Everyman

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Anonymous

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Good-Deeds Character Analysis

Good-Deeds is the personification of Everyman’s good deeds. She is weak when she is introduced, as Everyman’s sinful behavior has depleted her, but she becomes stronger and stronger as Everyman purges his sins. Good-Deeds accompanies Everyman on his pilgrimage and she is the only one of his friends who is able to stay with him when he meets God, though her sister, Knowledge, comes close. Because of this, Good-Deeds is shown to be the most essential of Everyman’s companions—metaphorically, this instructs the audience that doing good deeds is the only behavior that can get a person into heaven.

Good-Deeds Quotes in Everyman

The Everyman quotes below are all either spoken by Good-Deeds or refer to Good-Deeds . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Personification and Morality Theme Icon
).
Everyman Quotes

Yea, sir, I may thank you of all;
If ye had perfectly cheered me,
Your book of account now full ready had be.
Look, the books of your works and deeds eke;
Oh, see how they lie under the feet,
To your soul’s heaviness.

Related Characters: Good-Deeds (speaker), Everyman
Related Symbols: Reckoning
Page Number: 49
Explanation and Analysis:

Everyman: Take example, all ye that this do hear or see,
How they that I loved best do forsake me,
Except my Good-Deeds that bideth truly.
Good-Deeds: 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, and that am I.

Related Characters: Everyman (speaker), Good-Deeds (speaker), Beauty, Strength, Discretion
Page Number: 58
Explanation and Analysis:
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Good-Deeds Quotes in Everyman

The Everyman quotes below are all either spoken by Good-Deeds or refer to Good-Deeds . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Personification and Morality Theme Icon
).
Everyman Quotes

Yea, sir, I may thank you of all;
If ye had perfectly cheered me,
Your book of account now full ready had be.
Look, the books of your works and deeds eke;
Oh, see how they lie under the feet,
To your soul’s heaviness.

Related Characters: Good-Deeds (speaker), Everyman
Related Symbols: Reckoning
Page Number: 49
Explanation and Analysis:

Everyman: Take example, all ye that this do hear or see,
How they that I loved best do forsake me,
Except my Good-Deeds that bideth truly.
Good-Deeds: 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, and that am I.

Related Characters: Everyman (speaker), Good-Deeds (speaker), Beauty, Strength, Discretion
Page Number: 58
Explanation and Analysis: