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Why did Elesin kill himself?
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Because the king died a month before the start of the play, Elesin must commit suicide to join him, and has had a month to prepare for his passage to the afterlife. The women in the market adore Elesin.
- The Resident
The praise-singer is a man who accompanies Elesin and acts...
- The Praise-Singer
The praise-singer is a man who accompanies Elesin and acts...
- The Aide-de-Camp
Another colonial official; Pilkings refers to him as Bob at...
- Olunde
Olunde is Elesin 's oldest son and therefore, is next in...
- Sergeant Amusa
He threatens violence against Iyaloja and the other women in...
- The Bride / The Young Woman
Elesin catches sight of her and decides he wants to marry...
- The Resident
Elesin insists that all of his powers left when he tried to die, especially when he felt the chains on his wrists. Iyaloja says that he betrayed them and now will have to eat the "world's leftovers" and live in his dishonor.
According to tradition, as the late king's horseman, Elesin must now commit suicide to join his king. The entire play revolves around his preparations for this event… and the attempts of local British authorities to derail it, of course.
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- Story
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- Significance
- Synopsis
- Plot
Death and the Kings Horseman, one of Soyinkas tragedies, presents a representation of the Yoruba worldview. In Yoruba cosmology, there are three worlds: the world of the living, the world of the dead, and the world of the unborn. This play focuses on what connects all three worldstransition, the pathway on which members of the different worlds meet...
The opening of the play involves the ritual ceremonies for the burial of a dead king. Elesin, the kings horseman, attired in glorious robes, enters the village marketplace in a majestic dance procession, followed by praise-singers and drummers. Elesin dances until he is in a trance, a state of transition. He performs poetry and song about the world...
The purpose of this ceremony is to help the dead king travel peacefully to the world of the dead. It should conclude with the suicide of Elesin, whose soul will accompany the kings. Elesin sees a beautiful woman in the crowd and demands one night of love with her before he dies. Iyaloja, the mother of the marketplace, reluctantly agrees.
Also in the village is the British colonial district officer, Pilking. He is well-meaning but unable to understand or respect the Yoruban people. He also performs a dance at a gathering of his own peoplea mocking imitation of an African dance in captured regalia. When Pilking hears of Elesins intention to die, he has him arrested to prevent it.
Soyinka makes it clear in his preface that this is not a mere clash of cultures; this is not simply a case of the white colonialist interfering with native culture. Elesin has failed to perform his duty, and his failure has cosmic significance. The white officer is a catalyst, but he cannot otherwise affect the village. The cosmic world is untouche...
Elesins son Olunde, a doctor, returns from England. He has heard of the kings death and assumes that his fathers death is near. Olunde reveres native culture and has had wide experience of Western culture. He tries unsuccessfully to make Pilking understand Yoruban belief. Ashamed to see his fathers failure, he kills himself in Elesins place. When E...
Amusa arrives at the ball in tattered clothing to report his failure to arrest Elesin. Pilkings, admonished by his supervisor to maintain control, takes matters into his own hands, going off to arrest Elesin. While he is gone, Elesins son Olunde, whom the Pilkingses befriended and sent to England to study medicine, arrives, expecting to bury his fa...
In order to keep the world in order, she cannot let Elesin die with regrets. By leveraging the fact that Elesin is preparing to die for his people and do them a massive favor (his death will keep the cosmic order in line), Elesin is able to get Iyaloja to allow him to marry the bride.
Quick answer: In "Death and the King's Horseman," Elesin is initially portrayed as a respected and vital horseman, dedicated to his sacred duty of committing suicide. However, his fatal flaw is...
Elesin believes it is his duty to die for his king, while the British believe he is committing a foolish, disruptive, and unnecessary act. Elesin's son, Olunde, further complicates...
