Death and the Knight's Companion

Author: Soyinka (Algerian), translated by Cai Yigang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-05-01
Features: This is a truly compelling dramatic work, rich in thought, profound in meaning, filled with poetry and satire, with stunning moments, and depicting cruelty and lust. The entire play revolves around a ritual of sacrificing the living. On the surface, the play is about the conflict between Western moral customs and African cultural traditions. However, the play so deeply explores the plight of humans and gods that what it tells us should not be simplified as a rift between different cultures. Soyinka himself prefers to view the play as a metaphysical religious drama, with the theme of fate. The king has left the mortal world and is anxiously waiting before the celestial gate, waiting for the chief attendant to bring his beloved horse and dog to accompany him on the journey ahead. According to the traditional Yoruba culture of Africa, thirty days after the king's death, the chief attendant must commit suicide in the ritual to continue his lifelong service, escorting the king through the sacred passage to the other world. The eldest son of the chief attendant, Olunde, is a wise Yoruba man who was sent to study medicine in Britain by the colonial government. He rushes back to his homeland only to bury his father, who died alongside the king. However, the colonial administrator, Pierson, tries to prevent this "barbaric" traditional ritual. The drums thunder, and the chief attendant, Elesin, is about to die, but he still clings to the mortal world. The fame of this world, the desires of the flesh, and the wedding he must complete before his death. Elesin's hesitation gives the administrator Pierson the chance to stop the ritual and imprison Elesin. Elesin's eldest son, Olunde, takes over his father's role to uphold the Yoruba tradition and dies in the ritual, hoping to accompany the departed king through the sacred passage. This side is Algeria under British colonial rule, while on the other side, the king still waits, his anger far from spent. Meanwhile, in the distance, the flames of World War II rage. In Soyinka's portrayal, the satire of politics and morality is merely a glimpse on the stage. Behind the myths and religious metaphors lie the profound and subtle depths of human nature.