Death and the King's Horseman: A Play - Softcover

Soyinka, Wole

Softcover

ISBN 10: 0374522103 ISBN 13: 9780374522100

Publisher: Hill & Wang Pub, 1990

Synopsis

A Nobel Prize-winning playwright's classic tale of tragic decisions in a traditional African culture.

Based on events that took place in Oyo, an ancient Yoruba city of Nigeria, in 1946, Wole Soyinka's powerful play concerns the intertwined lives of Elesin Oba, the king's chief horseman; his son, Olunde, now studying medicine in England; and Simon Pilkings, the colonial district officer. The king has died and Elesin, his chief horseman, is expected by law and custom to commit suicide and accompany his ruler to heaven. The stage is set for a dramatic climax when Pilkings learns of the ritual and decides to intervene and Elesin's son arrives home. "Soyinka both entertains and asks subtle questions about mass psychology, individual psychology, and universal human struggles of the will."â Chicago Tribune

About this title

About the Author

Wole Soyinka, one of Africa's foremost writers, won the Nobel Prize in 1986 and is the author of Death and the King's Horseman, among other works.

Review

This play, by the winner of a Nobel Prize for Literature, asks: 'On the authority of what gods' the white aliens rupture the world. It puts exciting political theatre back on the agenda... a masterpiece of 20th century drama Guardian A transfixing work of modern world drama Independent clearly a masterpiece... he achieves the full impact of Greek tragedy Irving Wardle, Independent on Sunday the action of the play is as inevitable and eloquent as in Antigone: a clash of values and cultures so fundamental that tragedy issues: a tragedy for each individual, each tribe Michael Schmidt, Daily Telegraph

Edition details

• Publisher: Hill & Wang Pub
• Publication date: 1990
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 0374522103
• ISBN 13: 9780374522100
• Binding: Paperback
• Number of pages: 77