I am a teacher and have my MFA in playwriting, so I feel strongly that plays are meant to be performed. Queen Ojuola and the Ogun priest realized the truth. Finally, she stated that Gbonka was the person who witnessed king Adetusas death. Rotimi seals Odewale's fate by having an omen placed over his life at birth. Odewale storms Kutuje with his chiefs flanking by his side, and is declared King by the town's first chief. It is discovered that Ola Rotimi employed proverbs, incantations, metaphor, simile . It had its first performance in Nigeria at the Ife Festival of the Arts in 1968, has since been staged with great success in other West African countries, and was awarded the first prize in the African Arts/Arts d'Afrique playwriting contest in 1969. He has been called "a complete man of the theatre an actor, director, choreographer and designer who created performance spaces, influenced by traditional architectural forms.". The Gods are not to blame was first performed in Nigeria at the Ife Festival of the Arts in 1968, has since been staged with great success across Africa Europe and the USA 88 pages, Kindle Edition Published November 26, 2017 Book details & editions About the author Ola Rotimi 21 books101 followers In 2000 he returned to Ile-Ife where he lectured in Obafemi Awolowo University till his demise. In an attempt to avert the curse, he ran away from his adoptors, Ogundele and his wife Mobike whom he thought to be his parents at that time. Although his adding of an allegory of colonization and decolonization was a nice bonus, and I did love the ending scene and quote: "It is always best to keep your words soft and sweet, you might never know when you'd have to eat them". It reminded Nigerians of one of its most . Redemption links and eBooks cannot be resold. Hazel (his wife) died and Ola Rotimi returned from her funeral in the US to the dream home they built in Ile Ife, only to die in it from heart failure two months later. In the story of 'The gods are not to blame'; the first son of king Adetusa is _____. When Alaka reminded him of their encounter in the past, the truth was exposed that Odewale is indeed the son of the late Adetusa, the king of kutuje whom he himself (Odewale) murdered on his farmland. The Gods are not to blame was first performed in Nigeri .more Get A Copy Kindle Store $5.00 Amazon Stores The names of the children are: Adewale, Adebisi, Oyeyemi and Adeyinka. All the messages conveyed, although bring the play together and provide the audience with insightful readings, the play may also serve as a symbol as to how some of the African societies model the structure presented in the play. Similar in nature to the Greek play, Oedipus Tyrannus his royal parents receive a prophecy from Baba Fakunle that Odewale would grow up to kill his parents. this book is very interesting i will encourage every one to read it. The Gods Are Not to Blame is a 1968 play and a 1971 novel by Ola Rotimi. Photo: NZ Herald. in his play 1he gods are not to blame.t Whereas the action of Soyinka's play is set in Greece, Rotimi has transplanted his play to Africa and has also changed the . His first plays, To Stir the God of Iron (produced 1963) and Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again (produced 1966; published 1977), were staged at the drama schools of Boston University and Yale, respectively. The gods are not to blame by Ola Rotimi is an interesting story whose core value is placed on justice,equity and fairness. Reviewed in the United States on May 7, 2009. Top subscription boxes right to your door, 1996-2023, Amazon.com, Inc. or its affiliates, Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon. While this book has certain similarities to the original Greek story, it finds its own originality by adding different elements and characters to the story. She was given a prophecy, along with King Adetusa, that their child, Odewale, would one day grow up to usurp the thrown, killing his father and marry his mother. At this point we are introduced to Alaka, who claims to have known King Odewale since before he came to conquer Kutuje. Odewale was henceforth disturbed with his identity, and subsequently went in search of answers. King Adetusa: Former king of Kutuje. The Gods Are Not to Blame is influenced by Yoruba and Yoruban culture. Rotimi was the son of Samuel Gladstone Enitan Rotimi a Yoruba steam-launch engineer (a successful director and producer of amateur theatricals)and Dorcas Adolae Oruene Addo an Ijaw drama enthusiast. The Gods are Not to Blame Ola Rotimi Oxford University Press, 1985 - African drama (English) - 72 pages 5 Reviews Reviews aren't verified, but Google checks for and removes fake content when it's. Does this item contain inappropriate content? Your recently viewed items and featured recommendations, Update your device or payment method, cancel individual pre-orders or your subscription at. Instead of declaring the murderer openly, he indirectly accused king Odewale by calling him a bed-sharer. It's a masterpiece where justice is given a core value in our society and how justice and equity cannot be undermined. After a dispute, Baba Fakunle calls Odewale a "murderer," alluding to the assault that occurred on the yam patch in Ede, in which Odewale kills King Adetusa, unknowingly his father. [9][10] It was nominated for an award at the ESB Dublin Fringe Festival 2003. Ola Rotimi had an immense knowledge and interest in African cultures, as indicated in his ability to speak several ethnic languages, such as Yoruba, Ijaw, Hausa, and pidgin. [5] He says that in post-colonial Africa, much of the blame over the suffering incurred by native Africans was the result of the colonial powers. What the author arrives at is not to prove which gender is superior but to show the complementary roles of men and women. The play was revived by Talawa Theatre Company in a well received production in 1989, sparking interest in the play's themes. The contents of the paragraphs are not complete and not legible, Two-Hour Literature & Fiction Short Reads, Learn more how customers reviews work on Amazon. Learn more. His first plays, To Stir the God of Iron (produced 1963) and Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again (produced 1966; published 1977), were staged at the drama schools of Boston University and Yale, respectively. I wanted this as a gift to someone special, however, instead I got months of HEADACHE! "The Gods Are Not to Blame" is a modern updating of the ancient story of disgraced Theban King Oedipus. These promotions will be applied to this item: Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. Alaka also told everyone present how Odewale had been adopted by the people he thought were his parents. She also gave birth to four children for Odewale, her first son who had murdered his father. Sticky notes. Help others learn more about this product by uploading a video! Instead of legal jargon, there is humour, arguments and counter arguments. There are . After 11 peaceful years had passed in the reign of Odewale as king of kutuje, a mysterious sickness struck the land and plagued the people of kutuje; of which many died from. Diminutive in size but a giant in drama in Africa, he was one of the best things that could have happened to the literary community. He attended St. Cyprian's School in Port Harcourt from 1945 to 1949, St Jude's School, Lagos, from 1951 to 1952 and the Methodist Boys High School in Lagos, before travelling to the United States in 1959 to study at Boston University, where he obtained a BA in fine arts. It looks like WhatsApp is not installed on your phone. , File size In the 'gods are not to blame', the king's messenger who disobeyed the gods of the land in what he taught was a compassionate act is _____. Your email address will not be published. Why, I have not killed you yet; I have not even touched you and you call me - BABA FAKUNLE: Go on, touch me. Written by Otun Rasheed in 2011, the theatrical adaptation The Gods Are Still Not to Blame brings Rotimi's drama to the twenty-first century. Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. create no mistake, this wedding album is truly recommended for you. Focusing on the Yoruba tradition, Ola Rotimi spotlights Yoruba gods, giving Sango, Orunmila, Ifa, and Ogun prominent roles throughout the book as King Odewale, King Adetusa (Odewales father), Queen Ojuola (Odewales mother), Aderopo (Odewales brother), the Chiefs and other characters in the book refer to them often. [nb 1]. 4TH CHIEF: It is so, the blood of youth has left the head, the mind is weak. But beautiful, beautiful twists I didn't see coming. In a last attempt to save his life, Odewale killed the old man by striking him with a hoe. Consulter l'avis complet. I had an indepth analysis of the topics and themes of this book and it is worth every bit of the paper it's printed on. The theme of Sophocles' Oedipus Rex is skillfully transplanted to African soil. To this Rotimi argues that while some of the suffering may have been the result of attempted colonial conquests, the lingering animosity that is felt and dispersed among fellow Nigerians, by fellow Nigerians, cannot be blamed solely on an outside party. Alaka: Odewale's childhood friend. His last production was a staging of Man Talk, Woman Talk at the French Institute in Lagos, Nigeria. I believe this scholar is claiming to the idea that proverbs deal with issues in the Yoruban culture. The gratifying Simply suggest, the use of language is part of culture. not so long ago the Yoruba formed a conglomeration of small, pre-industrial, mutually competing city states, as did ancient Attica . document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window), Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window), Oedipus, Whos to Blame? Reviewed in the United States on October 8, 2005. In 2000 he returned to Ile-Ife where he lectured in Obafemi Awolowo University till his demise. He brings his sick children for the town to see, that way they know that his family is also suffering. You could purchase guide Gods Are Not To Blame Novel or acquire it as soon as . The comical character Alaka, for example, represents Odewale's childhood growing up in the village of Ishokun. Line: 478 The Gods are not to blame was first performed in Nigeria at the Ife Festival of the Arts in 1968, has since been staged with great success across Africa Europe and the USA. Olawale Gladstone Emmanuel Rotimi, best known as Ola Rotimi (13 April 1938 18 August 2000), was one of Nigeria's leading playwrights and theatre directors. I believe this scholar is claiming to the idea that proverbs deal with issues in the Yoruban culture. In the Yoruban culture, like many others, have symbolic. . He could not, of course, assume prior knowledge of the story on the part of the Femi Elufowoju Jr had his first theatre experience in 1975, at the age of 11, when he saw a revival of this very play, performed in a reconstructed Greek amphitheatre at a university campus in Ife; and brought it to the UK shores as a British leading theatre director under the company name Tiata Fahodzi. Rotimi, in response to the Nigerian Civil War, says that the root cause of the strife among Nigerians, of the bloodshed, was in their lingering mutual ethnic distrust which culminate in open hostility. We are sorry. Man Talk, Woman Talk is humorous, as quintessential comedies from the author can be. Baba Fakunle: A blind, old man, Baba Fakunle serves as a soothsayer to those who seek him. Odewale closes the play by stating, the gods have lied Nathaniel. : In the last part Odewale leaves. Odewale was in touch with his supernatural side, and was quick to call on Ogun, going so far as to swear on the deity which eventually led to his downfall. Ojuola: Wife of the late King Adetusa. The culture represents "the way of life for an entire society", as noted in Pragmatic Functions of Crisis Motivated Proverbs in Ola Rotimi's The Gods Are Not to Blame. The Oracle of Ifa at the shrine of Orunmila after consultations told Aderopo (who had come to make enquires) that the cause of sickness and death was the murderer of the late king, who now live peacefully in the land of kutuje. These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. By juxtaposing Alaka in Odewale's new environment, Kutuje, Rotimi illustrates the cultural differences between traditional Yoruban life, with that of the industrialized west. Odewale learns that there is a curse on the land, and in order for the sickness to stop going around the curse has to be purged. Later, Ojuola explains that Baba Fakunle made her kill her first born son, convinced that her first son had brought bad luck. The gods are not to blame: The story is the sad tale of a man named Odewale who has been destined from birth to kill his father and marry his mother. Please try again. Are his parents able to thwart the heavy sentence pronounced on them from the world beyond? Please click here to follow Len Academy on Google News. [8] Odebunmi" Language,Culture and Proverbs". Previous page. Function: _error_handler, File: /home/ah0ejbmyowku/public_html/application/views/page/index.php Out of fear and respect, Aderopo having got answers from the shrine of Orunmila in Ile-Ife was reluctant to tell the king about the outcome of his findings in public. There is a great deal of wit in the work and the setting here is the university environment where the youthful contenders are idealistic. An adaptation of the Greek classic Oedipus Rex, the story centres on Odewale, who is lured into a false sense of security, only to somehow get caught up in a somewhat consanguineous trail of events by the gods of the land. What the author arrives at is not to prove which gender is superior but to show the complementary roles of men and women. [13], File: /home/ah0ejbmyowku/public_html/application/views/user/popup_modal.php His later dramas include The Gods Are Not to Blame (produced 1968; published 1971), a retelling of Sophocles' Oedipus Rexin imaginative verse; Kurunmi and the Prodigal (produced 1969; published as Kurunmi, 1971), written for the second Ife Festival of Arts; Ovonramwen Nogbaisi (produced 1971; published 1974), about the last ruler of the Benin empire; and Holding Talks (1979). When the frog in front falls in a pit, others behind take caution. It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness. : a very interesting novel, a story of a man who killed his father and married his mother, this is something which does not happen very often. Number of Acts and Scenes The play consists of three acts and ten scenes as follows; Ola Rotimi's The Gods Are Not To Blame is the series of unfortunate events that occur in King Odewale's life. Odewale brings real facts to the people of the land. The gods and supernatural beings in the invisible realms claim foreknowledge of the fate which the tragic hero brings into the world, yet do not influence the fate-holder in the winding trail of life to the fulfillment of tragic fate. The Gods Are Not To Blame is a 1968 play and a 1971 novel by Ola Rotimi. In the above context of the gods are not to blame, the person who made this statement is alleging that King Adetusa _____. An adaptation of the Greek classic Oedipus Rex, set in an indeterminate period of a Yoruba kingdom, the story centers on Odewale, who is lured into a false sense of security, only to somehow get caught up in a somewhat consanguineous trail of events. The Gods Are Not to Blame Wikipedia May 7th, 2018 - The Gods Are Not To Blame is a 1968 play and a 1971 novel by Ola Rotimi An adaptation of the Greek classic Oedipus Rex the story centres on Odewale who is lured into a false sense of security only to somehow get caught up in a somewhat consanguineous trail of Indeed, culture is the way of life. Aderopo arrives and is immediately confronted by Odewale about his suspicions. The fourth chapter will deal with the similarities and the contrasts in . , Sticky notes Would have been a five if not that the ending wrenched my heart. Would have been a five if not that the ending wrenched my heart. He was born in Sapele, Nigeria; cultural diversity was a recurring theme in his work. 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