Death of the King's Horseman Overview
- Created by: lozzy43
- Created on: 05-02-15 14:52
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- Death and the King's Horseman Overview
- Scene 1
- Drums - upbeat and celebratory
- Brightly lit
- Vibrant/rich colours
- Busy and lively
- We meet Elesin and the Praise Singer
- In high spirits
- Praise singer is worried/ concerned for him
- Elesin compares the Praise singer to a "jealous wife"
- We then meet Iyaloja - the "mother of the market" and the "mother of multitudes"
- Has some power when talking to Elesin
- Warns him about the marriage
- Foreshadows the rest of the play
- Sacrifices her daughter-in-law for him
- "Object" is his bride - his final gift
- Warns him about the marriage
- Foreshadows the rest of the play
- Sacrifices her daughter-in-law for him
- Warns him about the marriage
- "Women" - concerned about insulting him
- "mortify the gods"
- "Prepare yourself" - for marriage / what he has to do
- Section ends on "preparation" - two meanings
- Scene 2
- Bungalow at the Pilkings - Simon and Jane (couple)
- Dancing the tango on the veranda - difference to the music and dance at the market place in the egungun costumes
- Channel to the ancestors, should be repected
- Amusa (Native administration police officer - converted)
- Patronise and belittle him
- "mumbo jumbo"
- "nonsense"
- Amuse is frightened of the egungun costume and tried to wam them about what it means - but they don't listen
- Tells them of news of ritual suicide however they think its barbaric and must be stopped
- Patronise and belittle him
- They care about going to the ball and seeing the prince
- There is a misunders- tanding/ lack of wanting to understand
- "stamped it all out but its lucking under the surface somewhere" find it a problem - petty
- At the end of the scene they pretend that nothing has happened
- Joseph - their servant who originally was Yoruban but converted to Christianity
- Although he converted they care nothing for what he did
- "I forgot you were still there"
- Scene 3
- All about the women and the girls
- Amusa sent to arrest Elesin
- Made fun of by the women and girls
- Emasculate him
- "White man's enuch
- Women are empowered
- Iyaloja arrives and warns Amusa to leave
- Trying to gain power but taunted
- Girls get involved
- Education - something the "white man" bring
- Use what they have been talk to mock Amusa and the "white man"
- British role play - using advanced English Language
- Elesin arrives after marriage - he is very pround while his wife is nervous
- Elesin begins his trance suicide accompanied by the praise singer - asks Elesin to be remembered
- Beginning of the praise singers grief - overcome with emotion
- "Light fades out slowly onto the scene
- Scene 4
- "tawdry decadance"
- Prince
- Fancy Dress Ball - Plikings showing off the egungun
- Lack of respect
- Find out that Amusa has failed
- Jane warns Simon to be careful
- Meet Olunde - Elesin's son
- Olunde has returned from England
- "little respect for what you don't understand"
- "You think that everything that matters comes from you"
- Respects Yoruban tradition
- Jane thinks Olunde is callous and unfeeling
- "I have no father, eater of leftovers
- Elesin arrives / captured
- Shamed
- Dishonoured
- "Elesin, sobbing into the ground
- Scene 5
- "iron barned gate"
- Wrists encased in metal braclet
- Links to slavery
- Shows have "barbaric" they are precieved to be
- Pilkings and Elesin confront each other
- "Ghostly one" - misunderstanding of duty
- Learn about Elesin's weakness - blames bride, white man and the gods
- Iyaloja arives with women and praise
- Dirge - contrast the misic at the beginning
- Iyaloja is scornful, turns back on him
- Elesin learns of Olunde's sacrifice - shamed further and kills himself with the chains
- Frees himself - ironic
- Ends on two women
- "Hence teh burdon I bring to lay beyond your gates"
- "iron barned gate"
- Scene 1
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