Death and the King’s Horseman: Act 5 Summary & Analysis

Elesin stands in his cell, his wrists chained. His bride sits outside the cell, looking at the ground, and there are two guards watching him. Pilkings enters, leans against the bars, and joins Elesin in looking at the moon. He attempts to engage Elesin in conversation. Elesin insists that the night isn't beautiful or peaceful; the world's peace has been destroyed forever. Pilkings reminds Elesin that he saved his life, but Elesin says that Pilkings did the exact opposite, and in doing so, also destroyed many other people's lives. Pilkings insists he did his duty and doesn't regret it, but Elesin says that he won't regret it until later.

After a moment of silence, Elesin says that he knows Pilkings is waiting for dawn, as he believes that Elesin will be safe once the sun rises. He says that Pilkings has no reason to worry, as he was supposed to die at a specific moment during the night, and that moment passed a long time ago. Elesin explains that the spirits sent word of that specific time through the drums, and Elesin began to follow the moon to the afterlife. It was at that moment that Pilkings arrived. Pilkings insists that they just see their duties differently.

Elesin tells Pilkings that he doesn't blame him, even though he stole Olunde and sent him to England and then stopped Elesin from fulfilling his destiny. He asks if Pilkings planned it all out, but Pilkings says that if he did plan on stealing Olunde, he failed. Elesin replies that regardless, Pilkings succeeded in making it so Elesin didn't see this coming. Now, the world is off kilter and people are lost. Pilkings points out that Olunde doesn't think that everything is lost, which shocks Elesin. He reminds Pilkings of how Olunde behaved when "the world reversed itself" and he fell down in front of his son. Pilkings explains that Olunde regrets what he said, but Elesin says that Olunde spoke correctly. Elesin understands now that Olunde was right to go to England to learn the English people's secrets so he can seek revenge for Elesin's shame.

Pilkings offers that he spoke to Olunde about the matter, and Olunde asked for Elesin's forgiveness. He wants to come and receive Elesin's blessing and say goodbye. Elesin asks if Olunde is leaving, and Pilkings says he thought it best, and advised Olunde to leave before dawn. Sadly, Elesin agrees, but says that he can no longer be honored as Olunde's father, so what he thinks doesn't matter. Pilkings explains that Olunde will stop by later, per his advice. Elesin points out that Pilkings has advice for all of their lives, but Elesin can't figure out what god's authority he's calling on to get his advice.

Pilkings turns to go, but asks if he can ask Elesin a question. He explains that he's learned a few Yoruba sayings, and remembered one when he came upon the women all encouraging Elesin to kill himself in the market. The proverb says that elders approach heaven grimly, and don't necessarily make the journey to the afterlife willingly. Elesin sighs, but Jane runs in, calling for Pilkings, before he can answer. Pilkings and Jane run off.

Elesin turns to his bride and says that first he blamed Pilkings for his failure, then the gods, but now, he wants to blame her. He's not sure that blaming anyone matters now that the world is so upset, but his bride was more than just a woman he desired. Elesin says that she was the last gift from the land of the living, and her body made it far more difficult to cross over to the afterlife. He confesses that his weakness and failure didn't just come from Pilkings: he didn't want to die.

Pilkings and Jane return to the cellar. Pilkings is annoyed that Jane keeps interfering as he looks over a note, which seems to be from Olunde. Jane implores her husband to let Olunde visit, but Pilkings insists that he's not inclined to give in to the threat in the note that there will be rioting tomorrow if Olunde doesn't get his way. Cursing, Pilkings laments that the prince is visiting now. He approaches Elesin and says that Iyaloja came with a note from Olunde and wants to see him, but he's not thrilled about letting her in. Elesin says that he'll see her, since there's no more shame for him to experience.

Pilkings leaves to fetch Iyaloja while Jane encourages Elesin to understand that Pilkings is trying to help. Elesin gives her a strange look, points to his bride, and notes how still and quiet she is. He says that he'll speak with Pilkings, not Jane.

Pilkings returns and asks Elesin to swear on his honor that he won't accept anything from Iyaloja. Elesin points out that Pilkings has certainly already searched Iyaloja and touched her in a way that he'd never touch his own mother. He also points to the guards and says that Pilkings already has his honor, as well as the honor of his people. Exasperated, Pilkings shows Iyaloja a line on the floor, tells her not to cross it, and instructs the guards to whistle if she does. He leads Jane away.

Iyaloja is derisive of Elesin and insults his cowardice. Elesin wearily asks for Iyaloja's message, even if it's just curses, and says he deserves her anger. Iyaloja shouts that she warned Elesin to not leave a cursed "seed" behind, and asks who he think he is to create new life when he couldn't even move on to the afterlife. The bride gives a heaving sob, and Iyaloja looks at Elesin with even more anger. Iyaloja asks how Elesin will deal with this catastrophe.

Elesin insists that all of his powers left when he tried to die, especially when he felt the chains on his wrists. Iyaloja says that he betrayed them and now will have to eat the "world's leftovers" and live in his dishonor. Elesin says he doesn't need whatever "burden" Iyaloja brought with her; he needs understanding. Iyaloja points out that she warned him, but Elesin says that an "alien hand" poisoned his will to die and stopped him from following through. Unimpressed, Iyaloja says that she doesn't care how Elesin explains things to himself. In any case, it's unfitting to hear "please save me!" coming from an ancestral mask.

Iyaloja reminds Elesin that she's here with a burden, which is at the gate where the white men are stationed. Before she brings it in, she asks Elesin if the "parent shoot" of the plantain withers to give life to the new shoot, or if things happen in the opposite direction. Elesin is confused, but answers that the parent withers. Iyaloja shouts that the world sees things differently. She inadvertently steps over the line, and the guards blow their whistles and jump up to restrain Elesin. Pilkings races in, learns what happened, and Elesin asks them to leave Iyaloja alone. This makes Iyaloja even angrier, as she says that once, Elesin was powerful enough that only brave men dared to touch him.

Pilkings says that it's time for Iyaloja to leave and explains that they're moving Elesin tomorrow. Iyaloja insists that she knows all of this, and this is why she brought her burden with her tonight. She cryptically reminds Elesin of his "lesser oaths" that he can't break, and Elesin asks Pilkings to let in the women that Iyaloja says are coming. Addressing Pilkings, Iyaloja asks, if the prince were to die here, if they'd bury him here—if his people don't have ceremonies to honor the dead. Pilkings points out that they don't make people commit suicide to keep their kings company.

Iyaloja says that she's not here to explain things to Pilkings. She tells him that Elesin understands what happens when a king dies. He knows that it'll cause trouble when the king realizes that he's been betrayed; the king will wander among enemies. Iyaloja asks Pilkings to let Elesin release their king. The aide-de-camp races in with news that there's a group of women chanting on the hill. Jane suggests that this is what Olunde referred to in the letter, but Pilkings snarls that he can't let them in. He asks the aide-de-camp to send a car to fetch Olunde, as it's time for him to go. Iyaloja says that Olunde will come himself soon and asks Pilkings to let the women in.

The aide-de-camp points out that the group is just women, so Pilkings agrees that they can enter. As the aide-de-camp runs off, Pilkings warns Iyaloja that his men will shoot if the women cause trouble. Iyaloja scorns the logic of the white man, who will kill other people to prevent one person dying. She insists that the prince will sleep soundly tonight and soon, her king will also be at peace. She asks that Pilkings let Elesin complete this final duty.

The women enter, chanting and carrying a long cylindrical object on their shoulders. It's covered in cloth. They set it down, form a circle around it, and continue to chant with the drummer and the praise-singer. Pilkings asks what the object is, and Iyaloja says that it's the burden Pilkings made. Elesin wants to whisper words for the king in the ear of the king's courier (the object), but Pilkings won’t let him out. Iyaloja tries to convince Pilkings, but he continues to refuse.

The praise-singer reminds Elesin of how he said that if he cannot come, to ask his horse for help, or ask his dog to track a path. He says that at that point, Elesin told the praise-singer that he already found the path to the afterlife. The praise-singer continues, reminding Elesin of his other warnings and words of advice. Then, he motions to the object and says that it's the favorite companion of the gods. Now, Elesin's horse and his dog have gone before him, and he's left eating the world's leftovers. They tell him that he has to perform the rites over the person who took his place. Iyaloja then removes the outer covering, revealing Olunde's body.

The praise-singer tells Elesin that they gave him the power to keep the world in line, but he allowed "evil strangers" to shift the world's course and in doing so, jeopardize their future. Olunde, however, has now given his life to Elesin. This is wrong, and the world is even more off-course than they first thought. Elesin stares at Olunde for a moment before flinging the chain of his shackles around his neck and strangling himself. He dies before the guards can do anything to save him, so they lower him to the ground. Pilkings races into the cell and performs CPR on Elesin while the women continue to chant.

Iyaloja asks Pilkings why he's trying so hard to do something that nobody, not even Elesin, will thank him for doing. She says that Elesin is gone now, but he's late and will arrive in the afterlife stained in horse manure from the king's stallion. Tiredly, Pilkings asked if this is what Iyaloja wanted. Iyaloja says that this is what Pilkings gets when he messes with the lives of strangers, wears clothes reserved for the dead, and then expects to not have blood on his hands. She tells him that because of him, they've lost Olunde too.

When Pilkings moves to close Elesin's eyes, Iyaloja shouts at him to stop and nods to the bride. The bride steps into the cell, closes Elesin's eyes, and pours dirt over each of his closed eyelids. Iyaloja leads the bride away, telling her to forget both the dead and the living and to concentrate only on the unborn.