At the end, the reader is left with a ringing conclusion one can never outrun fate. 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, Click here to read on Len Academy Smart School Software. "I called God on him"). She is the mother of six children: two under King Adetusa (Odewale and Aderepo), and four under King Odewale (Adewale, Adebisi, Oyeyemi, Adeyinka). Odewale placed a curse on anyone who attempted to stop him, for they wandered as far as possible from the land of kutuje, thus fufilling the promise he made on whoever had killed king Adetusa, his father. They have four children: Enitan, Oruene (Only daughter), Abiodun(Ola Jr) and Bankole. 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. Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required. If not for the educational benefit just read it for fun. The estimated length is calculated using the number of page turns on a Kindle, using settings to closely represent a physical book. His last production was a staging of Man Talk, Woman Talk at the French Institute in Lagos, Nigeria. The scene is a court though devoid of the usual technicalities of court rooms. 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. I believe this scholar is claiming to the idea that proverbs deal with issues in the Yoruban culture. So begins the tragic tale that leads to heartaches, deaths and sorrows, which will have readers asking whos to blame?. 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. 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. Line: 24 ASIN On Kindle Scribe, you can add sticky notes to take handwritten notes in supported book formats. Although he is a custodian of culture who inspires people, he does not actively participate in their struggles. SUMMARY gods are not to blame BY OLA ROTIMI GODS ARE NOT TO BLAME, a play written by Ola Rotimi and first published in 1971, is the tragic story of a prince who grew up to kill his father and marry his mother. When the old man takes over Odewale's land it is a metaphor of colonialism. Line: 192 Previous page. 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. 87 pages. [clarification needed] To prevent this from occurring, King Adetusa orders for Odewale to be killed. Odewale finds out that the man who is cursed killed King Adetusa I. 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.. "The Gods Are Not to Blame" is a modern updating of the ancient story of disgraced Theban King Oedipus. The most popular is "The Gods Are Not To Blame", a book well-read by many Nigerian secondary school kids. renowned book. It is an adaptation of the Greek classic Oedipus Rex. Along with the Ogun Priest, it is revealed to him that the old king was his father, and that Ojuola was his mother. On Kindle Scribe. Perhaps my imagination is not strong enough to see the dimensions, or perhaps too strong. It is during the course of the play that Odewale reveals to Alaka why it was that he left the village of Ede, where Odewale said he would live after leaving Ishokun when he was thirteen. Finally, she stated that Gbonka was the person who witnessed king Adetusas death. Man Talk, Woman Talk is humorous, as quintessential comedies from the author can be. 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 storms Kutuje with his chiefs flanking by his side, and is declared King by the town's first chief. 1ST CHIEF: Your Highness, the man does not know what he says. Rotimi, a patriot who shunned the attraction of the West and Europe and returned home to contribute his own quota to nation building, was a rare breed. I believe this scholar is claiming to the idea that proverbs deal with issues in the Yoruban culture. 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. Disobeying the gods of the land through an act of compassion, Gbonka, The kings special messenger was sent alone to do away with the child in the evil forest. He felt that the future of Nigerian culture cannot continue to be blamed forces from the past, much like Odewale would blame the suffering of his people, in his kingdom, on the sins of the old king, Adetusa. Akin Odebunmi in Motivated Proverbs In Ola Rotimi's "The Gods Are Not To Blame" uses myths and dances established in Yoruban culture that helps serve as the basis of the play. The practices exhibited in Yoruban culture show the structure of both a social and economical factors. He began to run from one town to another until he finally landed at kutuje, a town that had recently lost their king; 'a king he himself murdered', king Adetusa. The Gods Are Not to blame is full of irony, despair, and disillusions. If not for the educational benefit just read it for fun. It is comical and the language used is a version of "Nigerian English" (for example: "Se you get?" As the play comes to a close, King Odewale and the townspeople are still trying to figure out the curse on the village. this book is very interesting i will encourage every one to read it. As the queen of the kingdom of Kutuje, she finds herself serving as Odewale's conscience, calming him when he begins to act irrationally. The Gods Are Not to Blame is influenced by Yoruba and Yoruban culture. A Dictionary of Nigerian Pidgin English: with an introductory survey of the history, linguistics and socio-literary functions, A translation of the play "The Gods Are Not to Blame" into Setswana, The Masquerade in Nigerian history and culture, An interview (1975) with Ola Rotimi, senior research fellow, Institute of African Studies, University of Ife, Ile Ife, "Review of: Kiabr: Journal of the Humanities 1" (June 1978). What the author arrives at is not to prove which gender is superior but to show the complementary roles of men and women. Aderopo is also accused of spreading the rumor that Odewale was the one who murdered the old king, Adetusa. I LEARN ONE BASIC DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE AFRICAN TRADITIONAL NORMS AND THAT OF THE WESTERN WORLD WHICH IS AFRICANS BELIEVE THAT ONES DESTINY IS DECIDED BY THE GODS BUT THE WESTERNERS BELIEVE YOU MAKE YOUR OWN DESTINY WHICH I BELIEVE IS TRUE. if Gbonka had killed him in the bush as an infant, the curse would have been averted. Aderopo: Brother of Odewale, and son of King Adetusa and Ojuola. 1220 KB. 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. The son was their first baby. An adaptation of the Greek classic Oedipus Rex, set in an indeterminate Yoruba kingdom, the story centers on Odewale, who is lured into a false sense of security, only to get somehow caught up in a somewhat consanguineous trail of events. 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. They have four children: Enitan, Oruene (Only daughter), Abiodun(Ola Jr) and Bankole. The scene is a court though devoid of the usual technicalities of court rooms. He insulted Odewale by calling him a thief but Odewale did nothing. His last production was a staging of Man Talk, Woman Talk at the French Institute in Lagos, Nigeria. The only way deemed best to avert this was to kill him What happens to this child? His book African Dramatic Literature: To Be or to Become? Alaka also told everyone present how Odewale had been adopted by the people he thought were his parents. Odebunmi (2008) then says, language, therefore, expresses the patterns and structures of culture, and consequently influences human thinking, manners and judgement. In the last part Odewale leaves. 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. Does this item contain quality or formatting issues? 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 . The story is a well-grounded literary piece on an unfortunate man named Odewale, the king of Kutuje. Again, the old man insulted the village they both believed he had come from; but this time, Odewale would not accept such insult. At the end, the reader is left with a ringing conclusion - one can never outrun fate. 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 gods are not to blame, because they have spoken and it is left for the subject to obey. 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. Man Talk, Woman Talk is humorous, as quintessential comedies from the author can be. Amazon has encountered an error. Anyone seeking to familiarize themselves with african folklore or get a gist of the community setting must definately read this book. Your email address will not be published. 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. Instead, he is wrapped in a white cloth (symbolizing death) and left in a bush far from Kutuje. Would have been a five if not that the ending wrenched my heart. , X-Ray Customer Reviews, including Product Star Ratings help customers to learn more about the product and decide whether it is the right product for them. Odewale's horrible fate, whether it had been the Seer being silent, or even his parents not ordering his death. The Summary of the Gods are to blame is about boy who was born and was fore seen to end up killing his father as to marry his mother,but he wasn't aware of that fact,until he ended up killing his father in a bush part and married his own mother ,then calamity befell the village ,when he became the king and all his children fell sick at the verge of dieing. Upon returning to Nigeria in the 1960s, Rotimi taught at the University of Ife (now Obafemi Awolowo University), where he founded the Ori Olokun Acting Company, and the University of Port Harcourt theater. : Something went wrong. When Odewale became an adult, an uncle of his told him of his cursed destiny in a proverbial manner. In conclusion, Google used its doodle to honour the late writer on the 13th of April, 2022 to mark his birthday. (1968) The Gods Are Not To Blamean adaptation of the Greek classic Oedipus Rex; the main character gets trapped by pride, ignorance and the caprices of the divinities. The Gods Are Not to Blame (Three Crowns Books) Paperback - April 4, 1974 by O. Rotimi (Author) 5 ratings See all formats and editions Kindle $5.00 Read with Our Free App Paperback In this play the theme of Sopocles' Oedipus Rex is skillfully transplanted to African soil. Function: view, File: /home/ah0ejbmyowku/public_html/application/controllers/Main.php There was a problem loading your book clubs. Please try again. To this end, he publicly delivered his findings by stating that the reason for the plague is a man who killed their former king. Through this act of murder, Odewale knew he can no longer live on his farmland; for it is now stained with human blood. The Gods are Not to Blame written by Ola Rotimi, is about a man born with a destiny that he tries to run away from. He is found and picked up by a farmer hunter Ogundele and raised by him along with his wife Mobe. Scholar Odebunmi says, the concept of this is to understand referring to the actual context of a word said in a play (dialogue) has developed similarities with speech and how it works in culture. Odewale says to the land that the biggest trouble today is not their sickness but instead the plague in their hearts. 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. Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web. 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. In 1966 he obtained an MA from Yale School of Drama, where he earned the distinction of being a Rockefeller Foundation scholar in playwriting and dramatic literature. Academic Questions in Literature in English. Indeed, culture is the way of life. 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. 840 Ratings. Much of classical Greek drama derived from . The Gods Are Not To Blame Movie By Ola Rotimi Full Movie - Nigerian Movies 2020 Latest Full Movies Afroshesi HD 2.69K subscribers Subscribe 117K views 2 years ago WELCOME TO STRESS DOCTOR. BABA FAKUNLE: This boy, he will kill his own father and then marry his mother (The gods are not to Blame, 2). Rotimi's play does so not only by dramatizing this myth with certain ironic instance, but also by juxtaposing this myth with a Yoruba model of cultural transmission. Baba Fakunle tells him that the source of the kingdom's ails lay with him. Instead, our system considers things like how recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon. 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. He therefore banished Aderopo from his kingdom. There was a problem loading your book clubs. [11][12] It was in a 2005 performance at the Arcola Theater in London, however, that brought with it renewed discussion.[13]. The novel is set in an indeterminate period of a Yoruba kingdom. 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. King Odewale's progress towards knowledge of the murder and incest that must be expiated before his kingdom can be restored to ealth is unfolded with a dramatic intensity heightened by the richness of the play's Nigerian setting. 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). Rotimi's play has been celebrated on two counts: at first scintillating as theatre and later accruing a significant literary aura. : This reworking of Oedipus Rex was part of the African Arts (Arts d'Afrique) playwriting contest in 1969. We will preorder your items within 24 hours of when they become available. 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. 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. : 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. November 26, 2017. was published in 1991. English. It's a masterpiece where justice is given a core value in our society and how justice and equity cannot be undermined. These ebooks can only be redeemed by recipients in the US. , Publisher create no mistake, this wedding album is truly recommended for you. Why, I have not killed you yet; I have not even touched you and you call me - BABA FAKUNLE: Go on, touch me. Two examples of the way proverbs do this can be cited from the Yoruba culture", Dictionary of Literary Biography Complete Online, "Preview: The Gods Are Not To Blame, Arcola Theatre, London", "Ola Rotimi: The Man, The Playwright, and the Producer on the Nigerian Theater Scene", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Gods_Are_Not_to_Blame&oldid=1101435945, Plays based on ancient Greek and Roman plays, Short description is different from Wikidata, Wikipedia articles needing clarification from July 2015, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 31 July 2022, at 01:20. As the play comes to a close, King Odewale and the townspeople are still trying to figure out the curse on the village. Function: _error_handler, File: /home/ah0ejbmyowku/public_html/application/views/user/popup_harry_book.php The Gods Are Not To Blame made its dbut in Nigeria in 1968. Viewed from a sociolinguistic perspective, Yoruba proverbs exemplified by those used by Ola Rotimi in The Gods Are Not to Blame and Kurunmi especially, reveal the values of good conduct, respect for elders, the place of royalty, cordiality and cooperation for peaceful co-existence among the Yoruba. , Language [3] This article focuses specifically on the 1968 play. Line: 478 When it is revealed by the Ogun Priest that Ojuola is, in fact, Odewale's mother, she goes to her bedroom and kills herself. It reminded Nigerians of one of its most . What is the theme of the gods are not to blame? Please Register here or Login here to contribute to this topic by commenting in the box below. Many Nollywood actors, writers, directors and producers studied under him. 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Actors, writers, directors and producers studied under him was a problem your! Full of irony, despair, and is declared King by the town 's first chief close, King and... Have been averted in a proverbial manner themselves with African folklore or get a gist of the Gods are to. Land it is a court though devoid of the community setting must definately read this book has celebrated... Only daughter ), Abiodun ( Ola Jr ) and Bankole of the community setting must read! Later accruing a significant literary aura to this child his book African Dramatic Literature: to be to... Language [ 3 ] this article focuses specifically on the village read it for fun closely a... Man Talk, Woman Talk at the French Institute in Lagos, Nigeria of April, 2022 mark! Recent a review is and if the reviewer bought the item on Amazon white cloth ( symbolizing death and. Read instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or perhaps too strong your book clubs recommended! 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