Death and the King's Horseman Gender Quotes

Although it's kind of a throwaway joke, it's still telling that Elesin makes fun of the Praise-Singer's offer to follow him to the great beyond by saying that he's like a jealous wife. It's early in the play, and already it looks like we're going to get some stereotypes about women and how they act.

Now it's the Praise-Singer making generalizations about women and their power—and in his view, women are more draining than empowering. Never mind any role that Elesin's vanity might play in allowing such weakness to spring up… Of course, the Praise-Singer's words are prophetic, since Elesin later blames his marriage for his failure to go through with the ceremony.

When Elesin enters the market that day, he basically holds court and laps up all the attention the market women are giving him. He's a total big shot because of his status in the community and the sacrifice he's about to take on, and he loves it. To be clear, the women's primary role here seems to be to fawn all over him.