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Get hundreds more LitCharts at www.litcharts.com Death and the King’s Horseman historical event as Death and the King's Horseman. INTR INTRODUCTION ODUCTION BRIEF BIOGRAPHY OF WOLE SOYINKA KEY FACTS Soyinka grew up in British-ruled Nigeria. His family was Full Title: Death and the King's Horseman relatively well off; his father was an Anglican minister and the When Written: 1973-74 headmaster of a religious school, which meant the family had Where Written: Cambridge, England access to electricity and radio at home. Soyinka studied in When Published: 1975 Nigeria at a college affiliated with the University of London and relocated to England after graduation, where he pursued an Literary Period: Postcolonial African Diaspora advanced degree at the University of Leeds. The Lion and the Genre: Drama, Tragedy Jewel was his second play, and its success allowed him to move Setting: Oyo, Nigeria; sometime during World War Two to London. Over the next ten years, Soyinka continued to write Climax: Elesin commits suicide plays and edit literary periodicals both in England in Nigeria. In Antagonist: Simon Pilkings and the British; Colonialism the '60s, Soyinka became involved with politics. He was arrested several times and kept in prison for two years, and one Point of View: Theater of his books was banned in Nigeria. Soyinka wrote Death and the King's Horseman in 1975 during a time of exile from Nigeria, EXTRA CREDIT and it's become one of his most famous works. He has been Poems from Prison. Soyinka has been critical of corruption in married three times and has five children. government for much of his life, though he became far more active in his criticisms in the mid-1960s. During his first HISTORICAL CONTEXT imprisonment, Soyinka wrote a number of poems and notes on The story of Death and the King's Horseman is based on real tissue paper criticizing the Nigerian government. events that took place in Nigeria in 1946, when the English district commissioner attempted to stop the king's horseman Egungun. The egungun costumes like those the Pilkingses wear from committing ritual suicide. Several historians have noted, are an essential element of the Yoruba religious tradition. The however, that the tradition of the king's horseman following the garment covers the wearer completely, and the layers of cloth king to the afterlife isn't actually rooted in religious necessity, that make up the garment represent the spirit world and the and that at the time, the king's horseman not being able to world of the living. The more elaborate and expensive the cloth commit suicide wouldn't have rocked the community as much is, the wealthier and more powerful the family and the ancestor as Elesin's failure does in the play. The egungun costumes that are. the Pilkingses wear are part of the Yoruba religious tradition. The costumes are worn so that the wearer can channel ancestors; this is why Amusa insists that he's actually looking at PL PLO OT SUMMARY the dead when he looks at the costumes. Near the end of the day, Elesin, the king's horseman, dances through the market. He's eager to reach the market and RELATED LITERARY WORKS assures his praise-singer that he just wants to be in the market Many of Wole Soyinka's plays and novels consider similar among the women, where he's happy. The praise-singer makes themes as Death and the King's Horseman, in particular the sure that Elesin still plans to die later. Elesin assures him that difficult relationship between traditional Nigerian culture and he's happy to die, but now, he wants the women to dress him in Western modernization. His other works include his early play fine clothes and enjoy life. To show the praise-singer how The Lion and the Jewel Jewel, his novel Season of Anomy, and the serious he is about dying, Elesin dances and chants the story of memoir Aké: The Years of Childhood. Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie the Not-I bird. The Not-I bird goes around to all people, is another well-known Nigerian novelist who considers the animals, and gods, telling them it's time to die. All the beings tell intersections between traditional Nigerian culture and western the bird they're not ready and hide away, but Elesin says that influence, though in a later time period in Nigerian history. The when the bird came for him, he told it he'd be right along. As play Oba Wàjà, which was written by Duro Ladipo and Elesin tells this story, the women of the market, including published in the Yoruba language, deals with the same Iyaloja, surround him and dance with him. He and the women perform a call and response chant in which he assures them ©2020 LitCharts LLC v.007 www.LitCharts.com Page 1  Get hundreds more LitCharts at www.litcharts.com that he's going to die. hands. They steal the officers' batons and hats, and then act out Elesin, the women, and the praise-singer discuss how a scene in which they're Englishmen discussing the lying honorable Elesin is, but Elesin takes offense when the women natives and the horrendous weather. This insults and praise him. They're not sure what they said wrong, but Elesin embarrasses Amusa, but Iyaloja refuses to come to his defense. finally admits that he just wants them to dress him in fine Finally, Amusa and his constables leave. The women dance and clothes. Elesin catches sight of something in the distance, and celebrate the girls as Elesin steps out of the stall. He has just the distraction, a beautiful young woman, walks into the had sex with his new wife, and says that the future lies with his market. The praise-singer thinks that Elesin is going crazy when child that the bride will bear. Elesin begins to listen to the he begins to talk about possibly being dead already. They drums, narrate what's happening, and dance toward death. The discuss Elesin's reputation as a ladies' man, and Elesin asks women dance with him as he says that the king's dog and horse about who the woman was. Iyaloja hesitantly explains that the are dying, and then the praise-singer reminds Elesin of what he woman is already engaged. This annoys Elesin, but he persists must do. Elesin sinks deeper and deeper into the trance and the and says that since it's his last day on earth, he should be praise-singer tells Elesin that if those on the other side don't allowed to marry her, conceive a child with her, and leave this as honor him properly, they'll welcome him back. a parting gift. Though Iyaloja tries to convince Elesin that this is At the ball, the band plays music to introduce the prince. The a bad idea, she finally gives in. prince is taken with the egungun costumes, but the resident Later that evening, at the district officer's house, Simon Pilkings soon pulls Pilkings outside to explain a note that arrived from and his wife, Jane, tango through their living room. They're Amusa about Elesin's suicide. The resident reminds Pilkings dressed in egungun costumes. The local sergeant, Amusa, that he needs to be vigilant in order to support the empire, and arrives with news, but is distraught when he sees the egungun. when Amusa arrives, the resident asks if Amusa is part of the He refuses to look at Pilkings or tell him anything, which makes riot. Pilkings tries to get Amusa to give him his report, but Pilkings very angry—especially since Amusa is a Muslim and, in Amusa again refuses to speak to him in the egungun costume. Pilkings's understanding, shouldn't be upset about this. Finally, Pilkings dismisses Amusa as the clock strikes midnight. He and Pilkings tells Amusa to just write down his report. Jane wonder if this is the moment that Elesin will kill himself, and Pilkings runs away. Amusa's report is disturbing: Elesin plans to "commit death," which Amusa says is a criminal offense. Pilkings and Jane Olunde, who has returned from England, finds Jane outside and believe Elesin is going to murder someone, and Jane suggests asks for Pilkings. They discuss her costume and though Olunde they skip the costume ball later to deal with this disturbance. will look at her, he says she's still doing a disrespectful thing by Pilkings decides to just arrest Elesin. They call for their wearing the egungun. He explains that she doesn't understand houseboy, Joseph, who explains that Elesin is going to kill why it's wrong because she's English. They discuss World War himself so he can accompany the king, who died a month ago, to II, which is currently going on, and the ethics of killing oneself to the afterlife. Pilkings sighs. He has history with Elesin: he snuck save many others. Jane refuses to direct Olunde to Pilkings, Elesin's oldest son, Olunde, out and sent him to England to train and is shocked when Olunde says that he's here to bury Elesin as a doctor four years ago, despite Elesin insisting that Olunde and stop Pilkings from trying to stop Elesin from dying. He tries needed to stay for some ritual. They reason that this is the to make it clear that Elesin needs to die and is doing an ritual, and Jane realizes that Olunde would be the next king’s honorable thing, but Jane won't have it. She becomes horseman. Joseph excuses himself when Pilkings calls the increasingly upset as Olunde points out that thousands of natives "devious bastards." Pilkings calls Joseph back to explain Englishmen are dying in the war—something he suggests is what the drumming is about, and is angry when Joseph says he mass suicide. Olunde leads Jane outside to listen to the drums can't tell; it sounds both like a wedding and a death. Joseph and notes the moment in which Elesin dies. Jane is disturbed by leaves again and Jane declares that they need to stay home and Olunde's calm and attracts the attention of the aide-de-camp, deal with this. Pilkings sends Joseph to the police station with a but she sends him away. Olunde tries to explain why he was so note, tells Jane to put her costume back on, and shares that the calm, but also attempts to excuse himself to go sit with his prince is going to be at the ball, so they have to go. father's body. Back in the market, Amusa and his constables try to get From offstage, Olunde and Jane hear Pilkings telling someone through a group of women to enter a stall that’s draped in rich to restrain people. Pilkings steps into sight and is shocked when cloth. The women insult Amusa for working for the English, Olunde says that it would've been a tragedy had Pilkings mock his virility, and accuse him of trespassing. They refuse to succeeded in stopping Elesin. Pilkings refuses to let Olunde go let him any closer to Elesin and say that Elesin will prove see his father and then speaks with the aide-de-camp. He himself more powerful than the white men by killing himself. wants to know if he can put Elesin in the cellar where they used Iyaloja arrives to mediate the situation, but joins the women in to keep slaves. As Pilkings marches away, Olunde and Jane insulting Amusa. Several young girls take matters into their own wonder what's causing so much commotion. Their question is ©2020 LitCharts LLC v.007 www.LitCharts.com Page 2  Get hundreds more LitCharts at www.litcharts.com answered when they hear Elesin, yelling angrily. Elesin races into view but stops when he sees Olunde. He falls at Olunde's CHARA CHARACTERS CTERS feet, and Olunde insults his father and walks away. MAJOR CHARACTERS In his cell, Elesin stands, his wrists chained, and looks at the Elesin – Elesin is the titular horseman of the play. He's a vibrant moon. There are two guards in the cell with him, and his bride man who loves life and, due his role as the king's horseman, has sits demurely outside. Pilkings tries to talk about how calm and been able to to enjoy it to the fullest. He eats the finest foods, peaceful the night is, but Elesin insists that the night isn't calm dances with the women in the market, and has sex with and by any means: Pilkings has destroyed Elesin's life and the lives marries almost whomever he wants to in the moment. Because of others. They argue about whether Pilkings was just doing his the king died a month before the start of the play, Elesin must duty or not. Elesin explains that he's not at risk of dying commit suicide to join him, and has had a month to prepare for anymore, as he was supposed to die at a specific moment a his passage to the afterlife. The women in the market adore while ago. He says that he doesn't blame Pilkings, even though Elesin. He loves fine clothes, so they dress him in beautiful and he's ruined his life by stealing Olunde and stopping Elesin from elaborate cloth to commemorate his last day in the land of the doing what he needs to do. Pilkings tries to comfort Elesin by living. He shows himself to be a jokester, a storyteller, and a saying that not everything is as bad as it seems; Olunde thinks dancer as he interacts with those around him at the market. that this is salvageable. Elesin disagrees, but thinks that he no Through the praise-singer, Iyaloja, and Simon Pilkings, the longer has any honor and cannot even call himself Olunde's reader/audience learns that Elesin is an extremely honorable father. man who's fully entrenched in the customs of his people. Elesin Pilkings leaves, and Elesin tells his bride that he blames her in does choose to change up the customs surrounding his death a part for his failure, as she showed him that there are things on bit when he decides he must take a final wife, the young woman, earth that he still wants to enjoy, and he didn't want to die. before he dies. Especially since the bride is actually engaged to Pilkings and Jane return and argue if Olunde and Iyaloja should Iyaloja's son, this suggests that Elesin is more selfish than the be allowed to visit Elesin. Elesin assures Pilkings that nothing talk about how honorable he is might suggest. This is confirmed worse than what's already happened will come of Iyaloja when later, Elesin fails to commit suicide. Though he blames visiting. Pilkings shows Iyaloja in and she immediately begins to Pilkings (who arrests Elesin at the moment he tries to die), the berate Elesin. She says that he's dishonored himself and the gods, and his bride in turn, Elesin eventually admits that he world, and reminds him that she warned him this would loved life too much and didn't entirely want to die. Not dying happen. He tries to explain why he faltered, but she's dishonors Elesin beyond all recovery, so when he sees that his unsympathetic. Iyaloja says that she's coming with a burden. son Olunde died to take his place (which dishonors Elesin even Pilkings tries to show Iyaloja out, but she refuses to leave and further, as his son isn't supposed to give himself to his father says that Elesin must perform certain things. Their king will be like that), Elesin commits suicide with his chains. Iyaloja notes upset in the afterlife, and he needs to let their king go. that even in the afterlife, Elesin will be dishonored and will The aide-de-camp races in to say that there are women at the arrive covered in the manure from the king's stallion. bottom of the hill. Since it's just women, the aide-de-camp Iyaloja – The "mother of the market." She has a close and agrees to let them into the cellar. They enter, carrying a friendly relationship with Elesin and, along with the praise- cylindrical object on their shoulders that's covered in cloth. singer, acts as Elesin's moral compass and a conscience of sorts. Iyaloja says that it's the burden and the king's courier, and She wants to please him and is happy to do so by helping the Elesin needs to whisper in the courier's ear so he can release other market women dress him in fine cloth, but she's also the the king. Pilkings refuses to let Elesin out. The praise-singer only one to question him when he asks to take a young woman reminds Elesin of what his duty was and says that someone else as his wife in the hours before his death. With this, Iyaloja took Elesin's place. The women reveal that the cloth covers shows that she has a vested interest in making sure that Elesin Olunde's body, and the praise-singer continues to tell Elesin follows protocol and doesn't ruin things by changing the plan, how he has ruined things. as she warns him several times that he should make sure he Horrified, Elesin flings his chains around his neck and strangles doesn't leave a curse behind by having sex with his new bride. himself. Pilkings tries to resuscitate him, but Iyaloja tells him to At this point, Iyaloja seems to not have much power, given that stop. When he asks if this is what she wanted, Iyaloja answers she feels she cannot deny Elesin his bride even though she that this is what Pilkings gets when he doesn't respect the thinks the marriage isn't a good idea. After Elesin fails to die, customs of others surrounding death. The bride closes Elesin's however, Iyaloja comes into her full power. She berates Elesin eyes and pours a bit of dirt over them, and Iyaloja leads her for knocking the world off its course and upending the cosmic away. Iyaloja encourages the bride to think of her unborn child. order by failing to die. Iyaloja makes it very clear that women will have to bear the burden of Elesin's mistake by having the market women carry Olunde's body to Elesin's cell so he can ©2020 LitCharts LLC v.007 www.LitCharts.com Page 3  Get hundreds more LitCharts at www.litcharts.com see how the consequences of his actions. She speaks often in with the two cultures as a good thing, as it allows him to defend Yoruba proverbs, which allows her to force Elesin to connect his native culture and understand why the English behave the with his culture and his religion by interpreting them. After way they do. Olunde demonstrates just how strongly he Elesin dies, Iyaloja blames Pilkings for killing Elesin and creating believes in Yoruba traditions when, upon seeing Elesin alive an environment in which Elesin failed—and where a disaster when he should be dead, Olunde insults and disowns his father. like Olunde’s suicide could happen. However, Iyaloja also shows He later kills himself to take Elesin's place as the king's that she recognizes the importance of looking forward, not horseman in the afterlife. backward, when she tells the bride to think of her unborn child, Jane Pilkings – Pilkings's wife. She's far more understanding not of the living or the dead. and thoughtful than her husband, though she also fully Simon Pilkings – The district officer in the colonial Nigerian city supports Pilkings in his work of policing the native population in of Oyo. He's self-important, pompous, and has no time for the Nigeria, and at times, seems even more dutiful to the cause native religious practices, which he refers to as "nonsense" and than he does—she's the one to suggest that they skip the ball so "mumbo-jumbo." Because he thinks so little of the Yoruba that he can deal with Elesin's suicide. An observant woman who religion and the people, he sees no problem with wearing the wants to understand, Jane often tries to tell Pilkings to behave egungun to a costume party a few weeks after confiscating the more politely to the natives or explains that whatever he's costumes from the leaders of the egungun cult of the dead. doing is rude in their culture. Despite this, she also doesn't Pilkings is cruel and callous to everyone who is (or who he think highly of the natives at all and considers them primitive, believes is) below him in the hierarchy. This includes Elesin and while she finds English culture to be refined and superior. She Amusa, as well as his wife, Jane. He's especially dismissive of believes in the Christian ideal of the sanctity of all life, so she's Jane's attempts to make him understand the importance of dismissive of Elesin's suicide and of the deaths of other being sensitive to the local culture and customs, and shouts at individuals who sacrifice themselves for the greater good. her to stop interfering with his work. Pilkings only takes Elesin's However, she also doesn't see anything wrong with all of the suicide so seriously because the prince of England is visiting, young Englishmen who are dying in World War Two. During and because of that, Pilkings feels that he has to look her conversation with Olunde, she tries her best to understand competent and in control in front of his superiors. His manner why he wants Elesin to follow through with his suicide, and why implies that the rest of the time, he takes control when the Olunde isn't upset that his father is dying. Though she's able to mood strikes him or when it suits him to do so, and simply get information from Olunde that helps the reader/audience behaves rudely and derisively the rest of the time. Though understand, she herself cannot manage to see things from Pilkings says that Elesin dying wouldn't be a great loss—he's Olunde's perspective. had run-ins with Elesin in the past and finds Elesin difficult to The Pr Praise-Singer aise-Singer – The praise-singer is a man who deal with and annoyingly entrenched in native accompanies Elesin and acts as his conscience and spiritual customs—Pilkings does fully believe in the Christian idea that guide. After Elesin is gone, the praise-singer will be the one suicide is a sin. To this end, Pilkings does his best to stop responsible for singing about Elesin so that future generations Elesin's death, and succeeds. He tells Elesin that he's doing his remember him and know who he was. He and Elesin appear to duty by saving him, and refuses to consider that he's actually be extremely close and the praise-singer is sad to lose Elesin to doing Elesin and the local people a major disservice. the afterlife; he offers to accept Elesin back with open arms if Olunde – Olunde is Elesin's oldest son and therefore, is next in the gods and dead kings on the other side don't properly honor line to become the king's horseman. Four years prior to the Elesin. As Elesin's moral compass, the praise-singer offers start of the play, Pilkings helped sneak Olunde out of Nigeria so warnings about taking a bride and spending so much time with he could go to England and train as a doctor. According to women, and he leads the dancing and chanting as Elesin dances Pilkings and Jane, at that point, Olunde was a bright and closer to death. sensitive young man, more suited to becoming a poet than a Sergeant Amusa – Amusa is a native Nigerian man who doctor. When Olunde finally appears in the flesh, he's a converted to Islam several years before the action of the play. handsome figure and wears a Western suit. Through his He serves under Pilkings as a police officer for the English conversation with Jane, he shows himself to be wise, colonizers. Despite being a Muslim, Amusa still has strong ties honorable, and calm. He speaks highly of things like Elesin's to the native culture and religion; for example, he cannot bring death and the suicide of a ship's captain who exploded his ship himself to look at or speak to Pilkings and Jane when he finds to save civilians, suggesting that it's extremely important—and them in the egungun costumes. He's easily offended and seems usually worth it—for one person to sacrifice themselves for the insecure in his role as a policeman tasked with policing the local good of many. Because he's been in England for four years, population. He threatens violence against Iyaloja and the other Olunde has a firm understanding of both his native Yoruba women in the market when they mock him and refuse to let him culture and English culture. He conceptualizes his involvement arrest Elesin. ©2020 LitCharts LLC v.007 www.LitCharts.com Page 4  Get hundreds more LitCharts at www.litcharts.com The Aide-de-Camp – Another colonial official; Pilkings refers LIFE AND DEATH to him as Bob at several points. He attends closely to the prince The action of Death and the King's Horseman begins and seems to have a solid relationship with Pilkings, as he offers a month after the king's death. Per Yoruba religious Pilkings extra soldiers when Pilkings goes to arrest Elesin. The tradition, Elesin, the titular horseman (a title that aide-de-camp cares deeply for others, but only when those signifies that he's in service to the king and shares many of the others are English. He's extremely rude to Olunde and suggests same rights and perks, but without the same responsibilities), that the natives become too full of themselves as soon as they must commit ritual suicide so that he can accompany the king start to embrace Western culture. to the afterlife. Things become complicated, however, when the The Bride / The Y Young oung WWoman oman – A beautiful young woman Englishman Simon Pilkings, the local district officer, discovers engaged to Iyaloja's son. Elesin catches sight of her and decides that Elesin intends to commit suicide while the prince of he wants to marry her before he dies. She doesn't speak at all in England is visiting. Through Pilkings's attempts to stop Elesin the play, and goes along with what Elesin and others tell her to from committing suicide, the play begins to explore the do. It's implied that she becomes pregnant with Elesin's child. function and the cultural significance of death, both for the Yoruba people and for the English. Ultimately, the play makes it MINOR CHARACTERS very clear that death is something different for every culture—and that interrupting one culture's way of thinking Joseph – The houseboy for Simon and Jane. He's a relatively about the relationship between life and death can have recent convert to Christianity and Simon appreciates his disastrous consequences. willingness to look at the egungun costumes. Despite his obedience, Joseph appears to dislike Simon and seems to like For Elesin, the past month has been a time of transition. The Jane only marginally more than her husband. His affect is flat death of the king a month before means that Elesin has had and emotionless. thirty days to prepare for his own journey toward death and has therefore been existing in a liminal, transitional state. The Prince – The visiting prince of England. Though he doesn't Despite this—and despite Elesin's assurance to both his praise- speak, he appears to enjoy the costume ball in his honor. singer and Iyaloja, the mother of the market, that he plans to Olunde suggests that the prince is brave, given that he chooses follow through with tradition and die—the way that Elesin to undertake the journey to Nigeria in the middle of World War behaves and is described in the stage notes suggests that he's Two. more connected to life than he might think. This, Soyinka The Resident – The man above Pilkings in the ranks of colonial suggests in his introduction, is the true conflict of the play: that officials in Nigeria. He's self-important and believes fully in Elesin is too entrenched in the land of the living to successfully doing everything to properly support the English Empire, so he cross over to the land of the dead to join his king. chastises Pilkings for not knowing about Elesin's prospective The most significant way that Soyinka demonstrates how suicide earlier. connected Elesin is to life is through his desire for material and The King – The king doesn't appear in the play itself; he died carnal pleasures. Elesin teases the women in the marketplace, about a month before the action of the play starts. He and which results in them dressing him in colorful, elaborate Elesin were extremely close. clothing, something that Elesin clearly takes great pleasure in. He also insists on marrying in the hours before his death for no other reason than that the bride, the young woman he sees TERMS walking through the market, is extremely beautiful and he Egungun – Ceremonial costumes that Yoruba men wear during wants to have sex with her. Both Iyaloja and the praise-singer a specific annual ceremony to honor the dead. The costume suggest that this is a problem, whatever Elesin has to say on the allows the wearer to channel the ancestors. Only men can wear matter. Iyaloja cautions Elesin to make sure that his "seed them. doesn't attract a curse"—in other words, she tries to warn Elesin that participating in the marriage ceremonies so close to his death might tie him to the world of the living to the point THEMES where dying could become difficult when the time comes. Ultimately, she's right to be concerned: Elesin falters in his In LitCharts literature guides, each theme gets its own color- attempt to die and later, halfheartedly blames his new bride for coded icon. These icons make it easy to track where the themes tempting him. With this, Elesin admits that he did love life too occur most prominently throughout the work. If you don't have much, even as he regrets that he wasn't able to end it. a color printer, you can still use the icons to track themes in Despite Elesin's struggles to end his life, the way that the black and white. Yoruba characters speak about death casts death as something not only inevitable, but honorable—especially when, as was ©2020 LitCharts LLC v.007 www.LitCharts.com Page 5  Get hundreds more LitCharts at www.litcharts.com supposed to be Elesin's case, a person has the ability to prepare and upholding social order. In theory, at least, women reap the for and embrace their coming death. This also suggests that life benefits of these actions when the men around them behave can be more fulfilling when a person lives knowing full well that appropriately and honor them for their work. death is on its way. This contrasts dramatically with the way As the only named Yoruba woman in the play, Iyaloja, the that the English characters think of life and death. Pilkings mother of the market, is a compelling and powerful character believes in a Christian ideal of the sanctity of all life; thus, simply by virtue of who she is. She's the only woman willing to Elesin's suicide is something blasphemous and unthinkable, question Elesin's intentions to his face when he asks to marry rather than a way for Elesin to exercise agency over how and the young woman, and she's the most vocal critic of his choice when his spirit crosses over to the land of the dead. to marry right before his death. In these situations, Iyaloja Interestingly, Elesin's love of life and the way he goes about reveals that her role in Yoruba society is to ensure that things enjoying his life suggest that even if he does still adhere to proceed smoothly and as they should per tradition. It's worth Yoruba beliefs dictating that he must die, he might have more in remembering that according to Yoruba religious beliefs, common with Pilkings than Elesin is comfortable admitting. Iyaloja—as well as everyone else in society, women and men Indeed, even Pilkings brings up a Yoruba proverb suggesting alike—benefits from men like Elesin doing what they're that nobody dies entirely willingly, no matter their station in life supposed to do. While the reader/audience is never told or their belief system. With this, Pilkings suggests that Elesin's exactly what happens if Elesin fails in his task, it's made hesitation is normal and understandable even within the abundantly clear that it will negatively affect everyone, both in context of his own belief system, and even if it has disastrous the land of the living and in the land of the dead. In this way, consequences. Iyaloja is working to make sure that everyone benefits and As appalling as Pilkings finds Elesin's ritual suicide attempt and everyone follows the rules, even someone as powerful as as catastrophic as Elesin's failure is for Iyaloja and the Yoruba Elesin. people, more horrifying for everyone—Pilkings, Elesin, and the The girls who turn Amusa away from the market when he first reader/audience alike—is Elesin's successful suicide behind tries to arrest Elesin perform a similar function. Though bars after he sees the body of his oldest son, Olunde, who took unnamed, they nonetheless stop Amusa from ruining an Elesin's place in the spiritual world as the king's horseman important ritual and distracting Elesin even further from his when Elesin failed to die. Being refused his original, planned important task of dying later. They also taunt Amusa for death robs Elesin of all dignity and power. While dying as abandoning Yoruba beliefs and choosing to serve the planned would've meant that he'd be honored by both the living English—in other words, for exiting their society. In this way, and the dead, not being able to die dishonors Elesin in the eyes the Yoruba female characters demonstrate that their true of everyone and makes it so that the tradition of the king's loyalty is to their belief system and their culture. Anyone who horseman cannot continue in the futures of the living, given stands in their way, no matter how powerful or what religion that Olunde (who would've been the next horseman) is also they are, will be condemned and dismissed—as evidenced most dead. Dishonored in both life and death, Elesin kills himself with poignantly when Iyaloja brutally insults Elesin for failing to die the chains that bind him, and Iyaloja tells Pilkings that Pilkings and in doing so, dooming the Yoruba people to a horrendous, if is the one to blame, as he "usurp[s] the vestments of our dead, undescribed, fate. yet believe[s] that the stain of death will not cling to [him]." Jane Pilkings performs some of the same roles that the Yoruba With this, Iyaloja suggests that the true crime committed by women do, though the way that her husband treats her both Elesin and Pilkings is not accepting the inevitability of suggests that she has nowhere near as much power in her death and not allowing others to greet death on their own marriage as the Yoruba women do in their society. Jane mostly terms. functions as a fumbling and poorly informed interpreter of Yoruba culture for Pilkings. Though she doesn't understand it, WOMEN AND POWER she takes Amusa's unwillingness to look at her and Pilkings in While Death and the King's Horseman isn't overtly the egungun costumes seriously and attempts to make Pilkings about relationships between men and women, behave respectfully and with more understanding in his observing the way that all the play's women act and interaction with Amusa. In this case, however, Jane has very are treated by the men around them offers extensive insight little power to actually influence her husband's behavior. into how women function in Yoruba society and English colonial Pilkings does eventually dismiss Amusa for the night, but he society alike. In both cultures, women are treated as keepers of does so out of exasperation and tells Jane that she's just as silly culture and as the interpreters of their own cultures for others, for taking Amusa seriously as Amusa is for taking offense in the suggesting that while women in the play may not have power in first place. While Elesin teases the women and makes sure that the contemporary Western sense of the word, their power lies he gets his way in whatever he wants, unlike Pilkings, he at least in translating the meaning and significance of events for others takes Iyaloja's concerns seriously. ©2020 LitCharts LLC v.007 www.LitCharts.com Page 6  Get hundreds more LitCharts at www.litcharts.com Jane also facilitates for the audience a conversation with woman—and indeed, the woman is engaged and Elesin marries Olunde that reveals some of the cultural beliefs of the Yoruba out from under her fiancé, who is Iyaloja's son. With this, Elesin people. Importantly, Jane wants to understand, which is more not only upends the equilibrium of the community by denying than can be said for Pilkings, but she nevertheless fails to either Iyaloja's son his bride; he does so for no other reason than his understand why Elesin must die or pass on information to own pleasure. Because he later blames his inability to follow Pilkings that might make him understand why he shouldn't through with his suicide on his bride, this suggests that Elesin's intervene. However unsuccessful Jane might be in creating any downfall was his decision to behave selfishly, rather than die for meaningful action or change within the play, the questions that the greater good. she asks do allow the audience insight into what's going on and As the district officer, Pilkings is tasked with maintaining order why—which, in turn, encourages the reader/audience to see in the colony, primarily by stamping out the local religion and Jane and Pilkings as antagonists, not righteous fighters for a replacing it with Christianity. However, the way that Pilkings good cause. Put another way, though female characters as a behaves suggests that while he doesn't respect the local people group don't necessarily enjoy any power that comes through and their religions at any time, he has even less respect for action, their power is in what they say and what they can do them when someone is watching—in this case, the prince of with their words: unlike the male characters, they can help England. Pilkings takes the news of Elesin's impending suicide others understand. Given that all the male characters are so seriously only because there's someone extremely unsuccessful in carrying out their goals—Pilkings doesn't stop important around whom he'd like to impress by making it Elesin from killing himself; Elesin cannot kill himself in the appear as though the colony is safe and under control. This is proper manner; and Olunde can't go on to be a doctor or the something that, in the context of the logic and goals of a king’s horseman—the play elevates the power of speech and colonial power, Pilkings should be trying to do all the time in communication over action, and suggests that it's only thanks order to properly serve the British Empire. In this way, Soyinka to those who play an interpretive role that society will function shows that Pilkings's attempt to stop Elesin isn't actually properly. undertaken to help the empire further its goals: it's a way for him to look good and nothing more. His failure to either stop DUTY AND COLLECTIVE Elesin or impress the prince shows that performing one's duty RESPONSIBILITY only when it's convenient is wildly ineffective and misguided. Death and the King's Horseman is extremely In his conversation with Jane, Olunde encourages her to look interested in exploring what it means to be dutiful beyond her horror at the idea of ritual suicide and see that and honorable—to oneself, to one's people, and to one's within the Yoruba belief system, Elesin is doing his people a spiritual beliefs. Given that duty is what drives Elesin in his massive favor by insuring their spiritual wellness. He also attempts to commit suicide and is also what drives Pilkings's expands this idea to encompass the entire globe by suggesting attempts to stop Elesin, it's worth considering the ways in that sacrificing one person for the sake of hundreds or which the respective duties of these two men and their two thousands of others is usually worth it. Jane mentions in an cultures mirror each other. Though the play is upfront, both in offhand way that several weeks ago, a ship's captain died in the its introduction and in the text itself, to show that Pilkings is harbor when he exploded his ship, which contained some kind inarguably wrong to try to stop Elesin from killing himself, it of dangerous material and posed a risk to the people living nonetheless suggests that the fault of both men was acting around the harbor. She insists that the captain's sacrifice was selfishly, rather than acting for the greater and collective good: disgusting and unnecessary, while Olunde encourages her to that is, doing their duty to others. see it as "an affirmative commentary on life." In contrast, he points out that English soldiers are dying at alarming rates in It's important to keep in mind that while none of the play's the war, while English newscasters insist that the country is characters explain what would happen if Elesin fails in his experiencing victory after victory—in other words, that the suicide attempt, Iyaloja, Olunde, and the praise-singer all say at English are sacrificing droves of people, while also refusing to various points that the results would be disastrous. Olunde honor them by calling the deaths of those men a massive points out that while Pilkings fears a riot if Elesin succeeds, he humanitarian crisis. should actually fear a riot if Elesin doesn't—Elesin's death is important enough to the Yoruba people that denying it to them Because Olunde believes so strongly in this sense of duty to the is extremely dangerous. Despite the fact that Elesin is aware of communal good, it's shocking for him when Elesin appears, very the importance of his death and knows that it's the only way to much alive and therefore, within the logic of Yoruba theology, maintain this cosmic order, he nonetheless chooses to behave not looking out for the good of his people. Olunde then shows selfishly in his final hours by marrying the young woman he himself to be the most honorable and dutiful character of the sees in the market. Notably, there's no ceremonial or spiritual play by doing what he knows he must do and killing himself to reason why Elesin decides he must have this young take Elesin's place as the king's horseman in the afterlife. While ©2020 LitCharts LLC v.007 www.LitCharts.com Page 7  Get hundreds more LitCharts at www.litcharts.com this poses its own moral dilemmas (Olunde won't be able to go Pilkings, he cannot bear to look at Pilkings and Jane when he on and save lives as a doctor, for instance, nor will he be able to finds them wearing the egungun in preparation for the costume serve the next king as a horseman), taking Elesin's place means ball to be held that night in the prince's honor. He attempts to that Olunde is at least attempting to rebalance the cosmic explain to Pilkings that it's wildly inappropriate for them to order of the entire world and perform his duty by being willing wear the egungun and, further, that it's disrespectful even for to properly complete the task set out before him that benefits Amusa to touch or look at the costumes when discussing a many, not just himself. matter related to death. What's most galling for Pilkings in this situation is that, as far as he's concerned, Amusa was supposed COLONIALISM to have left his respect and belief for "any mumbo-jumbo" behind when he converted to Islam. This reveals that Pilkings's In the introduction to the play, Soyinka says true goal is to stamp out the local culture and belief systems. outright that it's inappropriate and reductive to consider Death and the King's Horseman only as a While Elesin and Pilkings seem to represent two ends of a play about a "clash of cultures" and the role of colonialism in spectrum, Elesin's son Olunde, who is in the process of training Nigeria. Instead, he encourages readers and prospective to be a doctor in England, represents the potential for a middle directors to focus on the conflict that Elesin experiences as he ground. When Olunde arrives, Pilkings is initially thrilled, as he fails to follow through with his suicide for a host of other thinks that Olunde will be a "voice of reason" who can "talk reasons not related to Pilkings's attempts to stop him. Despite sense" into Elesin and stop his ritual suicide. Despite four years this warning, the fact remains that colonialism, racism, and of life and training in England, however, Olunde calmly explains prejudice loom large over the story, if only because it takes that he only returned to Nigeria to bury his father. He explains place in colonial Nigeria during World War Two. When that the ritual will go on, no matter what anyone says to the considered in terms of colonialism, the action of Death and the contrary, and furthermore, that it's essential that it happen. King's Horseman becomes less about one man's failure to This suggests that, like Amusa, Olunde still respects and uphold his society's traditions and maintain cosmic understands the belief system he grew up with, even as he order—instead, Elesin and Olunde's deaths come to symbolize steps firmly into the Western world by training as a doctor. His the death of the Yoruba society as a whole under colonial rule. time in England doesn't compromise his knowledge that upon his father's death, he needs to bury his father and perform It becomes clear in the side comments and observations of all rituals reserved for a firstborn son. Olunde's suicide after characters, Yoruba and English alike, that the city of Oyo has a Elesin's failure then becomes indicative of Olunde's belief in the long and tragic history of European occupation that, even in the importance of maintaining these traditions and making sure play's present, influences all the characters. When Pilkings that, at least in the cosmic realm, the culture persists properly. arrests and imprisons Elesin, for example, Elesin is chained in a The fact that both Olunde and Elesin die, however (and cellar where slaves bound for North America were once held. especially that Olunde dies without ever becoming the king's Though he's not taken to North America like his forebears, horseman in an official capacity, and without leaving behind Elesin suffers at the hands of white invaders who wish to children of his own), makes it so that the custom cannot maintain control over African bodies and customs by continue into the next generation. Through Olunde's insights imprisoning them and denying them dignity and agency. In the into both Yoruba and English culture, the play suggests that same vein, much of Pilkings's distress when he learns about there's massive potential for cross-cultural understanding Elesin's upcoming suicide has to do with the fact that the prince through education and a desire to learn—while through his is visiting the colony and, as far as the prince is aware, Nigeria is death, the play drives home the massive human and cultural a rare calm and safe colonial state amidst the horrors of World consequences of elevating the beliefs of the colonizers over War Two. In other words, it's absolutely essential for Pilkings to those of the colonized, a cost that harms everyone in the long suppress local customs that might not go over well with the run. colony's prince in order to maintain the illusion that after nearly a century of occupation, the locals are subdued and are no longer a threat to their occupiers—even when those SYMBOLS "threats" don't threaten Pilkings directly or, for that matter, the presence or ruling power of the English as a group. Symbols appear in teal text throughout the Summary and There are indicators, however, that despite the generations of Analysis sections of this LitChart. English occupation in Nigeria, the English are only barely suppressing what Pilkings, at least, sees as an even greater EUROPEAN MUSIC threat than violence, revolt, or losing administrative power: the local culture and belief system. Though Amusa, a Nigerian man, In his stage notes, Soyinka describes the European converted to Islam and is now a sergeant serving under music (like a tango or waltz) that plays at points ©2020 LitCharts LLC v.007 www.LitCharts.com Page 8  Get hundreds more LitCharts at www.litcharts.com throughout the production as being weak and of poor quality. With this, the play suggests that the music itself is careful around the women, as they might weaken his representative of British colonialism in Nigeria—in that the resolve to die. Elesin's response shows just how much he English themselves are out of place, weak, and inappropriate in loves life and specifically, how much he loves the life he can Nigeria. The vitality of the Yoruba drumming and singing, in lead in the market, surrounded by women who adore him. contrast, suggests that the native music—and by extension, the The way he describes women in terms of their bodies and native culture—is correct and appropriate for the locale, their smells shows how connected to the material, living lending it its natural strength. world he is. All of this suggests that the praise-singer has every right to be concerned that the women will weaken Elesin's resolve to die. This tells the reader or audience that CHAINS while Elesin may speak of one thing, it's important to pay Though Soyinka insists in his introduction that attention to what the praise singer (and later in the play, Death and the King's Horseman isn't about Iyaloja) say about him, as they're the ones with an outside colonialism, per se, the way that chains function throughout the perspective. play make it clear that Oyo and Nigeria as a whole is steeped in its colonial history, as well as its slave history. When Elesin is chained and kept in a cellar that once housed slaves before they Ah, companions of this living world were moved to the coast, it suggests that Elesin and his culture What a thing it is, that even those are still at the mercy of a system that seeks to dehumanize We call immortal African people and deprive them of their traditions. As Elesin Should fear to die. goes on to kill himself with his chains, it more broadly symbolizes the way in which the English colonizers are, at this time, literally killing native people and the culture by drawing Related Characters: Elesin (speaker), The Praise-Singer on beliefs of European and white superiority developed through enslaving African people. Related Themes: Page Number: 13 QUO QUOTES TES Explanation and Analysis Note: all page numbers for the quotes below refer to the When Elesin dances and tells the story of the Not-I bird, he Norton edition of Death and the King’s Horsemen published in says that the bird (who flies around reminding people of 1975. their deaths) even visited the gods—and they too pretended not to hear the bird's call. Recognizing that everyone, even the gods who dictate the custom of Elesin's death, fears Act 1 Quotes death suggests that Elesin's later failure to die is actually far Praise-Singer: They love to spoil you but beware. The very understandable, even within the context of his own hands of women also weaken the unwary. spiritual beliefs. Because Elesin is so happily dancing and Elesin: This night I'll lay my head upon their lap and go to sleep. performing at this moment, it also suggests that the reader This night I'll touch feet with their feet in a dance that is no or viewer shouldn't necessarily take what he's saying at face longer of this earth. But the smell of their flesh, their sweat, the value. While he may be able to speak about the necessity smell of indigo on their cloth, this is the last air I wish to breathe and the honor of greeting death, his obvious love of life as I go to meet my great forebears. suggests that his conversation with the Not-I bird may have actually gone more like this one between the gods and the bird. Related Characters: Elesin, The Praise-Singer (speaker) Related Themes: Page Number: 10 Explanation and Analysis As Elesin hurries to the market, pursued by his praise-singer and his drummer, the praise-singer cautions Elesin to be ©2020 LitCharts LLC v.007 www.LitCharts.com Page 9  Get hundreds more LitCharts at www.litcharts.com Praise-Singer: I say you are that man who Chanced upon the calabash of honour Page Number: 24 You thought it was palm wine and Drained its contents to the final drop. Explanation and Analysis Elesin: Life has an end. A life that will outlive Amusa refuses to look at Pilkings and Jane while they're Fame and friendship begs another name. wearing the egungun costume, and Pilkings can't believe What elder takes his tongue to his plate, that Amusa would behave this way, given that he's a convert Licks it clean of every crumb? He will encounter to Islam. Amusa's feelings suggest that Pilkings isn't doing as Silence when he calls on children to fulfill good a job of destroying the cultural history of colonial The smallest errand! Life is honour. Nigeria as he'd like to think. His discomfort signals that for It ends when honour ends. him, the egungun costumes do still have power and are deserving of respect, even if he no longer formally practices the religion or believes in their power. Pilkings's inability to Related Characters: The Praise-Singer, Elesin (speaker) understand how Amusa could be so disturbed by the costumes speaks to the way that Pilkings conceptualizes the Related Themes: native people as simple, primitive, and incapable of believing Page Number: 15 or respecting multiple things at once—regardless of their stated religion. It also shows how little Pilkings thinks of the Explanation and Analysis local religion, given that he's doing something extremely Elesin and the women in the marketplace sing and dance rude and improper by wearing the egungun in the first about how honorable and good Elesin is, and Elesin remarks place. that part of his honorable life must include his honorable death. As a cultural note, it's the custom in the Yoruba society for men and important people like Elesin to get to Jane: But Simon, do they really give anything away? I mean, eat first and get the pick of the best foodstuffs. They then anything that really counts. This affair for instance, we leave their leftovers for others (in this case, children), and didn't know they still practised the custom did we? leaving desirable bits of food means that the individuals who Pilkings: Ye-e-es, I suppose you're right there. Sly, devious get to eat off of Elesin's plate will remain loyal to him. bastards. Through this proverb, Elesin is able to remind the women of the marketplace just how honorable he is—he, presumably, leaves things on his plate that are good and desirable to eat. Related Characters: Jane Pilkings, Simon Pilkings This is one way he can give back to his community; the other (speaker), Elesin, Sergeant Amusa is by dying tonight at the appropriate time, which will ensure the spiritual wellbeing of his people. Related Themes: Page Number: 29 Act 2 Quotes Explanation and Analysis Pilkings: Nonsense, he's a Moslem. Come on, Amusa, you Pilkings and Jane discuss how private the native people are don't believe in all this nonsense do you? I thought you were a about their customs, even though they're talkative about all good Moslem. manner of other things. The way that Jane and Pilkings Amusa: Mista Pirinkin, I beg you sir, what you think you do with frame this conversation shows that they have little that dress? It belong to dead cult, not for human being. understanding of the way that their presence as powerful colonizers shapes the way that the natives engage with Pilkings: Oh Amusa, what a let down you are. I swear by you at them. As far as the native people are likely concerned, the club you know—thank God for Amusa, he doesn't believe in sharing their customs with their colonizers is useless at best any mumbo-jumbo. And now look at you! (given the way that Pilkings so rudely and callously wears the egungun costume, for example) and dangerous at worst, Related Characters: Sergeant Amusa, Simon Pilkings since Pilkings later goes on to try to stop Elesin and the (speaker), Jane Pilkings Yoruba from following through with the custom at all. This all suggests that Pilkings believes that his colonial goals are Related Themes: ©2020 LitCharts LLC v.007 www.LitCharts.com Page 10  Get hundreds more LitCharts at www.litcharts.com being achieved far more effectively than they actually are, Related Themes: given that the natives are still practicing these old customs that don't support colonial rule at all. Page Number: 35 Explanation and Analysis Jane: Simon, you really must watch your language. Bastard When Amusa comes to the market to arrest Elesin, he isn't just a simple swear-word in these parts, you know. makes the mistake of suggesting that Elesin calls himself by Pilkings: Look, just when did you become a social his name, rather than understanding that Elesin's name is anthropologist, that's what I'd like to know. passed down through generations of horsemen and is something that's innate to him. This shows how out of touch Jane: I'm not claiming to know anything. I just happen to have Amusa is with his home culture and specifically, how a lack overheard quarrels among the servants. That's how I know of understanding makes it even more difficult for Amusa to they consider it a smear. negotiate with the market women and get any closer to getting his way. Related Characters: Jane Pilkings, Simon Pilkings The woman who responds, though unnamed, shows that (speaker), Joseph she and the other women in the market can tap into a great deal of power by invoking the authority of their culture and Related Themes: its customs. She also shows that though Amusa is black, like her, he's a lesser being in her eyes because he chooses to Page Number: 30 serve the white colonizers. In her mind, she and the women Explanation and Analysis are far stronger than he is because they still serve the Following Pilkings's use of "bastard" to describe the natives, spiritual systems that give them power, rather than the Joseph, the houseboy, is extremely offended, and Jane white people who wish to take their power away. attempts to explain that "bastard" means something really awful to the locals. The way that Pilkings puts down Jane suggests that he doesn't think highly of her, or anyone else, - One might even say, difficult? for that matter. Because her knowledge doesn't come from - Indeed one might be tempted to say, difficult. him, it's not worthwhile or useful to him—instead, it's - But you do manage to cope? threatening. The fact that Jane is aware of the weight that - Yes indeed I do. I have a rather faithful ox called Amusa. the word "bastard" holds in Yoruba society shows that she's - He's loyal? far more interested in learning about the locals than her - Absolutely. husband is. She recognizes that in order to more effectively - Lay down his life for you what? live with them (and eventually, to "properly" colonize them - Without a moment's thought. and likely stamp out this sort of thing), it's important to - Had one like that once. Trust him with my life. understand where the native people are coming from so - Mostly of course they are liars. they can relate to them better. - Never known a native to tell the truth. Related Characters: Elesin, Iyaloja, Sergeant Amusa Act 3 Quotes Amusa: The chief who call himself Elesin Oba. Related Themes: Woman: You ignorant man. It is not he who calls himself Elesin Page Number: 38 Oba, it is his blood that says it. As it called out to his father before him and will to his son after him. And that is in spite of Explanation and Analysis everything your white man can do. In this passage, two young girls affect posh English accents and make fun of the English colonizers and Amusa Related Characters: Sergeant Amusa (speaker), Elesin, specifically. By stealing Amusa's hat and baton and then Iyaloja decimating him with their act, the girls show that they are a force to be reckoned with and are the Yoruba's best bet to ©2020 LitCharts LLC v.007 www.LitCharts.com Page 11  Get hundreds more LitCharts at www.litcharts.com Our marriage is not yet wholly fulfilled. When earth and fight the colonizers. They show here that they have a passage wed, the consummation is complete only when nuanced grasp of how the colonizers operate and how they there are grains of earth on the eyelids of passage. Stay by me think of the native Africans—referring to Amusa as a till then. My faithful drummers, do me your last service. This is "faithful ox" indicates that they understand that the where I have chosen to do my leave-taking, in this heart of life, colonizers don't think of them as real people and instead, this hive which contains the swarm of the world in its small consider them either animals to do their bidding or crafty compass. This is where I have known love and laughter away liars intent on double-crossing them. By standing up to from the palace. Amusa like this, the girls also make it so that Elesin is able to follow through with the marriage ceremonies and go on to Related Characters: Elesin (speaker), Olunde, The Bride / the death ceremonies without interruption. This indicates The Young Woman, Iyaloja that though they're young, these girls are the keepers of the culture just like their mothers and Iyaloja are. Related Themes: Page Number: 35 Then tell him to leave this market. This is the home of our Explanation and Analysis mothers. We don't want the eater of white left-overs at the feast their hands have prepared. Following the marriage ceremonies, Elesin tells the bride that she's the one who will perform the final rites when he dies, and that he'd like to die here, in the market. Note how Related Characters: Iyaloja, Sergeant Amusa the Yoruba people think of the market: namely, that it's the center of society and can act as a metaphor for their Related Themes: conception of the world as a whole. Elesin wants to die in Page Number: 39 the center of the world, in a place where he's been happy and surrounded by women throughout his life. He also tells Explanation and Analysis the bride that it's extremely important that she follow As Iyaloja tries to get the girls to leave Amusa alone, the through with her duty of performing the final rites over his girls tell Iyaloja to kick Amusa out of the market. The way body, as this is the only way that their marriage will be that the girls speak about the market suggests that it's a complete. This reminds the reader that the bride is, realm devoted to women, where women are the ones in alongside Olunde, one of the most dutiful characters in the power. This tells the reader that at least in this specific play. While she doesn't speak, she does whatever's asked of setting within Yoruba society, women do have power, just her without question, likely in the awareness that only not in the Western sense of the word. Further, by turning through doing so will her society continue to prosper. Amusa out of the market, they ensure that their world will be able to proceed like it's supposed to (that is, with Elesin's death). But will they know you over there? Have they eyes to When the girls refer to Amusa as the "eater of white left- gauge your worth, have they the heart to love you, will overs," it again shows that they think little of people like they know what thoroughbred prances towards them in Amusa, who abandoned traditional society in favor of caparisons of honor? If they do not Elesin, if any there cuts your supporting colonial rule. Men like Amusa, they suggest, are yam with a small knife, or pours you wine in a small calabash, the lowest of the low in colonial society, as they only get to turn back and return to welcoming hands. eat leftovers and will never have any power of their own. Related Characters: The Praise-Singer (speaker), Elesin Related Themes: Page Number: 45 Explanation and Analysis As Elesin dances deeper into a trance and closer to death, the praise-singer emotionally assures Elesin that if things aren't good on the other side, he can come back and the ©2020 LitCharts LLC v.007 www.LitCharts.com Page 12  Get hundreds more LitCharts at www.litcharts.com Olunde (mildly): And that is the good cause for which you praise-singer will welcome him back to the land of the living. desecrate an ancestral mask? The fact that the praise-singer is able to express this doubt Jane: Oh, so you are shocked after all. How disappointing. about what life is like on the other side shows that questioning what death actually entails is a part of the Olunde: No I am not shocked Mrs. Pilkings. You forget that I Yoruba belief system. It also suggests that while the world have now spent four years among your people. I discovered of the living and the land of the dead are connected, it's that you have no respect for what you do not understand. possible that there are gaps in the communication between the two—hence the praise-singer wondering if those on the Related Characters: Jane Pilkings, Olunde (speaker) other side will understand just how honorable Elesin is. Related Themes: Act 4 Quotes Page Number: 50 Resident: You should have kept me informed Pilkings. You Explanation and Analysis realise how disastrous it would have been if things had erupted At the ball, Olunde and Jane discuss that Olunde does find it while His Highness was here. offensive that Jane is wearing the egungun costume, which Pilkings: I wasn't aware of the whole business until tonight sir. disappoints Jane. Jane's disappointment indicates that she Resident: Nose to the ground Pilkings, nose to the ground. If we believes Olunde's four years in England should've changed all let these little things slip past us where would the empire be his thinking so that he wouldn't find wearing the egungun eh? Tell me that. Where would we all be? offensive. Instead, four years in England gave Olunde more insight into English culture, which, as far as he's concerned, doesn't respect anything that it didn't come up with or Related Characters: Simon Pilkings, The Resident promote in the first place. In other words, Jane's rudeness (speaker), The Prince, Elesin comes from believing that her culture is superior, full stop, and not recognizing that there are other people in the world Related Themes: who believe differently and whose beliefs are just as Page Number: 47 important to them as hers are to her. This also shows that Jane has the capacity to understand, if she wanted to learn. Explanation and Analysis Instead, however, Jane has chosen to be ignorant, which After the resident pulls Pilkings out of the ball to give him keeps her from being able to respect anything other than Amusa's note regarding Elesin's suicide, the resident Western and English culture and religion. reprimands Pilkings for not being more tuned into what's going on with the natives. The fact that Pilkings didn't know about Elesin's suicide shows, first of all, that he doesn't Olunde: I don't find it morbid at all. I find it rather inspiring. much care about the native people or their culture, and It is an affirmative commentary on life. likely wouldn't have taken much interest in Elesin's suicide Jane: What is? were the prince not around to be aware of this. In other words, Pilkings only performs his duty to the empire when Olunde: The captain's self-sacrifice. it's convenient for him and when it would make him look Jane: Nonsense. Life should never be thrown deliberately away. good. The resident, on the other hand, shows that he's Olunde: And the innocent people round the harbour? extremely committed to stamping out the local culture and Jane: Oh, how does anyone know? The whole thing was doing whatever he can to make sure that he knows about probably exaggerated anyway. local rituals happening so that he can stop them. He believes that this is the only way to help England achieve its goals as Olunde: That was a risk the captain couldn't take. a colonial power. Related Characters: Jane Pilkings, Olunde (speaker) Related Themes: Page Number: 51 ©2020 LitCharts LLC v.007 www.LitCharts.com Page 13  Get hundreds more LitCharts at www.litcharts.com How can you be so callous! So unfeeling! You announce Explanation and Analysis your father's own death like a surgeon looking down on some strange... stranger's body! You're a savage like all the rest. Jane and Olunde discuss a local ship's captain whose ship became somehow dangerous to the people surrounding the harbor. He blew up his ship and himself with it to save Related Characters: Jane Pilkings (speaker), Elesin, Olunde others, which Olunde finds inspiring and Jane finds repulsive. This exchange clearly illustrates how Jane and Related Themes: Olunde's respective cultures think of death and individuals' duty to keeping the masses safe. While Jane might accept Page Number: 55 that the captain saved many people, she's nevertheless Explanation and Analysis unable to conceive of a situation in which it's acceptable for one person to kill themselves to save others. When she When Olunde listens to the drums and calmly explains that becomes dismissive of Olunde and the situation, it shows the change in the rhythm signifies Elesin's death, Jane how uncomfortable she is voicing her opinions and trying to screams that Olunde is a strange savage. Again, this speaks understand. to the different ways that the English and the Yoruba think of death. As far as Jane believes, death is something bad to be feared—and it shouldn't be something that happens to someone on their terms. It's something fundamentally How can I make you understand? He has protection. No unknowable and uncontrollable. For the Yoruba, on the one can undertake what he does tonight without the other hand, death is something that's accepted as a fact of deepest protection the mind can conceive. What can you offer life. Especially for someone like Elesin, who is supposed to him in place of his peace of mind, in place of the honour and commit ritual suicide, knowing that death will come at a veneration of his own people? What you think of your Prince if specific time gives him and the rest of the community a he had refused to accept the risk of losing his life on this sense of peace and agency. Jane's insistence that this belief voyage? This...showing-the-flag tour of colonial possessions. makes Olunde a “savage” suggests that while she claims she wants to learn about the Yoruba, there are some things that Related Characters: Olunde (speaker), The Prince, Elesin, are beyond her comprehension and that she'll never Jane Pilkings understand until she decides that her Western beliefs aren't the only ones with value. Related Themes: Page Number: 53 Act 5 Quotes Explanation and Analysis Elesin: You did not save my life District Officer. You destroyed it. When Jane suggests that Pilkings can protect Elesin and keep him from killing himself, Olunde assures her that Elesin Pilkings: Now come on... has the protection of the Yoruba spiritual system and will be Elesin: And not merely my life but the lives of many. The end of doing his people a favor by dying. Importantly, Olunde the night's work is not over. Neither this year nor the next will shows that what's most important to him and his culture see it. If I wished you well, I would pray that you do not stay when it comes to death is the fact that by dying properly, long enough on our land to see the disaster you have brought when they're supposed to, people like Elesin are able to die upon us. honorably and their memory will be cherished and honored Pilkings: Well, I did my duty as I saw fit. I have no regrets. by the living for generations. Not dying, Olunde suggests, would be cowardly. By bringing up that the prince of England is doing a similar thing by traveling around to the Related Characters: Simon Pilkings, Elesin (speaker) colonies to show the British flag, he tries to impress upon Jane that this idea isn't actually something that's unique to Related Themes: the Yoruba culture. Every leader must accept the possibility of death and not fear it, for that's the only way to gain the Related Symbols: respect of the ruled and be an honorable ruler. Page Number: 62 ©2020 LitCharts LLC v.007 www.LitCharts.com Page 14  Get hundreds more LitCharts at www.litcharts.com You were the final gift of the living to their emissary to the Explanation and Analysis land of the ancestors, and perhaps your warmth and youth brought new insights of this world to me and turned my feet Pilkings tries to talk to Elesin while he's in the cell, and leaden on this side of the abyss. For I confess to you, daughter, Elesin explains that Pilkings did a horrendous thing by my weakness came not merely from the abomination of the stopping his suicide, though Pilkings insists he just did his white man who came violently into my fading presence, there duty. The way that Elesin talks about the awful things to was also a weight of longing on my earth-held limbs. I would come is intended to show Pilkings that Elesin also had a have shaken it off, already my foot had begun to lift but then, duty to his people to die appropriately and at the right time. the white ghost entered and all was defiled. Through doing that, Elesin would've been able to guarantee his people's spiritual wellbeing, as well as their health in the land of the living. Because he was prevented, however, the Related Characters: Elesin (speaker), Simon Pilkings, The world is now irrevocably off-kilter. Pilkings's refusal to Bride / The Young Woman accept Elesin's explanation shows that he still believes that his Western beliefs are the only ones that matter. In his Related Themes: mind, death isn't ever a good thing, and it's appropriate to try to stop someone from committing suicide. Page Number: 65 Explanation and Analysis In a moment alone with the bride, Elesin tells her that while You did not fail in the main thing ghostly one. We know the Pilkings certainly complicated things, it was mostly his own roof covers the rafters, the cloth covers blemishes; who love of life that kept him from following through and killing would have known that the white skin covered our future, himself as planned. In particular, he blames his bride—not preventing us from seeing the death our enemies had prepared for anything that she did specifically; mostly as a living for us. The world is set adrift and its inhabitants are lost. symbol of all the good things in the world of the living—for Around them, there is nothing but emptiness. tying him to life in such a way that made it impossible for him to be willing to let go. This gives Elesin the opportunity Related Characters: Elesin (speaker), Olunde, Simon to insist to the reader or viewer that he's not the only one to Pilkings blame for what happened to him: while the bride showed him all that he'd be missing after he went on, Pilkings made Related Themes: it impossible to finish his task. Page Number: 63 Explanation and Analysis It is when the alien hand pollutes the source of will, when a stranger force of violence shatters the mind's calm Pilkings suggests that he failed in effectively stamping out resolution, this is when a man is made to commit the awful the power of local culture, as evidenced by Olunde's treachery of relief, commit in his thought the unspeakable insistence that he shouldn't have stopped Elesin's death, blasphemy of seeing the hand of the gods in this alien rupture and Elesin explains that he believes Pilkings is wrong. In his of his world. I know it was this thought that killed me, sapped explanation, he suggests that colonialism as a whole (the my powers and turned me into an infant in the hands of "white skin" that covers the future) is winning and has won, unnamable strangers. as evidenced by Elesin's failure to follow through with the ritual and commit suicide. Because of what colonialism has done, Elesin suggests, the entire world is ruined, and his Related Characters: Elesin (speaker), Simon Pilkings, people's lives are ruined as well. In other words, while Iyaloja Pilkings may not feel like he won as an individual, in the long run, he and his cause have won a decisive (though wholly Related Themes: destructive) victory. Page Number: 69 Explanation and Analysis When Iyaloja arrives in the cellar to speak to Elesin, Elesin tries to explain to her why he couldn't follow through and ©2020 LitCharts LLC v.007 www.LitCharts.com Page 15  Get hundreds more LitCharts at www.litcharts.com kill himself. In front of Iyaloja, Elesin accepts full Olunde's body to Elesin so that he can perform the final responsibility for what happened. While it's easy to read his rites over it. The women are the ones who are tasked with mention of the "alien hand" as being a reference to Pilkings making sure that others in society behave and colonialism more broadly, it can also be read as the appropriately—and as the ones left behind when Elesin and "alien" thought that maybe, he doesn't want to die. Given his Olunde die, they also must suffer the consequences role as the king’s horseman, it is foreign for Elesin to because Elesin didn't follow tradition. consider that maybe he doesn't want to die and follow through with the ritual. When he mentions that his failure turned him into an infant, it represents how powerless No child, it is what you brought to be, you who play with Elesin now is since he wasn't able to follow through. strangers' lives, who even usurp the vestments of our Because he wasn't able to die honorably, Elesin is now a dead, yet believe that the stain of death will not cling to you. scorned figure, rather than a beloved and revered one.