This article has multiple issues. Please help improve it or discuss these issues on the talk page. (Learn how and when to remove these template messages) This article possibly contains original research. Please improve it by verifying the claims made and adding inline citations. Statements consisting only of original research should be removed. (April 2008) (Learn how and when to remove this template message) (Learn how and when to remove this template message)

Actor Gary Cooper served as an idealized everyman during the golden age of Hollywood, appearing as the protagonist in films such as 1952's High Noon.^[1][2]

The everyman is a variant of stock character in storytelling media, such as novels, plays, television series and movies. An ordinary and humble character,^[3][4] the everyman is generally a protagonist, whose benign conduct fosters the audience's wide identification with him.

Once facing an extraordinary challenge, everyman may mount an exceptional response, nonetheless, perhaps even fulfilling a hero's journey, acquiring exceptional abilities, after all, that complement his commonplace, humble core.^[]

General traits

The Parable of the Good Samaritan features an everyman type character who suffers but receives compassion at the hands of the titular Samaritan.^[5]

While the term everywoman dates to the very early 20th century,^[6] the term everyman traces to an English morality play, thus an allegorical play, from the early 1500s: The Summoning of Everyman.^[4] Rather unlike a modern everyman, he is not only a "representative human" and "gregarious", but is "prosperous" and "attractive," too, explains literature scholar Harry Keyishian.^[7] But he, Everyman, living his last days, is the only character fully human.^[7] The others are embodied ideas, like Fellowship who, explains Keyishian, "symbolizes the transience and limitations of human friendship."^[7] On the other hand, a modern everyman, not confined to allegories, is set in a familiar social context.

Generally, a modern everyman, although perhaps adolescent, is neither a child nor elderly, and is physically unremarkable.^[] Although his intellect and integrity may be appreciable, he typically lacks the privilege of authority or prosperity, and occupies the middle class or lower class with the bulk of society.^[] He typically shows some moral idealism, yearning for greater success, and foresight in career or family life.^[] Yet his modest means may compound life's vicissitudes while his own virtues, casting him in roles valuable to others, may escalate his own troubles.^[] Still, by his resourcefulness and fortitude, he may fulfill his modest ambitions, often furthering the greater good as well.^[]

Narrative uses

An everyman is crafted so that most audience members can readily situate themselves in his shoes. Although the everyman may face obstacles and adversities that a hero might, archetypal heroes react rapidly and vigorously by manifest traits, whereas an everyman typically avoids engagement or reacts ambivalently, until the situation, growing dire, demands effective reaction to avert disaster.^[] Such a round, dynamic character--that is, a character showing depth and development--is then generally a protagonist.^[]

Or if lacking depth and development--thus a flat, static character--the everyman is a secondary character.^[] Especially in literature, there is often a narrator, as the written medium enables extensive explication of, for example, backstory, tangents, physical details, and mental content. An everyman narrator may draw little notice, whether by other characters or sometimes even by the reader, since the narration emerges, then, from the story world. And if neutral or relatable enough, the narrating everyman, like Ché in the musical Evita,^[8][9] may even, breaking the fourth wall directly address the audience.^[]

Examples

See also

• Average Joe - wholly average person
• Commoner - person neither nobility, royalty, nor priesthood
• Elckerlijc - Dutch medieval morality play
• Everyman's right - freedom to roam
• Kafkaesque - everyman being overwhelmed by vast, dehumanizing social labyrinth
• Man on the Bondi tram - hypothetical reasonable Australian
• Person having ordinary skill in the art
• John Q. Public - generic, hypothetical "common man"
• Reasonable person - term helping a jury interpret a law's wording
• Straight man
• T.C. Mits - acronym for "the celebrated man in the street"
• The man on the Clapham omnibus - hypothetical reasonable person
• Zé Povinho - Portuguese everyman

References