The play is a moral allegory about Mankind, a representative of the human race, and follows his fall into sin and his repentance.

Mankind is unique among moralities for its surprising juxtaposition of serious theological matters and colloquial (sometimes obscene) dialogue.

In his critical edition of the play published by the Early English Text Society in 1969, Eccles argues for a date between 1465 and 1470.

The poem certainly dates from the reign of Edward IV of England, and likely has an East Anglian provenance; it was likely "intended to be performed in the area around Cambridge and the environs of Lynn in Norfolk.

[5] Like Wisdom, Mankind bears a Latin inscription by the monk Thomas Hyngman and the phrase (translated), “Oh book, if anyone shall perhaps ask to whom you belong, you will say, “I belong above everything to Hyngham, a monk.” [6] Similarities between this hand and the text of the play lead scholars to believe that Hyngman transcribed the play.

Along with The Castle of Perseverance and Wisdom, Hyngman's Mankind was acquired by the Reverend Cox Macro in the early 18th century.

In August of 1936, Joseph Quincy Adams, the Director of the Folger Shakespeare Library, purchased this manuscript along with Wisdom and The Castle from the antiquarian firm Bernard Quaritch for £1,125 (approximately $5,625).

[citation needed] The play is a moral allegory about Mankind, a representative of the human race, and follows his fall into sin and his repentance.

Mercy instructs Mankind about how to continue in this goal, warning him specifically about Mischief, New Guise, Nowadays and Nought.

Mischief returns and conspires with New Guise, Nowadays and Nought to bring in a greater devil, Titivillus.

The theology of the ending focuses on perseverance, on living as a Christian even while continuing to sin, even while trying not to, and having to repeatedly ask for mercy for those offences.

Within this larger thematic structure, scholars have been fascinated by the comedic and potentially subversive tone of the play.

Greene argues that Titivillus and the vices under his command reduce Mankind to the level of a dumb beast, lost and on the brink of damnation, by drawing him into their perverse, topsy-turvy distortions of language.