Who is Lucifer / Satan from Everyman, and Medieval Miracle Plays and what is their importance? "Everyman

Lucifer, the soul-greedy ruler of hell, appears in several of the pageants, some of which refer to him as Satan. He is portrayed (in "The Creation") as a fallen angel, condemned to an eternally evil existence by his pride, his arrogance, and his resentment of God. Interestingly, the various portrayals do not show him as having an active presence in human life, suggesting instead that he is waiting in Hell to punish those whose free will has taken them away from a God-fearing life of good deeds, compassion, and responsibility. Ultimately, he is portrayed as powerless in the face of the purity of God and of Jesus. He is portrayed as a necessary component of God's overall will for humanity, a manifestation of the punishment that awaits if the judgment of God and Jesus finds a human soul lacking.