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  • Essay / Traditional values ​​throughout the play "Death and the King's Horseman" by Wole Soyinka

    Throughout the play Death and the King's Horseman by Wole Soyinka, there is an important paradox between the values traditional Yoruban traditions of Olunde and the values ​​of his father. Olunde is Elesin's eldest son, who left Yoruba to study medicine in England, and he returns home when he learns of the king's death. Olunde is still true to his Yoruban values, even though he moved to England and is surrounded by a new culture, new values ​​and new traditions. Olunde knows that his father, Elesin, the king's horseman, is obliged to participate in a ritual suicide to accompany the king because it is a Yoruba tradition. Elesin did not follow through on the sacrifice, leading Olunde to commit suicide because he is more dedicated to his culture than his father. Olunde's time spent in British and Yoruban culture strengthened his connection to Yourban culture as he sought to establish connections between the two places through his understanding of the history of the ship, the sacrifice of the soldiers, and his conversations with Jane. Olunde sought to appreciate both cultures, which strengthened his ability to perform the Yourban ritual. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essay Olunde discovered the story of a captain and his ship which taught him British values ​​which he was able to apply to Yoruba culture. Jane, incomprehensible to Yoruba culture, presented Olunde with the story of the ship as follows: “The captain made it himself. The ship must have exploded because it had become dangerous for other ships, even the city itself. Hundreds of coastal populations would have died” (Soyinka 41). Jane tells Olunde the story of a captain who blew up the entire ship because of the threat it posed to the city. Truth be told, the captain sacrificed his own life to save the lives of many others. The captain and his ship symbolize this sacrifice that Elesin, the king's horseman, is believed to make for the Yoruba people, their ancestors and the king himself. Jane and Olunde's views on why the captain blew up the ship varied, representing the views of each of their cultures. Olunde concluded: “I don’t find it morbid at all. I find this rather inspiring. It is an affirmative comment on life” (42), thus illustrating that Olunde views the captain's death as a sacrifice for others and should be honored for his willingness to help and save others. The central idea is that because an individual sacrificed himself for the sake of others, the captain should be remembered and honored by all. Jane struggles to understand why the captain should be honored. Olunde and Jane's controversial beliefs about the Captain's death promote the different viewpoints that individuals obtain across culture. Because Olunde was immersed in a new culture, he learned the values ​​and traditions outside of Yoruba culture, teaching him new lessons. Jane is unable to understand Olunde's views as a whole because she can only perceive true curiosity within Yoruba culture. Jane and Olunde's conversation at the masquerade party shows Olunde's new perspective on the British and Jane's curiosity about Yourban culture as a whole. Jane is insensitive to Yourban culture and traditions, while Olunde is loyal to both cultures as he has been exposed to both Yoruba and English cultures. Olunde's first remarks were as follows: “You have forgotten that I spent four years among your people. I discovered that you have no..