Death and the King's Horseman

Death and the King’s Horseman is a play written by Nigerian Nobel laureate Wole Soyinka. The play is set in Oyo, Nigeria, during World War II.

Death and the King’s Horseman opens in a Yoruba market. A month has passed since the king’s death, and the time has come for Elesin Oba, the king’s horseman, to follow his master to the afterlife. According to Yoruba tradition, the king’s dog, horse, and horseman must die with the king to help him travel to the afterlife and avoid disrupting the course of the universe.

Although Elesin is a strong and joyous man, he is prepared to fulfill his duty. In the market, he exchanges words with the Praise-Singer, who questions Elesin’s resolve. Elesin assures the Praise-Singer that he will complete the ritual, and a group of women gather to dress Elesin for the ceremony. They sing the horseman’s praises, remarking on what an honorable man he is, while Elesin relishes the attention.

However, the horseman is soon distracted by the appearance of a beautiful woman. He asks Iyaloja, the “mother” of the market, who the young woman is, hoping to marry and have sex with her before he dies. The woman is betrothed to Iyaloja’s son, so she is hesitant to grant Elesin’s wish. However, Elesin will soon make a great sacrifice for the good of the community, and Iyaloja worries that upsetting him will undermine the ritual. She agrees to give him the girl but warns that he must complete his duty. 

The action shifts to the home of district officer Simon Pilkings. Pilkings and his wife, Jane, are dancing, dressed for a party, when Amusa, a Yoruba police officer, interrupts them. Amusa informs Pilkings about Elesin’s intention to die by suicide, and Pilkings decides that the ritual must be stopped. He sends Amusa away to arrest Elesin, and he and his wife leave for the ball. Amusa attempts to stop the ritual in the market, but he is thwarted by a group of women who block his way and tease him and his other officers. He is forced to turn away, and Elesin, having consummated his marriage to the young woman, begins dancing and falling into a trance.

At the ball, Amusa interrupts Pilkings’s evening to tell him that the ritual is still underway. Worried about a riot while the guest of honor, the British prince, is in town, Pilkings heads off to the market to stop the ceremony. While he is gone, Elesin’s son, Olunde, appears and begins talking with Jane. Pilkings helped Olunde attend medical school in England against his father’s wishes, but when Olunde heard about the Yoruba king’s death, he returned immediately to be present at Elesin’s funeral. Jane is horrified by Olunde’s calm acceptance of his father’s death, and the two converse about Elesin’s duty and Olunde’s experiences in England.

When the beat of the drums from the market changes, Olunde is sure his father is dead. He asks Jane to excuse him and begins to leave. However, Pilkings arrives and stops Olunde. Before Pilkings can explain, Elesin runs in, handcuffed. The ritual has been prevented, and Elesin is still alive. Olunde shames his father for not fulfilling his duty and accuses him of eating “left-overs.” 

Pilkings locks Elesin in a cell and watches over him, determined that he will survive the night. Iyaloja comes, and grudgingly, Pilkings allows her to speak with Elesin. Iyaloja berates Elesin for failing in his duty, accusing him of losing his will to die. Elesin is ashamed but believes he would have completed the ritual without Pilkings’s interruption. Iyaloja tells Elesin she has brought him “a burden,” and a group of women enter with a large object swathed in cloth. She reveals the body of Olunde, who died by suicide in his father’s stead to restore order to the universe and honor to his family. At the sight of his son’s body, Elesin strangles himself with his own chains and dies before the guards can stop him. 

Major Themes 

*Duty and Collective Responsibility 

*Colonialism 

* Death and life

*Power and Resistance 

Waste Land by T S Eliot

"The Waste Land" by T.S. Eliot is a complex and influential modernist poem published in 1922. "The Waste Land" by T.S. Eliot is a complex and influential modernist poem published in 1922. It's known for its fragmented structure, multiple voices, and references to a wide range of literary, cultural, and mythological sources. Here's a summary and critical analysis:

Summary:

"The Waste Land" is divided into five sections: "The Burial of the Dead," "A Game of Chess," "The Fire Sermon," "Death by Water," and "What the Thunder Said."

1. "The Burial of the Dead": This section sets the tone with images of a desolate, post-World War I world. The speaker reflects on a barren, decaying landscape, mirroring the emotional and spiritual emptiness of the characters.

2. "A Game of Chess": This part presents a troubled romantic encounter between a man and a woman, drawing parallels to the myth of Tiresias, a figure who experienced both genders. It explores themes of desire, impotence, and disillusionment.

3. "The Fire Sermon": This section delves into themes of lust, desire, and spiritual decay. It references various religious and mythological texts, highlighting humanity's inability to find spiritual fulfillment in a world dominated by materialism.

4. "Death by Water": Here, the poem shifts to a maritime theme, depicting a drowned sailor and contrasting water's cleansing and destructive qualities. It reflects on the transience of life and the inevitability of death.

5. "What the Thunder Said": The final section combines different mythologies and religions to suggest the possibility of redemption and renewal through suffering. The poem ends with a vision of rain and the possibility of rebirth.

Critical Analysis:

1. Fragmentation: "The Waste Land" is known for its fragmented structure, which mirrors the fractured state of modern society. The discontinuous narrative reflects the disintegration of traditional values and beliefs.

2. Myth and Allusion: Eliot incorporates a vast array of literary and mythological references, from The Bible to The Buddha, from Shakespeare to Greek mythology. These allusions add depth and complexity to the poem, inviting readers to interpret and connect the dots.

3. Alienation and Despair: The poem captures the sense of alienation, disillusionment, and despair prevalent in the aftermath of World War I. It portrays a world in crisis, where traditional values have collapsed, leaving individuals spiritually adrift.

4. Redemption and Hope: While "The Waste Land" is often seen as a bleak portrayal of modernity, it also suggests the possibility of redemption and renewal through suffering and self-awareness. The final section hints at the potential for spiritual rebirth.

5. Multiple Voices: The poem employs a range of voices, including the speaker's, historical figures, and literary characters. This multiplicity reflects the fractured nature of modern identity and consciousness.

In conclusion, "The Waste Land" by T.S. Eliot is a complex and multi-layered poem that explores the disillusionment and spiritual crisis of the modern age. It uses fragmentation, myth, and allusion to convey a sense of fragmentation and despair, while also offering glimpses of hope and redemption. It remains a cornerstone of modernist literature and continues to be a subject of extensive literary analysis and interpretation. It's  known for its fragmented structure, multiple voices, and references to a wide range of literary, cultural, and mythological sources. Here's a summary and critical analysis:

Summary:

"The Waste Land" is divided into five sections: "The Burial of the Dead," "A Game of Chess," "The Fire Sermon," "Death by Water," and "What the Thunder Said."

1. "The Burial of the Dead": This section sets the tone with images of a desolate, post-World War I world. The speaker reflects on a barren, decaying landscape, mirroring the emotional and spiritual emptiness of the characters.

2. "A Game of Chess": This part presents a troubled romantic encounter between a man and a woman, drawing parallels to the myth of Tiresias, a figure who experienced both genders. It explores themes of desire, impotence, and disillusionment.

3. "The Fire Sermon": This section delves into themes of lust, desire, and spiritual decay. It references various religious and mythological texts, highlighting humanity's inability to find spiritual fulfillment in a world dominated by materialism.

4. "Death by Water": Here, the poem shifts to a maritime theme, depicting a drowned sailor and contrasting water's cleansing and destructive qualities. It reflects on the transience of life and the inevitability of death.

5. "What the Thunder Said": The final section combines different mythologies and religions to suggest the possibility of redemption and renewal through suffering. The poem ends with a vision of rain and the possibility of rebirth.

Critical Analysis:

1. Fragmentation: "The Waste Land" is known for its fragmented structure, which mirrors the fractured state of modern society. The discontinuous narrative reflects the disintegration of traditional values and beliefs.

2. Myth and Allusion: Eliot incorporates a vast array of literary and mythological references, from The Bible to The Buddha, from Shakespeare to Greek mythology. These allusions add depth and complexity to the poem, inviting readers to interpret and connect the dots.

3. Alienation and Despair: The poem captures the sense of alienation, disillusionment, and despair prevalent in the aftermath of World War I. It portrays a world in crisis, where traditional values have collapsed, leaving individuals spiritually adrift.

4. Redemption and Hope: While "The Waste Land" is often seen as a bleak portrayal of modernity, it also suggests the possibility of redemption and renewal through suffering and self-awareness. The final section hints at the potential for spiritual rebirth.

5. Multiple Voices: The poem employs a range of voices, including the speaker's, historical figures, and literary characters. This multiplicity reflects the fractured nature of modern identity and consciousness.

In conclusion, "The Waste Land" by T.S. Eliot is a complex and multi-layered poem that explores the disillusionment and spiritual crisis of the modern age. It uses fragmentation, myth, and allusion to convey a sense of fragmentation and despair, while also offering glimpses of hope and redemption. It remains a cornerstone of modernist literature and continues to be a subject of extensive literary analysis and interpretation.