Death and the King's Horseman

Rating:
Summary: One Great Writer
Review: At a university seminar in the US recently, Prof. Soyinka was asked to respond to charges by certain critics that his writing wasn't 'African' enough. He responded, saying "The people who say these things, I refer to as neo-Tarzanists, people whose Africa is the Africa of Tarzan, swinging from tree to tree. That's not my Africa", he said, to a standing, thunderous ovation. It is difficult to imagine a writer in English today with a wider grasp of the language. Some of his work is unbelievable - metaphor, irony, the supernatural, interwoven with tragedy, lyricism, and language. Top-draw.

Rating:
Summary: One Great Writer
Review: At a university seminar in the US recently, Prof. Soyinka was asked to respond to charges by certain critics that his writing wasn't 'African' enough. He responded, saying "The people who say these things, I refer to as neo-Tarzanists, people whose Africa is the Africa of Tarzan, swinging from tree to tree. That's not my Africa", he said, to a standing, thunderous ovation. It is difficult to imagine a writer in English today with a wider grasp of the language. Some of his work is unbelievable - metaphor, irony, the supernatural, interwoven with tragedy, lyricism, and language. Top-draw.

Rating:
Summary: Clash Between Two Cultures
Review: Death and the King's Horseman is a play written by Wole Soyinka, whose main focus is on the difference between the Western culture as opposed to the African culture. In his play he demonstrates how the western culture feels superior to the African one by supposing that they can interfere in their customs. The westerners from the play, the Pilkings, invaded Nigeria where the tribe of Yoruba inhabits. Throughout the whole play, there was a constant struggle between the Pilkings and the people of the Yoruban tribe to stop a certain traditional ceremony practiced by the Yorubans. This consisted of the king's horseman commiting suicide one month after the king died. It was so customary and natural for this to occur, but for the westerners it was totally insane and inhumane. The end is very unpredictable and will keep you on the edge of your seat while reading this book. I highly recommend this book because it exhibits an abundant amount of insight on human nature and it also helps us attain a greater understanding of the African culture.

Rating:
Summary: Clash Between Two Cultures
Review: Death and the King's Horseman is a play written by Wole Soyinka, whose main focus is on the difference between the Western culture as opposed to the African culture. In his play he demonstrates how the western culture feels superior to the African one by supposing that they can interfere in their customs. The westerners from the play, the Pilkings, invaded Nigeria where the tribe of Yoruba inhabits. Throughout the whole play, there was a constant struggle between the Pilkings and the people of the Yoruban tribe to stop a certain traditional ceremony practiced by the Yorubans. This consisted of the king's horseman commiting suicide one month after the king died. It was so customary and natural for this to occur, but for the westerners it was totally insane and inhumane. The end is very unpredictable and will keep you on the edge of your seat while reading this book. I highly recommend this book because it exhibits an abundant amount of insight on human nature and it also helps us attain a greater understanding of the African culture.

Rating:
Summary: A review for Mr Helle
Review: Hello! And welcome to my review of Wole Soyinka's Death and the King's Horseman. In my opinion the book lacked suspense, a characteristic I admire in a piece of work. It wasn't completly mundane but neither was it the kind of book I can't put down once I start reading. What I did in fact like about this play was Soyinka's use of language. The characters in the play expressed themselves through Soyinka's thoughtful words. There were some passages that stuck with you even after reading the play. For instance "There is only one home to the life of a river-mussel; there is only one home to the life of a tortoise; there is only one shell to the soul of a man: there is only one world to the spirit of our race. If that world leaves it's course and smashes on boulders of the great void, whose world will give us shelter?" That right there is one of my favorite passages. When reading this play expect more of these philosophical character monologues. The play also had some situational irony. Some roles were reversed while others were forgotten. It also introduced you the culture and traditions of Africa. The tension builds throughout the play and explodes in the end. But I don't want to give it all away. If you like the kind of pieces which explore foriegn cultures than this might be your bag. Personally I wouldn't have read this book if I didn't have to.Anyways thanks for reading my review...I'm out!

Rating:
Summary: A review for Mr Helle
Review: Hello! And welcome to my review of Wole Soyinka's Death and the King's Horseman. In my opinion the book lacked suspense, a characteristic I admire in a piece of work. It wasn't completly mundane but neither was it the kind of book I can't put down once I start reading. What I did in fact like about this play was Soyinka's use of language. The characters in the play expressed themselves through Soyinka's thoughtful words. There were some passages that stuck with you even after reading the play. For instance "There is only one home to the life of a river-mussel; there is only one home to the life of a tortoise; there is only one shell to the soul of a man: there is only one world to the spirit of our race. If that world leaves it's course and smashes on boulders of the great void, whose world will give us shelter?" That right there is one of my favorite passages. When reading this play expect more of these philosophical character monologues. The play also had some situational irony. Some roles were reversed while others were forgotten. It also introduced you the culture and traditions of Africa. The tension builds throughout the play and explodes in the end. But I don't want to give it all away. If you like the kind of pieces which explore foriegn cultures than this might be your bag. Personally I wouldn't have read this book if I didn't have to.Anyways thanks for reading my review...I'm out!

Rating:
Summary: the ancestors, the living and the unborn
Review: I have read the other 6 reviews and I am sorry they got it so wrong. Even if what they say is very true but not related with the subject (Yoruba tragedy) that matter to us. "Death and..." is more related to the person who was asking help because she/he could not understand what was about. I would advise this person to read attently Nietzsche's "the Birth of Tragedy" and "the Antichrist" and if he has some more time, Shopenhauer as well (yet less influencer on Soyinka than Nietzsche). Soyika understand the terrible problems Africa and specially Nigeria has. However, the theme of this play is fare more universal. Is related with the creation and recreation of art and the human being in a turbocapitalistic society. It is about to cross the "abyss"ÿ

Rating:
Summary: the ancestors, the living and the unborn
Review: I have read the other 6 reviews and I am sorry they got it so wrong. Even if what they say is very true but not related with the subject (Yoruba tragedy) that matter to us. "Death and..." is more related to the person who was asking help because she/he could not understand what was about. I would advise this person to read attently Nietzsche's "the Birth of Tragedy" and "the Antichrist" and if he has some more time, Shopenhauer as well (yet less influencer on Soyinka than Nietzsche). Soyika understand the terrible problems Africa and specially Nigeria has. However, the theme of this play is fare more universal. Is related with the creation and recreation of art and the human being in a turbocapitalistic society. It is about to cross the "abyss"ÿ

Rating:
Summary: the ancestors, the living and the unborn
Review: I have read the other 6 reviews and I am sorry they got it so wrong. Even if what they say is very true but not related with the subject (Yoruba tragedy) that matter to us. "Death and..." is more related to the person who was asking help because she/he could not understand what was about. I would advise this person to read attently Nietzsche's "the Birth of Tragedy" and "the Antichrist" and if he has some more time, Shopenhauer as well (yet less influencer on Soyinka than Nietzsche). Soyika understand the terrible problems Africa and specially Nigeria has. However, the theme of this play is fare more universal. Is related with the creation and recreation of art and the human being in a turbocapitalistic society. It is about to cross the "abyss"ÿ

Rating:
Summary: Very stirring
Review: I read this book in 1996, and I still remember almost every detail because it was so stirring, so moving. It is about pride and obligations and how the two shape one's role in society. It made me review my own definitions of these two things, my own life in different societies. I'm delighted to have read this book and will be reading it many times over.