Death and the King's Horseman: A Play

Soyinka, Wole

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W. W. Norton

Just the Series: Norton Critical Editions

Series and Publisher: Norton Critical Editions

Annotation: Based on events that took place in Oyo, an ancient Yoruba city of Nigeria, in 1946, Wole Soyinka's 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.

Genre: [Literature and language]

Reviews: 0

Catalog Number: #4436408

Format: Paperback

Common Core/STEAM: Common Core

Publisher: W. W. Norton

Edition Date: 2002 Release Date: 04/17/02

Pages: 77 pages

ISBN: 0-393-32299-8

ISBN 13: 978-0-393-32299-6

Dewey: 822

Dimensions: 21 cm.

Subject Heading:
Yoruba (African people). Drama.
Suicide. Prevention. Drama.
British. Nigeria. Drama.
Fathers and sons. Drama.
Yoruba (African people). Drama.
Suicide. Prevention. Drama.
British. Nigeria. Drama.
Fathers and sons. Drama.
Nigeria. Drama.
Nigeria. Drama.

Language: English

Word Count: 22,579

Reading Level: 4.8

Interest Level: 9+

Accelerated Reader: reading level: 4.8 / points: 3.0 / quiz: 143049 / grade: Upper Grades

Reading Counts!: reading level:9.1 / points:8.0 / quiz:Q58941

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.

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