without their consent shows the limited power for women to decide their own fate and to do what they want solely because they are not men in charge.
Regarding this incident, Alan believes that women, including the bride, have rights of “personal privacy”, “autonomy”, and “consent” therefore the bride
basically has the right to decide whether to accept or refuse the offer Allan, 2006:334. The matter here is that the general understanding of the society is
heavily spoiled by the patriarchal stigma. Wollstonecraft argues that one of the stigma believed by the majority of the society is that the ordinary ordinary
women, excluding Iyaloja in this play, are not capable of deciding for their own problems therefore they need men to advice what to do and not to do.
The bride herself portrays the idea that women presence in the story is important but got no recognition. The most visible way is that there is no names
for the Yoruba female characters besides Iyaloja. We have some servants name like Amusa, Joseph but we get no any names from the bride. In fact she is
addressed in the beginning of the play as “she” and after the marriage she is addressed
as the “wife” and “young bride”. The importance of names in the story shows that her presence in the story is not important in fact the bride gives some
significance improvement in the story line. Concerning the marriage, the Mother of the market have tried to stop the
marriage by urging Iyaloja that the girl has been ‘betrothed’ to another men.
However even though Iyaloja also knows that, she can do nothing for her strict believe to the culture. She believes that Elesin’s wish at this moment is something
that has to be granted for it can leave curses behind. The women and Iyaloja then are not brave enough to break the cultural belief.
It is important to underline that they let the girl to marry Elesin is not based in their willingness but because of the force of the culture. As the member
of a traditional society that believe highly on their ancient faith, they have to let the things happened as what the culture says even though they do not think that it
is a right thing to do. Their decision does look like they let the culture mingle with it but it is important to mention that their decision and their faith in the culture not
solemnly sincere since there are some burdens that there might be some curses happened in their society. Their tribe is under the attack of the British Empire so if
t hey are to ignore Elesin’s willingness and stick to their ‘original’ faith, they will
face lot of curses and the attack of the British Empire. c. Women of the Market
The last attitude derives from the belief had by Elesin and the Praise Singer about women of the market as a threat. In their point of view, women is
seen as obstacles for men to reach or stay in their glory. ELESIN.
… This market is my roost. When I come among the women I am a chicken with a hundred mothers. …
PRAISE-SINGER. They love to spoil you but beware. The hands of women also weaken the unwary.
Soyinka, 1986: 10
This comment about the danger of women is said for the Praise Singer is afraid that the women, later the bride, will hamper the ritual process which Elesin
has to die. According to Wollstonecraft, women with no proper education living a
life solemnly dependent on their sensibility. They have no ability to reason as well as men Showalter, 1971:5. Women can be burden once they married men. When
marriage happened, man cannot only focus on his work. He has a new duty to take care of his wife, or in this case: wives. With a new duty, men has to think harder
for women cannot help him in thinking. Women are not educated, therefore men may able to share his thoughts to his wife but he should never expect a smart and
importantly the answer from women. This idea then being approved by Elesin in the end where he is in the
prison after failing the ritual ceremony. ELESIN. My young bride, did you hear the ghostly one? …
Now I feel I want to blame you for the mystery of the sapping of my will.
Soyinka, 1986: 65 The lines above proves the belief that women can be dangerous to men
for they hamper the success by “sapping” the “will”. This stereotype of Yoruba women then results as an excuse for Elesin to
blame the bride for his failure however as it is clearly stated in act five that it is
Elesin who wants to marry the girl and the marriage happen without the girl’s consent. According to Allan marriage most of the time happened as a result of
several factors like poverty, childhood sexual abuse, drug dependency, better caste in the society Alan, 2006:337. For a family, to marry their daughter to a
son of a wealthy family is a very huge bonus for the family without considering the happiness of their daughter. But in the other side, the groom will think this as
a burden for him. In the play, the burden is not in the form of wage’s distribution
but in the form of pleasure. Wollstonecraft argues that women is seen as a symbol of pleasure and that is one of small reasons why men wants to marry women
Showalter, 1971:1. Elesin in the middle of his ritual feel attracted to a girl. His sexual desire excused by his achievements in the past shoves him to have a
marriage night with the girl. This is what was anticipated by the praise-singer that pleasure that women offers can weaken men. Elesin with his refreshed experience
of bridal night weakens his commitment to die.
2. The Positive Attitudes towards Yoruba Female Characters
Yoruba female characters despite of getting a lot of negative attitude, in some scenes they also got positive attitudes that empowering them. Here are three
female characters that undergoes the complex attitudes.
a. Iyaloja
Throughout the story, Iyaloja is represented as the leader of the women, as the leader of the market and as the “mother of multitude”. As the “mother of
multitude” therefore she has the authority over the Women of the Market. Iyaloja is seen as a role model to them. In the scene where Elesin got angry because the
women questioning his decision to die following the dead king, Iyaloja becomes the mediator to help straighten the misunderstanding.
WOMEN. We know you for a man of honour. ELESIN. Stop Enough of that … I am bitterly offended.
IYALOJA. Our unworthiness has betrayed us. All we can do is ask your forgiveness. Correct us like kind father. she
kneels, the other women follow
Soyinka, 1986: 15-16
Another reason that makes Iyaloja being seen as the role model is her knowledge and capability in interpreting the ancient culture, the language and the
tradition. WOMEN. What does he mean Iyaloja? This language is the
language of our elders, we do not fully grasp it. Soyinka, 1986: 20-21
Iyaloja is given a position higher than the ordinary women and being considered as the leader of the women. It gives an impression that, Iyaloja, as a
women, has been granted a special case to be involved in the political affairs. In the Nigerian ancient cultural hierarchy, every tribe usually gathers a group of
people that will be responsible for specific area like economic, rituals, etc. Like other patriarch system, every oldest son will usually take the father place after him
passed away Familusi, 2012:301. JANE. If he was his eldest, it means that he would be the
Elesin to the next king. It’s a family thing isn’t it, Joseph? JOSEPH. Yes madam. And if this Elesin had died before the
king, his eldest son must take his place. Soyinka, 1986: 29
Seeing that in a patriarchal society which the future of the family and tradition is being passed to son; male, Iyaloja’s position as the leader of the
women in the middle of the Yoruba patriarchal society is already a revolution. In fact, there are several position where the current king at the moment presents
appointed to women and one of them is mother of the market Familusi, 2012:308.
b. The Bride In the end of the play when Elesin tries to recall the incident concerning
the ritual, he refers his wife as someone special, someone important, which are something that do not happen since the beginning of the play.
ELESIN. Oh little mother, I have taken countless women in my life but you were more than a desire of the flesh. …
You were the final gift of the living to their emissary to the land of the ancestors.
Soyinka, 1986: 65 Elesin’s praise towards the bride shows her importance of being the wife
of the person who is going to face death. She is introduced by Elesin as the “gift”.
She is confirmed by Elesin himself to play an important role in the death ritual. Another scene which she is shown to have an important position is at the
end of the play when Elesin died. When Elesin died, Pilkings wants to close Elesin’s open eyes but is stopped by Iyaloja. It is the duty of the wife to close
Elesin’s eyes. The bride’s position as an important person as the wife of Elesin is then fulfilled as she closes his eyes.
c. The Women of the Market In the beginning of the play, Elesin describes the women as the last thing
he wants to be with before his death. He believes that women has role in affecting the society’s development.
ELESIN. Come then. This market is my roost. When I come among the women I am a chicken with a hundred mothers.
I become a monarch whose palace built with tenderness and beauty.
…. … This is the last breath I wish to breathe as I go to meet
my great forebears. Soyinka, 1986: 10
Based upon the statement above, Elesin mentions several time the importance of the Yoruba women. He describes them as the foundation of his
monarch. Familusi argues that in the Yoruba Society, the mothers are the one responsible for the children development. It could be in the form of academic,
behavior, etc. When a man success in his future, not only him who is going to be praised, but also his mother because of the guidance that they believe comes from
the mothers. Meanwhile, when there is a failure in the man’s life, than it is still the mother’s duty to be seen as the starting of it Familusi, 2012:302. Elesin success
as the king’s horseman is then related to his mother’s success. In the statement above, he refers the Women of the Market as his mothers that make him success.
The appreciation to the mothers are highly encouraged for their service to the family Ojo, 2004:308. Therefore, in the last Act of the play, Elesin gets
angry for the white man rude behavior to Iyaloja. ELESIN. But I am sure you have searched her clothing as you
would never dare touch your own mother. Soyinka, 1986: 67
A mother is believed to be holly for they are the one that bring lives to earth. The Yoruba
’s highly appreciation to the mothers makes them respected among the society.
C. The Ambivalent Attitude as another Form of Oppression towards Women
The life of Yoruba Society in the play Death and The King’s Horseman
has become one with the traditional and cultural experience. Every action taken by the people could affect the life of the society. Their belief in the ancient gods
and after life plays an important role in determine actions. As for Iyaloja and Elesin, the traditions becomes the basis of their action besides of their personal
intention. The ambivalent attitudes are also part of the effect of the existence of Yoruba culture. In this section, there are two main points that are analyzed. The
first point is to see how the ambivalent attitudes towards women in the fact end up oppressing women and the second point about who the role of the culture in the
attitude which is intertwined in the analysis. The negative attitudes obviously can be categorized as oppressions
towards women. In summary, the negative attitudes mentioned above are the ignorance, the abuse of power, the view that women are threats, and the restriction
of right to choose. These attitudes as explained before create harm to women and limit their right in many ways. The next section analyzes how the positive
attitudes are in fact harming the female character of Yoruba Society.
