Object of Study METHODOLOGY
However his remarkable achievements resulted in his being overreact and stubborn towards the people in the lower rank then him.
a. Honored Elesin
’s past moments with the dead king about how they rule the kingdom, create peace and prosperity and conquering the villages near the kingdom create a
great impression for the people of his success in accompanying the king. ELESIN. I go to keep my friend and master company.
… our joint hands Raised houseposts of trust that withstood
The siege of envy and the termites of time.
WOMEN. The town, the very land was yours. Soyinka, 1986: 14-15
The Yoruba people acknowledges his achievement by praising him and the dead king as “a man of honor”. The play mentions several times about Elesin past
achievement and why his position affects the life of the people at the time the dead king ruled the kingdom.
b. Inconsistent
Set aside his position as the hand of the king and also known as a man of honour, Elesin is introduced also as an inconsistent men. This is a scene which he
confesses how he feels about leaving the livings and joining the deaths. ELESIN. …there was also a weight of longing on my earth-
held limbs. I would have shaken it off, already my foot had begun to lift but then, the white ghost entered and all
was defiled.
Soyinka, 1986: 65 This confession of him contradicts with his thought in the beginning of the
ritual when the women asks him whether he is ready or not to join death.
WOMEN. Nothing will hold you back? ELESIN. Nothing. I go to keep my friend and master
company. Soyinka, 1986: 14
c. Arrogant Being acknowledged as the man of honour, Elesin shows some arrogances
in several scenes of the play. IYALOJA. But you, husband of multitudes?
ELESIN. I, when that Not-I bird perched Upon my roof, bade him seek his nest again,
Safe, without care or fear. I unrolled My welcome mat for him to see. Not-I
Flew happily away, you’ll hear his voice No more in this lifetime
–You all know What I am.
Soyinka, 1986: 14 Elesin tells a story to the entourage about the Not-I bird which is a symbol
of death. The stories says that the Not-I bird came and visited several people in different places but they refused it. But when it came to Elesin, he unrolled his
“welcome mat for him to see”. He ends his story buy saying “you all know what I am” which shows a slight proud but also a sense of arrogance for he believes he is
different with other people. He did not run when the death came calling, instead he welcome it.