Death and the King's Horseman by Wole Soyinka

Death and the king's horseman is a play by Wole Soyinka

based on real events happened in Nigeria during the British 

colonization .it was published in 1975 .the story focus on the 

protagonist Elesin who is the king's horseman , he is as a 

bodyguard .his job is to protect the king . Traditions in Yoruba 

obliges the king's horseman to commit suicide after the death 

of the king in order to help the king's spirit to reach heaven 

otherwise the king spirit will bring disorder and harm the 

people of Yoruba. 

The preparations in Yoruba started for the party of the 

horseman suicide With the coming of Elesin son :Olunde who 

come to celebrate with his country people this event , Olunde 

was studying in England medicine .the British chief Pilkings 

think that this tradition is so barbarian and he went to help 

Elesin  from committing suicide in the last minute. The truth is 

that even Elesin do not want to die because he is so involved in 

life . 

When Elesin did not commit suicide , his son Olunde saw that 

his father did not follow the tradition which is an obligation and 

an honor to his family . So Olunde though he is so educated and 

cultivated person but he saw that the tradition of his country 

must be obeyed, he committed suicide instead of his father to 

restore the honor of his family and bring order and peace to 

Yoruba consequently ,Elesin killed himself following his son 

 death.