Deaths Mission from GodThe work Everyman is often considered one of the most influential moral works ever written. The Bloomsbury Dictionary of English Literature states: “A morality play is a term used by modern critics to distinguish plays expounding points of moral doctrine, existing since the fifteenth century, from other types of contemporary vernacular drama, commemorating events in Christian history . (such as the cycle of plays or the plays of the saints)” (“Morality Plays”, 1997, par. 1). The exact author of the work is often debated, as there are many recognized sources for the work. Everyman may be an adaptation of a Dutch play called Elckerlijc, although it is unclear which play formed the basis of the other ("Everyman", 2000). Written during the height of Roman Catholic rule, the work contains several references to the Roman Catholic act of penance. Everyman finds that his Good Deeds cannot continue with him, and it is only when Knowledge leads him to Confession, which like Good Deeds before him gives Everyman the comfort of "a precious jewel" called penance that Everyman finally understands why Good Deeds gets sick. According to an article on the CARM website: “Penance, according to the Roman Catholic Church, is the sacrament of reconciliation that re-establishes a relationship between God and a wayward Catholic” (Slick, n.d., par. 1). The main purpose of this morality was to teach the public virtuous behavior and conduct, as well as heed a warning to all those living in sin. The author of Everyman uses the powerful representation of death to bring the protagonist to salvation. The role of death is fascinating; although he only appears in the first part of the show, he is a constant reminder that judgment day is coming for Everyman. This one act play uses death to gain attention, rooted in all of us is the utter fear of death and no one can escape it