In the ancient Yoruba city of Oyo, Nigeria, the King has died. Elesin Oba, the king’s horseman, must follow his King in death to help him reach the afterlife. It is a great honor, and a ritual steeped in faith and tradition. When news of the impending suicide reaches Simon Pilkings -- the British District Officer, who is ignorant of native culture -- he decides Elesin must be stopped. Based on historical events, Wole Soyinka’s powerful play Death and the King’s Horseman depicts one fateful night, during which Elesin, his son, and Pilkings become entangled in a struggle of honor, faith, tradition, and the very soul of a community.
Death and the King's Horseman guide sections
