Death and the King’s Horseman: Act 1 Summary & Analysis

As the market is closing up for the day, Elesin dances through it and sings, accompanied by drummers and his praise-singer. The praise-singer teases Elesin about racing too quickly toward the women in the market and forgetting the people who already know and love him, but Elesin insists that he loves the market and needs to be among the women there. Laughing, the praise-singer points out that this is a special day for Elesin, and maybe he shouldn't be running for the women in the market. He asks if Elesin is certain that there will be someone as skilled as he is at singing Elesin's praises in the afterlife and says that if Elesin needs him to come too, he'll follow.

Elesin assures the praise-singer that he doesn't need him to accompany him to the afterlife; instead, the praise-singer needs to remain in this world so he can sing about Elesin for those who are still alive. Elesin again praises the market, where the women dote on him and spoil him with fine fabrics and food. The praise-singer warns Elesin that if he's not careful, the women might weaken his resolve to die, but Elesin says that he wants to die having danced with the women and smelled the smells of the marketplace.

Elesin and his praise-singer discuss that the world has never "wrenched from its true course," despite the city's history of destruction and of "white slavers" that brought damage to Elesin's people. The praise-singer, through this, seeks to encourage Elesin to do what he's supposed to do and die later. Elesin tells his praise-singer that the "Not-I bird" has been calling around. According to Elesin, who dances and sings the story of the bird, the Not-I bird flies around to people, telling them that death is getting close, and everyone--animals included—says "not I" and pretends to not hear the bird. Even the immortal gods are afraid of this bird. As Elesin performs, more women enter to watch him, including Iyaloja, the “mother of the market.” Iyaloja asks how Elesin feels about the Not-I bird, and Elesin says that when the bird came to him, he invited it inside and then sent it home, happy.

The women in the market and the praise-singer ask Elesin if there's anything that will keep him from dying, but Elesin assures them that when the time comes, he'll eagerly dance toward death to go keep the king company in the afterlife. He says that in life, he and the king were close and spent all their time together, enjoying the best things the world had to offer. The praise-singer says that Elesin came upon "the calabash of honor" and, thinking it was wine, drank the entire thing. Elesin again says that he's honorable and will take care of his people by behaving honorably.

When the women tell Elesin that he's a man of honor, however, Elesin tells them to stop. The women worry that they offended Elesin, and Elesin confirms that he's extremely offended. Nervously, Iyaloja asks for Elesin to forgive them and tell them what they did wrong. Iyaloja and the women kneel and beg Elesin to correct them as Elesin asks if his body should "be taken for a vagrant's." The women are still baffled, and the praise-singer tells Elesin to tell them what they need to do. Elesin says that a man of honor shouldn't be wearing the clothes he's wearing, and he laughs. The women run to fetch rich clothing from their market stalls.

The women dress Elesin in the rich clothing and again ask for forgiveness. Elesin insists that since he loves all the women so much, he has to forgive them for anything and everything. The women and Iyaloja dance and sing that they feared that they'd upset the balance of the universe by offending Elesin on this great day. When Elesin is fully dressed, he stands surrounded by the dancing women. As he catches sight of something offstage, he says that the world is good. The women respond that they know he'll leave the world in a good place. Elesin says that he cannot disconnect himself from his roots, even though he can't actually see the "navel of the world."

The distraction that caught Elesin's eye—a beautiful young woman—walks into the market. Elesin says that the world is creating a fantastic farewell for him, unless he's already dead. He asks the surrounding women and the praise-singer if he's still in the market, or if he's gone. The praise-singer is concerned by these questions and assures Elesin that he's still the one speaking to him, not departed praise-singers in heaven.

Elesin points out that as the horseman of the king, he had access to any woman he wanted. He notes that people would say that if they hid a beautiful woman in a tree, he'd choose that tree to camp under. The praise-singer says that Elesin certainly has a reputation. He reminisces about the time that they caught Elesin with his bride's sister, and Elesin insisted that he was honoring her like a "grateful in-law." The praise-singer praises Elesin's virility and reputation with the women, but Elesin stops him and asks who the young woman is whom he saw enter the market.

Elesin describes how beautiful the young woman’s body is and again asks who she is. Hesitantly, Iyaloja tries to speak. She agrees that Elesin is still alive and therefore able to notice beautiful women, but she says that the woman is already engaged. Annoyed, Elesin asks why Iyaloja had to share this information with him. Iyaloja says that this day belongs to Elesin, but suggests that Elesin should want to be remembered by what he leaves. Elesin agrees with this and says that it's only through memory that people can defeat death, but suggests that he'd like to "travel light" and leave behind something that will benefit all of those still living. The women tell Elesin he's honorable, and Elesin replies that since he's so honorable, he needs to marry this young woman.

Iyaloja points out that Elesin, in his honor, doesn't ruin other people's happiness for his own pleasure. Elesin, however, says that the women are trying to stop him from one final pleasure. He says he'd like to "travel light" by having sex with the young woman and allowing their child to stay behind. Iyaloja turns to the women and says that since Elesin is already so close to death, she can't refuse him. They remind Iyaloja that the bride is already engaged to Iyaloja’s own son, but Iyaloja says she can't ruin Elesin's final day for him. In order to keep the world in order, she cannot let Elesin die with regrets.

Elesin asks if the women have come to a decision, and Iyaloja answers that they have: Elesin can have the young woman. She points out, however, that Elesin should take care to not leave a curse. This offends Elesin a little, and he becomes even more exasperated when Iyaloja says that they need to go prepare both his bridal chamber and his burial shrouds. He recovers and asks that his young bride perform the final rites after he dies. The women leave and return with the woman.