Los Angeles Valley College Everyman and Religion Discussion Outline

 prepare a 1-2 page outline to discuss both the play Everyman and the overall question of “Does religion lead to happiness and/or a meaningful life.”  Remember that one portion of this paper is an analysis of a drama and another portion focuses on research.  I’ve copied the assignment — for the entire essay — below.

Using Everyman as a starting point, please discuss whether or not religion !nd how it  -ay lead toward meaning and happiness in a personàlife.  Please include the following ideas in your discussion (essay):

• A historical context for Everyman.
• How, when, where, and why it was performed.
• The elements of drama and their effectiveness in this play. 
• The moral or message of the play.

On a broader scale, consider religion both in the Middle Ages and the present day. Some ideas to think about (and you should include at least some of these in your essay):

• What is/are the function(s) of religion?
• Yet, not all peoples in the world have a concept or a belief in a god or gods.
• Actually, not all peoples in the world are religious or believe in religion.
• Not all peoples/religions in the world believe in life after death or heaven or hell.
• Religious affiliation fluctuates over time and cultures.
• Religious practices differ within religions (liberal to conservative, differing interpretations of texts).
• Can one be moral without religion?
• Religious conflicts (between religions and within religions) appear to be continual.
• With all of these differences, we may consider a question: Is religion the path toward happiness or the path toward misery?