Jan 5, 2010

Death and the King’s Horseman | Death and the King’s Horseman

At a glance:

Author: Wole Soyinka
First Published: 1975
Type of Work: Drama
Type of Plot: Tragedy
Time of Work: 1944
Setting: Oyo, Nigeria
Principal Characters: Elesin Oba, Praise-Singer, Iyaloja, Simon Pilkings, Jane Pilkings, Sergeant Amusa, Joseph, Bride, Olunde
Genres: Drama, Tragedy
Subjects: Africa or Africans, Colonies or colonization, Sex or sexuality, 1940’s, Religion, Duty, Death or dying, Rites or ceremonies
Locales: Oyo, Nigeria

The Story:

The alafin (king) had died. It was time for his chief lieutenant, Elesin Oba, to will his own death, so that he might accompany the alafin on his passage to the next life. As Elesin entered the market, the Praise-Singer pleaded with him to tarry a while, to enjoy the last fruits of life in this world. Elesin, a man of enormous courage, rejected this plea and boasted of his readiness to meet death without fear. He talked of the Not-I bird that sounded at the approach of death, echoed by people from all levels of society who sought to flee death—all but he, the...

[The entire page is 2169 words long]

Death and the King’s Horseman | Death and the King’s Horseman

At a glance:

The Story:

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