Elisen as an Aristotelian Tragic Hero

Introduction

In the realm of dramatic art, cultural influences often shape the narrative, giving birth to captivating tragedies that resonate with audiences. Wole Soyinka's masterpiece, "Death and the King’s Horseman," is no exception, as it delves into the intricate web of religion, tradition, and the human experience. As Aristotle, the renowned philosopher, articulates in his seminal work "Poetics," tragedy is a representation of a serious, self-contained action, crafted with eloquent language adorned with artistic embellishments. These elements are meticulously arranged in a dramatic form, weaving a narrative that evokes pity and fear, ultimately leading to a catharsis of these emotions (Aristotle, 23).

"Death and the King’s Horseman" as a Tragic Narrative

Soyinka's magnum opus undoubtedly encapsulates the essence of tragedy, skillfully eliciting a myriad of emotions from its audience. It is evident that the concept of "catharsis" serves as a conduit for the playwright to convey his thoughts and ideas. Through the vehicle of emotions, Soyinka effectively penetrates the depths of the human soul, enabling the audience to grasp the play's central message and themes with unwavering conviction. "Death and the King’s Horseman" unfurls as a tragic narrative, its core purpose being the exposition of the dire consequences that befall those who dare to defy divine mandates and disrupt the delicate balance among the three worlds - the realm of the unborn, the realm of the living, and the realm of the ancestors.

Drawing parallels to the ancient Greek tragic dramatists, Aeschylus and Sophocles, who crafted religious dramas exploring the intricate interplay between gods and mortals, Soyinka's opus stands as a testament to the universal resonance of tragic themes across cultures. Furthermore, the rich tapestry of poetic language that envelops the narrative is grounded in historical events, forging a profound connection with the Greek tragic tradition. Thus, "Death and the King’s Horseman" beckons us to recognize its kinship with Greek tragedy, emphasizing that a true tragic hero should be, as per Aristotle's definition, "better than we are" in terms of moral stature, ultimately meeting a dismal fate due to a tragic flaw or an error in judgment (Abrams, Harpham, 315).

Elesin as a Tragic Hero

In the case of Elesin, the protagonist of Soyinka's tragic tale, Aristotle's criteria are met almost verbatim. Elesin, holding the esteemed position of the king's horseman, ultimately finds himself plunged into suffering and shame. His tragic downfall is the result of a grievous mistake – a failure to fulfill his sacred ritual duty. Elesin's descent into calamity awakens a deep sense of compassion in the hearts of the audience, coupled with a haunting fear of succumbing to similar errors in their own lives. Yet, a distinctive element sets him apart from the archetypal Greek tragic hero. In African theatre, the focal point pivots from individualistic concerns to the well-being of the community. In this regard, "Death and the King’s Horseman" stands as a tragic masterpiece that embodies the essence of the Aristotelian tragic hero while embracing a unique African perspective.

Central to Elesin's tragic fate, as espoused by Soyinka and rooted in Nigerian ethos, is his profound neglect of duty. Once occupying the zenith of social hierarchy, Elesin's dereliction in performing his ritual sacrifice inexorably ushers in a series of tragic repercussions. Elesin, in his own words, reflects on his previous life of privilege:

"How can that be? In all my life as Horseman of the King, the juiciest Fruit on every tree was mine. I saw, I touched, I wooed, rarely was the answer No. The honour of my place, the veneration I Received in the eye of man or woman prospered my suit and Played havoc with my sleeping hours" (Soyinka, 76).

His social standing crumbles, leaving him mired in humiliation, while his spiritual stature dwindles as he transgresses the divine order, becoming a sinner and a rebel against the gods. Furthermore, his actions sow chaos within the realm of the departed, a transgression that, according to Yoruba beliefs, reverberates within the living world. In this context, Soyinka's Praise Singer, the guardian of culture, sternly rebukes his erstwhile leader:

"Elesin, we placed the reins of the world in your hands yet you watched it plunge over the edge of the bitter precipice" (Soyinka, 75).

Lyaloja, too, issues a vehement admonishment:

"You have betrayed us. We fed you sweetmeats such as we hoped awaited you on the other side. But you said No, I must eat the world's left-overs. We said you were the hunter who brought the quarry down; to you belonged the vital portions of the game. No, you said, I am the hunter's dog and I shall eat the entrails of the game and the faeces of the hunter. We said you were the hunter returning home in triumph, a slain buffalo pressing down on his neck; you said wait, I first must turn up this cricket hole with my toes" (Soyinka, 68).

The tragic essence of "Death and the King’s Horseman" crystallizes when Elesin's sacred ritual duty is thwarted, casting a profound shadow over the narrative. His son, Olunde, becomes the most poignant victim of his father's misstep. Witnessing his father's failure to fulfill the ritual, Olunde is engulfed by a harrowing sense of shame and sorrow. He utters the heart-wrenching words, "I have no father, eater of left-overs" (Soyinka, 61), setting the stage for the climactic catastrophe that ensues. In an act of profound sacrifice, Olunde takes his own life, seeking to expunge the shame inflicted by his father and offer a contrite apology to the ancestors and his people. Lyaloja, keenly observant of the unfolding tragedy, underscores the consequences of Elesin's actions:

"Because he could not bear to let honour fly out of doors, he stopped it with his life. The son has proved the father, Elesin, and there is nothing left in your mouth to gnash but infant gums" (Soyinka, 75).

Gazing upon his son's lifeless body, Elesin is consumed by grief and guilt, and in a moment of profound despair, he takes his own life by strangling himself with a chain before anyone can intervene. Lyaloja, while lamenting the belatedness of Elesin's departure, censures the white men for attempting to halt his self-inflicted fate, emphasizing that he has ultimately departed, albeit too late:

"He is gone at last into the passage, but oh, how late it is. His son will feast on the meat and throw him bones. The passage is clogged with droppings from the King's stallion; he will arrive all stained in dung" (Soyinka, 76).

Elesin's "hamartia," the tragic flaw that led to the dereliction of his mission, can be interpreted as his capitulation and submission to the European colonizers. As Tanure Ojaide astutely points out, Elesin's failure does not stem from refusing to die but from not dying at the appropriate moment. Rituals adhere to a strict timeline, and Elesin's delay unwittingly provides the authorities with an excuse to prevent him from fulfilling his sacred duty (Ojaide, Online).

In a moment of despair, Elesin succumbs to the overpowering influence of external forces, a profound act of "blasphemy" against his own beliefs. When alien hands disrupt the sanctity of his mission, he contemplates the unthinkable, attributing divine intent to this intrusion:

"It is when the alien hand pollutes the source of will, when a stranger force of violence shatters the mind's calm resolution, this is when a man is made to commit the awful treachery of relief, commit in his thought the unspeakable blasphemy of seeing the hand of the gods in this alien rupture of the world. I know it was this thought that killed me, sapped my powers and turned me into an infant in the hands of unnamable strangers. I made to utter my spells anew, but my tongue merely rattled in my mouth" (Soyinka, 64).

While Elesin points accusatory fingers at the white man, his gods, and his bride, he overlooks his own culpability. He acknowledges that his weakness does not solely stem from the intrusion of the white man but is also rooted in his own desires:

"My weakness came not merely from the abomination of the white man who came violently into my fading presence; there was also a weight of longing on my earth-held limbs" (Soyinka, 65).

Moreover, in a moment of introspection, he nearly concedes to yielding his will to the dominion of the European colonizers, lamenting that his will had been extinguished in the face of an alien race:

"My will was squelched in the spittle of an alien race" (Soyinka, 65).

In a scathing rebuke, Lyaloja hints at Elesin's submission, condemning him for allowing the colonizers to assert dominance over the situation (Soyinka, 65). Indeed, when the call of death initially beckoned from Elesin's heart, nothing could deter him from fulfilling his sacred duty, not even the iron bars or the presence of the "alien race."

Communal Values vs. Individualism

What sets "Death and the King’s Horseman" apart from Greek tragedy is the prominent theme of individualism. Yoruba religion places paramount importance on the collective welfare and prosperity of the community, viewing individualism as a grave dishonor. The belief that all of humanity is interconnected underscores the notion that an individual's selfishness can disrupt the harmony of the three interconnected realms - the living, the ancestors, and the unborn - ultimately afflicting the individual himself. Consequently, there is no room for egotism in this deeply communal ethos.

In "The Fourth Stage" and later in "Myth, Literature and the African World," Wole Soyinka delves into the intricate relationship within Yoruba cosmology among man, the gods, and the ancestors. This cosmology, as expounded by Soyinka, stands in stark contrast to the Christian and European emphasis on individualism and individual salvation. In Yoruba culture, the focus shifts towards community, and this community transcends the boundaries separating the dead, the living, and the unborn. The emphasis is placed on continuity, maintaining the unbroken and interconnected relationship among these three stages of existence (Ralph Bowman, 82).