Christina Ramsey

Performance Studies
Dr. Beck
29 March 2016
Death and the Kings Horseman Play Paper

For my exploration into plays written by foreign playwrights, I chose to read and discuss
Death and the Kings Horseman by Wole Soyinka. Soyinka is a Nigerian playwright and poet
and based this particular play off of real-life events in 1946 in the ancient city of Oyo. The play
includes many Nigerian myths and customs. Death and the Kings Horseman deals with many
different themes. In his preface of the play, Soyinka actually warns the audience not to dwell too
much on the theme of cultural clash in the play. So, in light of that, I would like to discuss the
concept of death in this play. I will also touch on cultural clash, because it is still a large theme,
but that will not be the main focus.
This play follows the lives of Elesin, the Yoruban kings horseman, his son Olunde, and
members of the British government, Jane and Simon Pilkings. At the start of the play, the king
has recently deceased and it is Elesins duty as his horseman to also die and accompany the king
into the afterlife. When the Pilkings hear of this, they set out to stop it, and eventually do. Elesin
is arrested and shamed. Since his father did not perform his duty, Olunde takes it upon himself to
die. Seeing this, Elesin strangles himself and the play ends.
As you can see, death is a very prominent theme in this play. The Yoruban natives view
death very differently than the Pilkings do, which causes the central conflict of the play. Elesin
and the villagers see his death as an honorable tradition. It is his duty to perform it. To them, the

spiritual realm is just as, if not more important than their earthly lives. Through the villagers,
Soyinka often pairs death with life, implying that life and death is cyclical and the line between
the two is not quite so drawn. On the day of Elesins death, there is much celebration. He is to be
joyful and ready to move on to the next life. In fact, it is his death that keeps the universe
spinning, according to their beliefs. Soyinka also brings life with death through the union of
Elesin and his new bride, which will bring about a child. In doing this, Soyinka wants the
audience to know that death does not always have to be mournful and final. He wants to show
that in this culture, it is honorable and celebrated.
It is only when the Pilkings force their view on death onto the native people that true
destruction happens. The Pilkings view death as many western people do: as something to be
mourned and avoided at all costs. Simon Pilkings even treats it as an act punishable by law.
However, Soyinka does not share this view. He wants the audience to see that this way of
thinking is harmful and destructive. He does this through the actual death of Elesin and the
shame that is brought upon him. When Elesin is captured and unable to finish the ritual of his
death, the townspeople and his own son curse and shame him for not performing his duty. So,
Olunde has to die in his place. Elesin is so ashamed and ruined by this that he strangles himself
with his own shackles. Either way, Elesin dies, but Soyinka shows us that, without the
intervention of the western people, he could have died peacefully and with honor, according to
their customs.
This play will definitely be helpful and educational for a western audience. Oftentimes,
we do not like to discuss death or see plays about death, because we view it as sad. However, this
play provides a fresh perspective on death and it may change some minds in the audience. This
play also serves as a warning against the intervention of the west in foreign cultures. This will

show audiences just how harmful something like that can be for the native people involved.
Overall, I would love to see this production in a European or American theatre. I believe it would
be an incredible educational experience for many western audiences.