This basically means, Elesin overdramatizes his passion to go so you’re able to cover-up his reluctance-even from himself. Pilkings will be an excellent bungling manage-gooder, but he perceives that it fundamental mental realities in regards to the community whenever he reminds Elesin of your own stating one of their someone:
Notwithstanding this lady, if not with her active connivance, Elesin’s relationship with the ladies suggests a distorted application of the fresh warrior ethic
Linked to brand new resistance to allow go of your honey-cooking pot one Elesin’s lifetime has been is another social contradiction dramatized throughout the play: the genuine status of women. Iyaloja’s towering part effortlessly curtains me to ladies generally inferior condition about community. On the heroic people the fresh warrior ‘s the protector off their community’s lady, although ravisher of these from opponent teams. On the lack of you to definitely adversary people, Elesin lies siege on chastity of people off their individual area. The guy rationalizes his need for the woman, and you may after a couple of stressful, embarrassing moments, Iyaloja was persuaded. New political concept of the lady consent is actually that it is perhaps not Elesin however the lady who is are forfeited in order for its (Elesin and you may Iyaloja’s) industry can get stick to the old direction. Virtually, brand new act violates this new girl’s love; symbolically, it violates brand new moral sanctity and you can sheer sorts of the latest ritual as well as the community at the rear of they. We are not sure that Iyaloja totally understands which in this lady second away from finding, revealed later on the great address into Elesin’s betrayal regarding sacred believe. Which speech shall be understand ironically, the fresh new irony as being the playwright’s towards the Iyaloja. A tip to that particular would be the fact she’s got nothing to even say towards woman, who, in addition, remains voiceless through the-and you may nameless: this woman is refused so it the very least out-of individual/personal identities. Throughout the identity of your metaphysical destiny while the political position quo, both journey rough-shod over one’s contentment and ethics, due to the fact culture claims one see your face by herself was expendable. But far more significantly, it’s part of the youth-senescence conflict on gamble.
Iyaloja’s agree to Elesin’s consult is actually a betrayal away from the woman man and it comments with the facts of your own society-individual relationship on community
Youth-senescence disagreement was perennial in the Soyinka’s drama, taking different forms: father-child (otherwise its surrogates); conservative authority-rebellious youth, etcetera. This type of disputes constantly fall under both a stalemate or a beneficial beat off youth, or in general anarchy. Soyinka’s complaint has not paid back much focus on it theme and its greater psycho-societal definitions and you can size. This is simply not the area for this, although not. Serve they to help you opinion here you to definitely into the DKH the brand new displacement from the brand new women’s fiancee and usurpation regarding his role by tyrannical senescence is avenged with devastating tragic irony after, along with much more devastating consequences to your community: Olunde displaces his own dad and usurps their role in which they issues extremely with the society (the 2 halves from the material irony, you to taking place nearby 
the delivery together with almost every other close to the stop, supply poetic fairness and you can artistic harmony about gamble). The guy do significantly more: the guy takes payback on behalf of the students kid (as well as teenage boys) that has been dispossessed from their fiancee. Olunde’s work completely destroys Elesin’s manliness, brave stature, and you may position: every one of his cock and this occupation.
That it studies features so far dedicated to the interior workings out of the brand new people-and that to your inner logic of your own tragic action away from brand new play. In which does the new external (colonial) factor are located in then, whenever? It is true that Area Administrator intervenes to help you “stop” Elesin; however, once the copywriter, the fresh enjoy, hence research up until now all assert, that input are superfluous. It can no more than promote Elesin which have an excellent lame-and very quickly discarded-excuse. The colonial basis will not are in in person. But while the inner processes of their own community bring a keen opposite and you may choice metaphysics, ethics, and you may worldview, brand new colonial presence on the location alone is enough to undermine brand new worry about-count on of your local community and present this new minimal power away from the signs. Throughout the gamble, the metaphysical energy of the native people are symbolized in the egungun cult, the political electricity portrayed of the Elesin ancestry. (From the demise, Elesin as well, definitely, gets an ancestor become incarnated on egungun.)