(855) 4-ESSAYS

Type a new keyword(s) and press Enter to search

Death and the king

            With a society that embraces labels and stereotypes it is often hard to categorize an entire nation of people. Yet the British colonies were so apt to regard the African people as savage and barbaric that they looked upon them with a superior ignorant complex. They did not understand their culture and regarded their beliefs and customs as magical and sacrilegious. This regard did not stem from a hostile origin; they just did not understand what they didn't know. The truth of the matter is that they had no wish to understand or comprehend worlds and ways outside their realm. In the play Death and the King's Horseman, by Wole Soyinka, two characters embody the average viewpoint of the British towards the African people of Nigeria in 1946. Jane and Simon Pilkings allow for the reader to look through British eyes and somewhat understand their viewpoints toward the natives and their customs.
             The reader is introduced to these two characters in Act two of the play. They are dancing around their verandah dressed in an African ancestral masquerade called an egungun. This costume holds great importance to the African people and is regarded with respect. The fact that Jane and Simon are parading around their house dancing in this dress shows their lack of regard to the African beliefs; they find it amusing and fascinating. They plan on wearing it to the ball later that evening which shows that they look upon it as a costume with no significance what so ever. Amusa, a converted African who serves the British on the police force, has an interesting reaction to the costume. He says it belongs to the death cult and that it should not be taken lightly. While he is a converted Muslim he still has respect for his people's customs and does still possess an element of fear towards the costume. This is the first impression the reader is given of these characters and an automatic stereotype is given to them as self-absorbed ignorant people.


Essays Related to Death and the king

1. A Love for Granted: A Study of "Godfather Death"

The protagonist and the setting of "Godfather Death" are two of the main things that made my reading experience an unforgettable one. ... "You hoodwinked me this time," Death said, "I will forgive you once because you are my godson, but if you do such thing again, it will be your neck, and I will take you away with me" (10). ... I consider our next two settings to be the rooms where the king and his daughter were lying sick in their respective beds: "[ . . . ] but when he came to the bed where the king was lying- (10); "When the doctor, the godson, came to the sick girl's bed- (10). ......

  • Word Count: 911
  • Approx Pages: 4

2. King Tut

In 1922 Howard Carter discovered King Tut's tomb. ... Third of all, King Tut's corpse was sloppily embalmed. ... Well it could also have been rushed because of the unexpected death of King Tutankhamen. ... But in 1968 there was an x-ray done of King Tut's corpse. ... This is evidence that King Tut suffered a severe blow to the back of his head, which would have caused a sudden death. ...

  • Word Count: 631
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

3. King Lear

The daughters treachery begins immediately after the King empowers them. ... Goneril had tired of the behavior exhibited by the King and the King's entourage. ... Regan insists that King Lear return to Goneril and apologize for his behavior. ... His daughter's alliance unravels; they become argumentative with each other and eventually suffer tragic deaths. ... The deaths are announced by a "Gentleman" carrying" a bloody knife", "Help, help, O, help!" ...

  • Word Count: 734
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

4. Kings Death

If Hamlet would attempt to prove how his father died, then Claudius would eventually be put to death. ... Hamlet would not be revenging his father's death by killing Claudius. The ghost of King Hamlet is only doing more harm to Hamlet. ... I do believe Hamlet needs to revenge his father's death, but revenge his death by other means than murder. ... If Hamlet kills Claudius without anyone knowing about the truth of King Hamlet's death, then the revenge the ghost wanted is absent. ...

  • Word Count: 422
  • Approx Pages: 2
  • Grade Level: High School

5. Oedipus the King

Oedipus the King The drama Oedipus the King tells of a boy born to King Laius, but raised as the son of the King of Corinth. ... He gives this no thought when trying to solve the murder of King Laius. ... He also shows his arrogance by letting the people know that he is the heir to Laius' throne and the avenger of his death. Oedipus feels that no one can defy him and that no one will stop him from getting vengeance for King Laius' death. ... Oedipus the King ends blinding himself and praying for death. ...

  • Word Count: 686
  • Approx Pages: 3
  • Grade Level: High School

6. King Arthur: He Who Fell to Death and Rumor

Did King Arthur really fall asleep in a cave for thousands of years, to be awakened in his time of need? ... When and where did the term King enter Arthur's title? ... In addition to this evidence, the committee discovered that the castle had undergone heavy re-fortifications in the late 5th century: a perfect match for Artonius's life and recorded death (Ashe 7). ... There are a number of texts referring to the excavation of Arthur's tomb from the island of Avalon in the year 1191, approximately five hundred years after Arthur's death. ... Second, the people of England...

  • Word Count: 1595
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: Undergraduate

7. King Louis

In fact the King and Queen loathed and detested one another. ... His father's death did however spare Louis XIV many cruel beatings and abuse usually given to French princes. ... Upon his death the twenty three year old Louis decided that it was time to assume his rightful position as King. ... Reluctantly, the people accepted the young king's authority... King Louis also had plans to expand France's border. ...

  • Word Count: 1096
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Grade Level: High School

8. Death in Hamlet

The ghost demands Hamlet to avenge his death from King Claudius immediately. ... The primary theme of the play appears to be death. The story behind the play is from the death of Hamlet's father, King Hamlet. ... Death is not only on Hamlet's mind but also on King Claudius' mind as well. ... The ghost of King Hamlet brings upon death thus, being the reason for this type of theme throughout the play. ...

  • Word Count: 1006
  • Approx Pages: 4
  • Has Bibliography
  • Grade Level: High School

9. Themes of Suffering in King Lear

Whether from dramatic, literary or psychological viewpoints, the heart of King Lear is in the suffering of the titular King. ... It ends, as it must, in Lear's death. ... Central to the idea of suffering is the idea of its futile and nihilistic nature, with no cause for optimism and hope, especially with Cordelia's death. ... The internal death is the final stage of mental suffering, but there are many stages before the one must go through to get to that last stage. ... A weather-beaten, hallucinating king isn't a very good king. ...

  • Word Count: 1506
  • Approx Pages: 6
  • Grade Level: High School

10. The Boy King Myth

The Boy King Tutankhamen the boy king lived and died 3,000 years ago. ... Aye wanted to be king and he wanted Ankhesenamen as his wife. On King Tutankhamen's 18 birthdays there was a large celebration, everyone was there but King Tutankhamen's. ... She pleaded with the gods to avenge her husband's death and let the truth come out. ... Many believe this is the ghost of Ankhesenamen the bride of the boy king. ...

  • Word Count: 274
  • Approx Pages: 1
  • Grade Level: High School

Got a writing question? Ask our professional writer!
Submit My Question