CHARACTER ANALYSIS OF FRED AGBEYEGBE’S “THE KING MUST DANCE NAKED”
Narrator: The narrator is timeless. He is in the world of the play as well as the audience and knows everything. As a member of the court musicians and also a storyteller, He becomes the hub for all historical events he throws more light and gives a hint on upcoming events since he knows all the details of the story because it is his. He introduces and opens the play and officially opens the show to the audience with his timeless narration on the people’s tradition ”once upon a remote and present time…” He is someone born and bred in the local tradition of the people making As a lover of the local music .He symbolises those who value their culture and give no room for cultural adulteration and symbolises today’s library for past events.
King Omajuwa The 9th: He was the king before Omajuma the 10th and also known as King Ogodogome .The former is the father to the latter. King Omajuma the 9th is the father for all and an egalitarian who believes everyone should be treated equally no matter their status, this is demonstrated in his views on how the Queen treats the chambermaid. As a father for all, he becomes happy for his people as the gods bless the people with bountiful harvest and even orders the prime minister to gather the people for a thanksgiving sacrifice for the gods. He had an affair with the chambermaid to produce the twins of which one became a king and their mother also into Queen Odosun. As a believer in the oracle agrees that his female child be sacrificed. He represents those who believe everyone should be treated equally no matter the status.A man of good leadership and principles. He also has a strong belief in traditions and customs .
Queen Lube : She is the sick Queen who treats her subjects poorly. She is also self- centered who believes that her ailment should be a priority to the King rather than people’s welfare. She represents self centered leaders who oppress their subjects.
Prime Minister : He is a hardworking fellow who believes in King Omajuama the 9th reign, His hardworking behaviour results in the bountiful harvest. He is also caring as he sympathises with Queen lube on her health issues saying your Health is everyone’s concern… He represents competent leaders who play their roles with little or no blunder.
Ogodobiri : He is an aged chief who also served as the Omajuama the 10th’s linguist ,Head chief ,an advisor,Caretaker of Interior and Exterior Confidential royal business. He is a very loyal servant who has served many kings before serving the present. He served with dignity and protected the interest of the kings especially with the Omajuwa the 10th. He is the one that breaks the news to the king that chief Atseburuku and Chief Otokuefo are taking advantage of the famine and pestilence to misdirect the people that the king is the cause of all the calamity. As a loyal servant he supports the kings and bids that Afinotan re-consults the oracle because it is an abomination for the King to Dance naked. He is also on the king’s side even after majebi appears. He represents acolytes who fight for their master’s interest whether good or bad. He is a supporter of the King’s Twenty-nine years of sit tight -rule . He represents lovers of power and position considering how he bombards Ololo with his titles.
Bagiwa/Queen Odosun : Bagiwa is the slave girl who served in the palace. She is very desperate to upgrade her status ( perfect the art of fencing to survive). She is determined to achieve this through fair or foul means. Queen lube describes her as whore in the courtyard and she eventually gets an sexual affair with the king to produce the twins and she is transformed into Queen Odosun. During her reign as a queen she goes against the oracle by sacrificing the male child instead of the female. In her bid to secure the throne for her child ,she orders that Omagbemi be killed ,so that her child can become king. She is the source of all the pestilence and the famine in the land.She represents people who love power and are self-centered who do not care about the harm or the effects of their actions on others in their course to achieving what they want.
Afinotan: Afinotan is the priest and the mouthpiece of the gods. He speaks the mind of the oracle to the people. He strengthens Odosun to sacrifice her female twin child lest she become king as predicted by the oracle. Although, He rejects Odosun’s bribe to speak to the gods so that a substitute could be made for the sacrifice, he is accused by Queen Odosun and Ololo that he feeds on the sacrifices meant for the gods. He seems not to believe in the oracle he only relates the information to the people without believing in it himself.He orders that the rock be worship and later when the rock vanishes , he comes out to say that it shall return but before that the King must dance naked but during the climax when Majebi appears ,he claims to have seen it all in the mind of the oracle before it happened. and when questioned why he didn’t reveal all this secret, He informs them that he thought the gods were speaking in parables. For a whole seer to say this ,displays his incompetence.He represents leaders who use their position to enrich themselves.
King Omajuma the 10th: The imposter king and a she king who defies the edict of the gods and becomes king. She is a female who poses as a male with the help of her mother Odosun the mastermind behind her ruling. She is seen to be a proud and tyrant ruler who also believes in the sit-tight ruling. This is shown in her words “Twenty nine years of reign. Just like yesterday…” .to her it is only a short period of ruling. She is also seen to be quick to judge as she nearly killed Atsebruku and Afinotan through hanging. She is also self-centered to the extent that she betrays her womanhood and unknowingly had an affair with her half brother Omagbemi , she left their offspring behind and came to rule as a ”man” in the sight of people. She is the cause of the pestilence but her hubris does not allow her to admit, resulting in her downfall as she dances naked to fulfill the oracle. She represents self centered leaders who love power and are not willing to step down for others to take over even if there is a need to do so for peace to prevail. She also champions african leaders who do not believe in myths surrounding power as even sees her mother’s death as an accident and not a happening of the gods.
Atsebubruku : He is an old chief who served many kings including the Omajuma the 9th and the present one. He is seen as an opposition to Omajuwa the 10th. The she king accuses him of stealing the rock and conspiring with Afinotan against Him. The chief denies this accusation saying he has no time to steal a symbol of the gods because of his tight schedule as a businessman. He is seen as one who stragically gives out or sprays his ill gotten money through the slave trade business to buy respect .He is seen as someone who doesnt give reverends to the king calling him a “son of a slave” and still doesnt respect a product raw materials(slaves) that made him rich overnight.He opposes the king and adds his voice that he should dance for peace to reign. Represent leaders who enrich themselves at the expense of the state embezzle state money and stash them outside the state. He can also represent those who frustrates their leaders.
Ololo: He is one of the court musicians who is addicted to bottles. He humorously informs the king that her wife Eburabgemi who is the cause of the famine and not the supposed because his wife is making things harder for him rather than the famine. He is someone who cares about nothing , not even Ogodobri’s titles or eating food meant for the rock god. He also Hallucinates after intoxication and hopes that he will be worshipped like a king just like the rock.He represents those who will risk their lives for their basic needs. And those who have no faith in conventional religion.
Eburagbgemi: She is the wife of Ololo. . She is very religious and sees it as a taboo to eat food meant for the gods unlike her husband. She even warns her husband but pays no need to eat. Although she is not proud of her husband,she is seen as a good and religious wife.
Alero: She is the husband of Tofe. She is seen as an opportunist who takes advantage of circumstances even with her relationship with her partners . She also eloped into the city for better living but her character returns her. She is also seen as a traitor who has duped the market women to enrich herself . She represents those who take advantage of circumstances to enrich themselves through foul means.
Ofioto: He is one of the old chiefs just like Atesbruku. He is corrupt. He takes money from Odosun and supports her for the coronation to take place. He represents corrupt leaders who are willing to trade their loyalty with money and also a nation -wrecker.
Majebi: He is the son of the present King Omajuma the 10th. He is the nephew and son to Prince due to his mother’s incestuous relationship with her half brother. He is the rock and a true heir to the throne. He explains the words of the oracle revealing all hidden secrets for His mother to dance naked under her false image and claims the throne for peace to reign. He represents those who stand for justice and fair trial as seen in his calling on the gods for justice.
Chamber Boy: In the play, he doesn’t speak but only acts upon Queen odosun’s orders. He willingly handed over the child to the messengers of death. He represents those in servitude who are obedient to their masters.
Guards( Messengers of Death). The three messengers are cowards even in their military uniforms. Upon the King’s orders to get Odosun’s child for the sacrifice ,they are unable to face the queen face to face due to the fear of being bullied by the queen. They re-strategize until they scoop the queen with a fishing net giving them easy access to the baby. They represent those who are scared of authorities in power in the performances of their duty
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Guards(odosun’s) : Odosun also order’s two guards to kill prince omagbemi, her step child and and of queen Lube in a far away land. She promises them freedom once they execute the mission. They also represent those who are willing to upgrade their social status under any condition given.
Town Crier: He presents the people’s grievances and problems to the King . This includes kwashiorkor, inflation, damnation etc all occurring as a result of the famine. He is claimed to be the messiah of the people by coming to address the problems to the king, although he is not entertained by the King and Ogodobori, he serves as the mouthpiece of the people.
Musicians: They have to officially open the play with soothing songs but it performs otherwise. They disappoint the timeless narrator after boasting about them to be good musicians, he only finds them dosing and waking up to hit bad notes. Although disappointed , it gives room for the timeless narrator to save the show with his captivating story until they all switch into serious action to welcome the king upon his arrival. A nice chemistry.
Chorus: The chorus appeared as singers. They reveal the thinking and contemplation of some of the characters. We see them reveal odosun’s psychological stress and community opposition in their song “don’t do it…that is your baby girl…” . on pg 47. ” Does it really matter what…” reveals odosun’s intentions on killing Prince omagbemi. and many other songs when Odosun was confused on which child to sacrifice. They also throw more light on or give a foreshadow on upcoming events just like the traditional chorus. On Pg 38, their song gives a clue that the messengers of death were armed with nets and guns only to catch a baby , it even goes ahead to predict their victory. Their role as commentators are well executed.