Death and the King’s Horseman Characters – Flashcards

Chief Horseman of the recently Deceased King of Nigeria who must Kill himself out of honor to be with his master. He is stopped by the British Colonizers and is humiliated. Kept in prison to protect his life. He strangles himself with his shackles

A man who follows Elesin around and sing's praises to him. He loves him but knows that he must die. He is also disowned by Elesin for not completing the death ceremony and disrupting the universe

"Mother" of the Marketplace. Leader of women. Subservient to men. Admires Elesin so much that she gives her son's fiancee to him. When the death doesn't happen, she scorns Elesin and calls his seed and abomination

Impatient English colonist who doesn't respect things foreign to him, or religion (even his own). He disrupts the tribe's universe and ultimately leads to the death of Elesin by trying to save him

Shallow and ignorant, but educated on the tribe's ways. She is more compassionate than her husband Simon and stands as a buffer between him and the people he offends

Black man in a white man's world. His people don't like him because he gave up his heritage and he is seen as less-than by the British. He is sent to arrest Elesin to protect him. He gets harassed by the girls in the tribe

Pilkings's houseboy. Takes his Christianity very seriously

The woman Elesin wants and gets. She is pregnant by him but the son gets cursed by Iyaloja. She is the one who closes Elesin's eyes after his suicide

Visiting English Prince to the Native Colony

Pilkings's Superior. Arrogant, Sill, and Ignorant. He is fascinated with outward details like the tassels on his clothes

Assistant to The Resident. He is Rude and Bigoted much like The Resident

Elesin's oldest son. Even though his father tells him he can't leave, he goes to London for Four years to become a doctor. He learns that the British aren't tolerant of what they don't understand. He goes back to tell Pilkings not to interfere with the suicide. He disowns his father when he finds out the suicide didn't happen. He takes on his father's duties and kills himself