This is the second assignments attach is a link the story and the first assignments Instructions MLA-DOCUMENTED ESSAY/PLAY REVIEW Write a review of Wole Soyinka's Death and the King's Horseman that a

Perception of Gender Roles in Death and The King Horseman

Guims Toussaint

Nassau Community College

November 28, 2023

Introduction

Wole Soyinka's play, "Death and The King's Horseman," delves into the rich cultural traditions and gender expectations of Nigeria's Yoruba people. It unfolds during British colonial rule in 1945, thus presenting a collision between Western values and Yoruba death rituals. The depiction prominently features the 'panya,' a central Yoruba tradition, an expectation that commands a nobleman to perform ritual suicide as his king dies so they can journey together into an afterlife he believes exists. After the death of the Alafin, King of Oyo, Elesin Oba, an eminent Yoruba man, is entrusted with this role: to fulfill it is his cultural duty. He grapples not only to honor this obligation but also against societal pressures. This dichotomy influences performance and perception regarding traditional gender roles for Yoruba men such as himself in transforming society.

Cultural Tradition of Panya

The play demands that Elesin, as the King's Horseman and custodian of the monarch's passage into the afterlife, ritually commits suicide through panya. This expectation is grounded in cultural traditions that require a prominent Yoruba man like him to exemplify strength, courage, and self-sacrifice for his community’s welfare above all else. It becomes evident amid growing Western influence and Christian ideals adopted by his son these are conflicting forces undermining Elesin's unwavering commitment towards Panya without any hint of hesitation or distraction on his part (Soyinka, 2002). These new societal pressures interfere, challenging Elesin to navigate his performance of the gender role: a stalwart Horseman meeting Yoruba expectations.

Clashing Perceptions of Ritual

Elesin's struggle emanates, in part, from the perceptions of British colonial officials and Christian missionaries towards his traditional role and the Panya ritual. To these colonizers, rather than an esteemed cultural responsibility, they view Panya as a reflection of uncivilized barbarism; they strive to halt Elesin's completion of this ceremony, interpreting it as not only outmoded but also incompatible with their concept progress. Through this systematic approach, the play highlights the stark contrast between how external Western perspectives perceive gender roles, often seeking to alter them significantly, and local Nigerian traditions and expectations.

Pressure from Elesin's Son

His son, Olunde - having converted to Christianity and subsequently rejected the ritual of Panya and his father's involvement in it, emerges as a central source of interference for Elesin. The pressure exerted by Olunde on Elesin is significant; he urges him not only to abandon the ritual but also to conform to an updated perspective on masculinity, which aligns more closely with British ideals of civilization and progress. For Yoruba society and within Elesin's immediate community, unreserved commitment towards Panya persists. It serves not merely as symbolization but actualization to demonstrate courage and nobility in a man according to their cultural traditions (Soyinka, 2002). The father and son's differing views epitomize the clash: they preserve local Nigerian gender expectations; on the other hand, they grapple with adapting to the changing social pressures of a new era.

Conclusion

Death and The King's Horseman, through its portrayal of Elesin's internal conflict and the resistance he encounters from both colonizers and his son, sheds light on how cultural gender role traditions may confront challenges due to outside influences' perceptions and interference. The play presents crucial queries about identity preservation amidst social changes; it probes into cultural relativism concerning gender expectations. Soyinka underscores with Elesin’s narrative the importance as well as fragilities inherent in traditional Nigerian gender roles during West Africa’s early colonial era.

Reference

Soyinka, W. (2002). Death and the King's Horseman. WW Norton & Company.