The gods are not to blame by Ola Rotimi is an interesting story whose core value is placed on justice,equity and fairness. He is consistently accused by Odewale of having ulterior motives to take the throne from him, going as far as to say that Aderopo had bribed the soothsayer, Baba Fakunle, of giving a false account of what is to come. 1220 KB. Baba Fakunle: A blind, old man, Baba Fakunle serves as a soothsayer to those who seek him. Despite his best efforts to curb the prophecy that his child, Odewale, would grow up to take the throne by murdering him, he is inevitably slain when he encounters his son, now fully grown, in the village of Ede. Rotimi seals Odewale's fate by having an omen placed over his life at birth. Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations. Aderopo is also accused of spreading the rumor that Odewale was the one who murdered the old king, Adetusa. Ola Rotimis works are also a social satire and this publication will spur renewed interest in his satires. not so long ago the Yoruba formed a conglomeration of small, pre-industrial, mutually competing city states, as did ancient Attica . It also analyzed reviews to verify trustworthiness. that we shld not let our temper let us into other bad things that we are going to regret later in the future because it is going to affect us very badly like Odewale's temper lead him to his grave that should not happen to any reasonable humanbeign who have consience. It's about having power over the land and Odewale no longer has the power because the old man took it from him, which is why he turns a hoe, which is a gardening tool, into a sword. The Gods Are Not to Blame is a 1968 play and a 1971 novel by Ola Rotimi. By juxtaposing Alaka in Odewale's new environment, Kutuje, Rotimi illustrates the cultural differences between traditional Yoruban life, with that of the industrialized west. The Gods Are Not To Blame is a 1968 play and a 1971 novel by Ola Rotimi. The theme of Sophocles' Oedipus Rex is skillfully transplanted to African soil. Give as a gift or purchase for a team or group. 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. Please support Len Academy by becoming a sponsor, patron or by advert placement: Literature in English Scheme of Work, SS1, 1st Term, Literature in English Scheme of Work, SS1, 2nd Term, Literature in English Scheme of Work, SS1, 3rd Term, Please read on Essays: Learn how to write Essays here. The Gods Are Not to Blame is influenced by Yoruba and Yoruban culture. Kindly share this article via the links below: LinkedIn He is consistently accused by Odewale of having ulterior motives to take the throne from him, going as far as to say that Aderopo had bribed the soothsayer, Baba Fakunle, of giving a false account of what is to come. Call up your raw anger, and in the blind-ness of it, strike me dead! (1971) Ovonramven Nogbaisithe title character simply luxuriates in the grandeur of his office. Odewale closes the play by stating, the gods have lied Nathaniel. Aderopo: Brother of Odewale, and son of King Adetusa and Ojuola. Man Talk, Woman Talk is humorous, as quintessential comedies from the author can be. 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. Brian Tamaki has once again blamed a natural event on the wrath of God, this time telling his followers that Cyclone Gabrielle was brought to Aotearoa by porn, abortion and gay rights. , Language Please try again. King Odewales progress towards a full knowledge of the murder and incest that must be expatiated before his kingdom can be restored to health is unfolded with a dramatic intensity heightened by the richness of the plays Nigerian setting. : Because of its subject matter, The Gods Are Not to Blame is the most accessible of his plays. 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. We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. 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. In The Gods Are Not To Blame, Rotimi incorporates many themes, such as culture and its connection with the form of the social structure of an African community. But beautiful, beautiful twists I didn't see coming. Book reviews, interviews, editors' picks, and more. He is found and picked up by a farmer hunter Ogundele and raised by him along with his wife Mobe. Rotimi often examined Nigeria's history and local traditions in his works. My feelings are torn here for reasons of theater only. When crocodiles eat their own eggs, what will they not do to the flesh of a frog? , Publication date The Gods Are Not to Blame is influenced by Yoruba and Yoruban culture. The Gods Are Not To Blame (2003 - 2004) 2003: Blue Raincoat's Factory Performance Space (Republic of Ireland) The Gods are Not to Blame (2005) 2005: Arcola Theatre (London, Greater London, England) The Gods Are Not To Blame (2007) 2007: Accra Centre for National Culture (Ghana) The Gods Are Still Not To Blame (2012) 2012: The Gods Are Not To . 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. In the above context of the gods are not to blame, the person who made this statement is alleging that King Adetusa _____. Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app. Please try again. Publication date. 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. In fact, it is the presence of this murderer in kutuje that had brought calamities on their kingdom. "The Gods Are Not To Blame" is Ola Rotimi's retelling of Sophocles' "Oedipus The King" using a traditional African setting and characters. Previous page. The Gods Are Not To Blame made its dbut in Nigeria in 1968. The Gods Are Not To Blame is a 1968 play and a 1971 novel by Ola Rotimi. At this point we are introduced to Alaka, who claims to have known King Odewale since before he came to conquer Kutuje. Later, Ojuola explains that Baba Fakunle made her kill her first born son, convinced that her first son had brought bad luck. Odewale's horrible fate, whether it had been the Seer being silent, or even his parents not ordering his death. The Gods are not to be blame is a story of a mans fate. Aderopo is also accused of spreading the rumor that Odewale was the one who murdered the old king, Adetusa. 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. This Gods Are Not To Blame Novel Bing , as one of the most on the go sellers here will entirely be accompanied by the best options to review. Still failing to comprehend the outcome of Aderopo's visit to Ile-Ife, king Odewale once again, sent Aderopo to fetch Baba Fakunle, the blind Ifa priest, all the way from Oyo to his palace. This is a play of three acts and ten (10) scenes (act 1: 2 scenes, act 2: 4 scenes, act 3: 4 scenes). Odewale confesses that his life spiraled out of control when he killed a man. 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. : Alaka also told everyone present how Odewale had been adopted by the people he thought were his parents. When Odewale saw his dead wife (who is also his mother), and realizing he had killed his father, he pulled the knife from her stomach and plucked out his own eyes. The manner in which he kills his father is revealed in a flashback when his childhood friend, Alaka, comes to Kutuje to ask him why he was not in the village of Ede as he said he would be when he departed at age thirteen. Odebunmi (2008) then says, language, therefore, expresses the patterns and structures of culture, and consequently influences human thinking, manners and judgement. Near the play's end, Gbonka retells this event to Odewale, which leads to the discovery that Odewale was in fact the son of the former king, and the son of the current queen, and his birth mother, Ojuola. The book is absolutely wonderful. He makes use of wry humour to seek a level playing ground for resolution of the biases men and women nurse about one another and which affect mutual co-existence of the two. On Kindle Scribe. [3] This article focuses specifically on the 1968 play. Your email address will not be published. Odewale closes the play by stating, the gods have lied Nathaniel. At birth his parents' joy was cut short when they find out from the oracle. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Again, the old man insulted the village they both believed he had come from; but this time, Odewale would not accept such insult. One of the things I loved the most about Rotimis version was the infusion of the Yoruba culture, and how parables and incantations were stated. 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. He therefore banished Aderopo from his kingdom. By achieving this feat, the town of kutuje broke tradition by making Odewale the new king of their land. Instead of legal jargon, there is humour, arguments and counter arguments. What is the theme of the gods are not to blame? It began with the prologue: In the land of Kutuje, a son was born to King Adetusa and his wife, Queen Ojuola, for they were the king and queen of the land of kutuje. 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. I think that this play is an interesting play which teaches a person of not trying to hide or run away from their destiny. This chapter considers how Rotimi's rewriting may be regarded as an example of canonical counter-discourse, especially in the way that it negotiates its independence from the European canon. Odewale moved out of the town of kutuje, with his oldest child to lead the way. It was through this book that I first became acquainted with Oedipus' tale. Odewale is confronted by Gbonka, a messenger, who tells of the event that lead to King Adetusa's end. She further narrated how Baba Fakunle had prophesied that her first son would kill his father and marry her. He had worked so hard here. : These promotions will be applied to this item: Some promotions may be combined; others are not eligible to be combined with other offers. There is a great deal of wit in the work and the setting here is the university environment where the youthful contenders are idealistic. What first swims up to the surface of my memory when I remember this novel is "the place where three footpaths met". This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers. It is discovered that Ola Rotimi employed proverbs, incantations, metaphor, simile . I believe the problem of man is with man himself.The fact that odewale aided the people of kutuje,was not a prove of leadership mandate.The tragedy that befell kutuje people took its turn after the coronation of odewale as king by either Odewale or the people, without consulting the gods.In our days we make same conclusions when we make people who have helped us come through storms as Lord over our affairs. 'The Gods Are Not To Blame' is a 1968 play and a 1971 novel by Ola Rotimi. I believe this scholar is claiming to the idea that proverbs deal with issues in the Yoruban culture. But, it will help something that will let you get the best become old and moment to spend for reading the The Gods Are Not To . (1979) If: A Tragedy of the Ruledin If, the young firebrand Hamidu is nowhere to be found when a real commitment is required. He brings his sick children for the town to see, that way they know that his family is also suffering. I believe this scholar is claiming to the idea that proverbs deal with issues in the Yoruban culture. It particularly highlights the emotional language used in the drama. Many Nollywood actors, writers, directors and producers studied under him. Although a tragedy but still very entertaining .May the soul of Prof Ola Rotimi rest in peace, Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 20, 2019. He was born in Sapele, Nigeria; cultural diversity was a recurring theme in his work. He was born in Sapele, Nigeria; cultural diversity was a recurring theme in his work. ASIN the gods are not to blame - ola rotimi (full story, summary and analysis)the gods are not to blame - ola rotimi ( summary and analysis)the setting, backgroun. Sadly, I prefer Sophocles' writing much more than Ola Rotimi's. Reviewed in the United States on March 2, 2018, Good historical novel by a great writer. He named him Odewale. Odewale is confronted by Gbonka, a messenger, who tells of the event that lead to King Adetusa's end. Interesting enough interpretation of Oedipus Rex but I think it is one of these plays that you have to see to get the full effect of. , Print length Rotimi spent the second half of his last creative decade reworking two of his plays Man Talk, Woman Talk and also Tororo, Tororo, Roro and the result, unpublished at the time of his death in 2002, have now been published under the title The Epilogue. Odewale brings real facts to the people of the land. , Text-to-Speech They conquered their enemies and came out victorious. The village elders gather round to discuss the allegations that have been made against Odewale. Rotimi often examined Nigeria's history and local traditions in his works. Before now, the queen had told Odewale that when her husband died, Baba Fakunle was consulted and he said that the king was killed by his own blood. The only way deemed best to avert this was to kill him What happens to this child? Owing, in part, to political conditions in Nigeria, Rotimi spent much of the 1990s living in the Caribbean and the United States, where he taught at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. 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.". Would have been a five if not that the ending wrenched my heart. It will not become a unity of the habit for you to get unbelievable further at all. Published Feb 4, 2018. Alaka: Odewale's childhood friend. Download The Gods are Not to Blame Book in PDF, Epub and Kindle. 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. Get help and learn more about the design. The practices exhibited in Yoruban culture show the structure of both a social and economical factors. Owing, in part, to political conditions in Nigeria, Rotimi spent much of the 1990s living in the Caribbean and the United States, where he taught at Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota. Word Wise helps you read harder books by explaining the most challenging words in the book. renowned book. According to Barbara Goff and Michael Simpson, "the play as an allegory of colonization and, indeed decolonization"[6] The events concerning colonization in The Gods Are Not To Blame represent politics in African history. Copyright document.write(new Date().getFullYear());, All rights reserved. An ending that really breaks one's heart. Beautiful twists I did the gods are not to blame see coming this entire review has been hidden Because of its subject matter, Gods... Point we are introduced to Alaka, who tells of the town to see, that they! That the ending wrenched my heart on March 2, 2018, Good historical novel by Ola.. 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Tradition by making Odewale the new King of their land even his parents and!, arguments and counter arguments items within 24 hours of when they become.... And came out victorious real facts to the people of the land this Wikipedia the language links are the... Narrated how Baba Fakunle: a blind, old man, Baba Fakunle serves as soothsayer! Formed the gods are not to blame conglomeration of small, pre-industrial, mutually competing city states, as did ancient.... Fact, it is discovered that Ola Rotimi here for reasons of theater only the person who made statement...