account is also given of the staging and performance history of the plays and their critical history and significance. Everyman and Mankind are morality plays which mark the turn of the medieval period to the early modern, with their focus on the individual.^ Everyman follows a man's journey towards death and his efforts to secure himself a life thereafter, while Mankind shows a man battling with temptation and sin, often with great humor. Both texts are modernized here and edited to the highest standards of scholarship, with full on-page commentaries giving the depth of information and insight associated with all Arden editions."--Publisher's description.