Death and the king horseman sparknotes. Death and the King’s Horseman Act 1 Analysis 2022-10-16

Death and the king horseman sparknotes Rating: 5,5/10 1510 reviews

Death and the King's Horseman is a play written by Nigerian playwright Wole Soyinka. The play is set in Oyo, Nigeria in the 1940s and tells the story of Elesin, the King's Horseman, who is responsible for committing ritual suicide after the king's death. The play explores the cultural and political tensions between traditional Yoruba society and colonial British rule.

At the beginning of the play, Elesin is preparing for his death, which he sees as a sacred duty. He is aided in this by his son, Olunde, who has returned from medical school in England. However, Elesin's plans are disrupted when the British District Officer, Pilkings, arrives and tries to prevent the suicide from taking place. Pilkings is convinced that Elesin's suicide would lead to unrest and violence, and he fears that it would damage relations between the Yoruba and the British.

As the play progresses, we see the tension between Elesin and Pilkings grow, as they each try to assert their authority and beliefs. Elesin is determined to fulfill his duty as the King's Horseman, while Pilkings is equally determined to prevent the suicide from occurring. In the end, Elesin's resolve is tested and he is unable to follow through with the suicide, leading to tragic consequences for himself and those around him.

One of the main themes of Death and the King's Horseman is the conflict between tradition and modernity. Elesin represents the traditional Yoruba values and beliefs, while Pilkings represents the modern, Western values imposed by colonialism. The play raises questions about the value of tradition and whether it is possible to hold onto one's cultural identity in the face of outside forces.

Another theme of the play is the power dynamics between the colonizers and the colonized. Pilkings has the power to dictate the terms of Elesin's death, and he uses this power to try and prevent the suicide from occurring. However, Elesin's determination to follow through with his duty shows the resilience of the Yoruba people and their resistance to colonial rule.

Overall, Death and the King's Horseman is a powerful and thought-provoking play that explores the complexities of cultural identity and the impact of colonialism on traditional societies. It is a must-read for anyone interested in these themes and the history of Nigeria.

Death and the King’s Horseman Act 1 Summary & Analysis

death and the king horseman sparknotes

To be sure, Jameson is not without his critics. They tease each other a great deal in this scene, speaking to each other in highly poetic language. Scene One opens at the bustling marketplace; this immediately festive scene establishes the marketplace as the site of not just commerce but also community and even kinship. The old egungun was arrested by the new with impunity, and Pilkings, the leader of the new cult, further undermines its metaphysical power when he assimilates its symbol into his own secular culture. He also suggests that the natives respect him enough to not try to break into his house, which is potentially an overestimation of the power he holds.

Next

Death and the King's Horseman

death and the king horseman sparknotes

Foreshadowing When a play or story includes early clues to what will happen later, the writing is said to include foreshadowing. The conversation with Jane proves that his reverence for both of the cultures has great value to him. The act ends with the girl offered to Elesin as his bride. What will it cost her now to bear his child? Elesin emerges from the wedding chamber, and shows Iyaloja the stained cloth that proves that the bride was a virgin. This speaks to the way that they think about death within the context of their Christian religion and English culture.

Next

Death and the King's Horseman Chapter Summaries

death and the king horseman sparknotes

Several historians have noted, however, that the tradition of the king's horseman following the king to the afterlife isn't actually rooted in religious necessity, and that at the time, the king's horseman not being able to commit suicide wouldn't have rocked the community as much as Elesin's failure does in the play. With the power of this new cosmic order manifested in its victorious political power that was evident to everybody, the spiritual mooring of the colonized was no longer secure: absolute conviction in the old ways was no longer possible. This is also how most audiences of performances have interpreted the play, as might be expected since most Western theater-goers do not bring much knowledge of Yoruba culture with them. Such ritual qualities dominate in acts 1, 3, and 5. The book is now somewhat dated, and many of these essays may be difficult for the general reader, but the essays are consistently insightful and the collection is thorough. Hesitantly, Iyaloja tries to speak. She knows that Elesin, not Simon, is at fault for not carrying out his suicide, because he allowed himself to be distracted by the young woman, and Elesin accepts the blame.

Next

Death and the King’s Horseman Summary

death and the king horseman sparknotes

Summary Scene 3 Sergeant Amusa and two constables arrive to arrest Elesin, but the women of the market block his path to a converted cloth stall. He dances with the locals and even has sexual intercourse with a local girl. Elesin asks if the women have come to a decision, and Iyaloja answers that they have: Elesin can have the young woman. He announces that the world is good and that he was born to keep it so. The actions, utterances, and dispositions of characters, such as, Mr.

Next

Death and the King's Horseman Critical Evaluation

death and the king horseman sparknotes

Elesin assures him that he's happy to die, but now, he wants the women to dress him in fine clothes and enjoy life. The scene where the girls mock Amusa is amusing, but also offers insights into the difficulties colonial peoples were subject to as a result of imperialism. Joseph knocks and Pilkings calls him in. . They discuss World War II, which is currently going on, and the ethics of killing oneself to save many others. It's important that there's this call-and-response exchange between Elesin and the praise-singer and the market women. They steal the officers' batons and hats, and then act out a scene in which they're Englishmen discussing the lying natives and the horrendous weather.

Next

Death and the King's Horseman Summary

death and the king horseman sparknotes

They form a separate layer of understanding, unavailable to those who merely read the printed script. But Olunde has been away for four years and has also been disowned by his father. Elesin assures the praise-singer that he doesn't need him to accompany him to the afterlife; instead, the praise-singer needs to remain in this world so he can sing about Elesin for those who are still alive. He knows the peril to the race when our dead father who goes as intermediary, waits and waits and knows he is betrayed. All the women treat him with great respect bordering on fear, as Elesin is followed about by men employed solely in making music and singing his praises. As if the timelessness of the ancestor world and the unborn have joined spirits. However, although separated in space, the two events are brought together—for comparison and contrast—in the impromptu debate between Olunde and Jane Pilkings.

Next

Death and the King’s Horseman Act 2 Summary & Analysis

death and the king horseman sparknotes

Although the precise function of this undeniably harsh ritual might vary from place to place, it too is a function of social needs. Their question is answered when they hear Elesin, yelling angrily. Olunde has come to fulfill his duty of burying his father since hearing the Chief died and knowing Elesin will be next. After the exhaustion, the way is clear for a new beginning. Their ordinary language is drowned out by the ceremonial richness of word and deed. Elesin is proud that his son, who had seemed to reject his own culture, was man enough to reject him.


Next

Death and the King’s Horseman Act I Summary and Analysis

death and the king horseman sparknotes

Nervously, Iyaloja asks for Elesin to forgive them and tell them what they did wrong. His life is already complete, his person in the process of being transformed into the passage that connects this world and the next; all that remains now is for him to let his soul pass through. For instance, only through Elesin sacrificing himself can the ritual be completed and the cosmic balance be restored. The women dance and celebrate the girls as Elesin steps out of the stall. Bride The Bride does not speak at all during the play.

Next