THEMES
Lust of power. In the play, we see chambermaid Odosun with her flaming desire for power to turn into a queen. Queen Odosun schemes all the way to enthrone her child against the oracle’s wish and She does all this to possess the power she wants for her child. This causes pestilence on the land.
Women as an obstacle to progress. The woman who one marries can impede or halt your progress. In the play we hear Ogodobiri confess to the King that “ women do not add the wealth anymore…” so he stopped marrying after his tenth wife. This supposes that women decrease wealth which halts progress, especially in hard times like Ogodobiri’s own when “government subsidy is removed from anything money can buy’’.
Supernatural Powers in the affairs of men. There is a belief that gods have their hand in the affairs of mortals. In Africa, some name their offspring after gods with the belief that it was the gods that gave them the child, others also give tribal marks to depict their belief in the reincarnation theory. In the play, it is evident that the gods had their hands in the people’s affairs, ruling( who to rule and who not to) who to sacrifice, and who to live. Once Odosun breaks this chain of the gods, the rock falls on her and she dies, and the gods continue to manipulate things bringing out Majebi. Atsebruku confirms this in his words “ your mother Odosun died by that rock, you still don’t see the hands of the gods in the affairs of men?’’
The truth never dies. Truth cannot stay hidden forever. Odosun mannouvers and gets her female child on the throne under her false image as a man for almost thirty years, but the truth is revealed by Majebi and the oracle resulting in the King dancing naked.
Corruption as a Nation Wrecker. Corruption is a problem in most developing countries, especially in Africa. It is really an issue impeding progress. In the play, Corrupt chief Ofioto takes a bribe from Odosun and approves the coronation to take place. Following this, pestilence befalls the land and wrecks the town.
Tyranny and selfish leadership. There is a height of tyranny exhibited by the She’-king and Ogodobiri’s group survival leadership. Omajuama claims that “when trees fall upon trees, we simply carve another route” and also “I am betrothed to the throne and the throne and the throne is me”. This depicts selfish leadership and a lack of concern for the good and well-being of the polity. Odobiri confirms this in his words “ how does a man rule over a people who never come to complain about their problems or when they do, complain about unreal problems like food, clothing, and white color jobs’’
Death is the price for disobedience Queen Odosun in her attempt to shame the oracle disobeys it rather by releasing her male child instead of the female child for sacrifice. The price of her disobedience was her life as she was visited by the rock.
Conventional religion as a promoter of Social injustice. The restrictions imposed by some of these conventional religions turn out to promote social injustice. In the play, a female child is killed because she doesn’t deserve to rule. A clear cut of social injustice against women. Even today, some churches do not allow women to take leadership roles.
Determination breeds success. Chambermaid was determined to rise and she did. Became a queen and determined to shame the oracle, she did and manipulated and made her child rule. Although she pays with her life, her determination brought her success.
Setting
The play is set in an unnamed community. The names mentioned in the play suggests that it is set in Itshekiri community in the extreme southern part of Nigeria during the 18th century when the community practiced aristocracy where only a few groups benefited as the masses suffered. In the play, endless signs of drought and dilapidated buildings depict suffering in the state of the kingdom and also influence the mood of the play as a dark one. There are also settings like the seas aside from the palace.
Form
The play is an epitome of realism with tragedy blended with comic instances. It arouses pity and fear, for a lactating mother to sacrifice one of her twin children as ordered by the oracle. And for Odsun’s mistakes, the whole community wallows in pain as famine and pestilence take them. A king’s hubris and flaw causes him/her naked in public, an abomination. Full of tragic events and ending on a tragic note. A comic feature depicted in the farce is presented by the messengers of death(soldiers).
DRAMATIC DEVICES
Allegory: the play is allegorical in nature. The story depicts how a community suffers a result of Odosun’s love for power and disobedience to the oracle. On a second thought and scrutiny ,one could juxtapose that the playwright was addressing the state of post- independence of nigeria and its “military hegemonist” between the 1970s and 1990s when the sit -tight syndrome and quit by the barrel was not uncommon. During this period, people lost interest in the government just like the people in Omajuwa the 10th’s reign and were faced with many problems juxtaposed with the pestilence and famine in the play.
Nigeria’s sate at the time was characterised with bad leadership , injustice and lack of concern of the welfare of the citizens as said by Ogodobri” “ how does a man rule over a people who never come to complain about their problems or when they do, complain about unreal problems like food, clothing and white color jobs’’, corruption and embezzlement of state funds and hiding in foreign bank accounts like Achaba’s regime . It also depicts the greedy politicians who fueled the slave trade and rolled on in post independent Nigeria to continue with their dubious acts , chief Atseburuku’s character is a pedigree of such acts as accused by she-king of being corrupt of his ill gotten wealth and a traitor.
Most citizens fled to neighboring countries for survival and search for greener pastures as conditions of living became hard under this regime, seen in the play by Street Roamer 1 &2 action and by extension the “trade market”.
It was nothing but an era of sit tight ruling(military) at the expense of the citizens . Omajuama confirms it “I am betrothed to the throne of my ancestors , I am the throne and the throne is me” and ruled twenty nine years and over. Which was not uncommon during the military era in Nigeria and Africa at large. No one could seize power , unless you belonged to the military used coup d’etat just like Majebi who seized the throne from his mother in times of crises..
Paradox
“Life for water, give me water, take my life”(pg1). The statement seems ridiculous as it is totally impossible to exchange one’s life with water , once your life is taken away you die and cannot perform living activity let alone drink. But upon a second thought,street Roamer 2 means that his or he is exchanging life for servitude meaning that the one that saves his or her life by offering him or her water to quench the thirst,steet Roamer 2 in return will be his servant or slave to the savior.
“…He is a woman…” . This description of the king by the narrator sounds silly on first sight but on extension, one releases that he means that men are bragged titled “men” when they are able to procreate ,but for a king to be childless for twenty- nine good years literally makes him a woman.
IRONY
” i lost interest in women” (pg 10). The she-king uses irony in his statement. In reality, he is a woman, and never lost interest in men, but rather had an affair with omagbemi, her half brother and fled to rule. This statement used was to conceal her femine identity and enhance characterization.
PROVERBS
“.. he who leaves by the sword should perfect the art of fencing to survive” This was used by the narrator to describe odosun. Odosun lived by the sword( struggles from slavely) and perfected the art of fencing( struggling to become Queen and scheming her child to be Enthroned King).
“When trees fall upon trees upon trees” Literary when trees fall upon the trees, it blocks the route. It means that one’s regime has ended since there is no way to continue, but the tyrant king does not give room for such endings, so He symply “carves another route” means that he finds another way of continuing to rule through fair or foul means.
METAPHOR
” rat race” .. Rat race means a struggle or rush for a competitive activity . The struggle for the throne is very competitive thus compared to the race of rats. , Ogodobiri howevers sees the race as useless since it will end the oppositions of the king nowhere.
Lioness’ den. Odosun’s chamber is compared to the Lioness’ den by the messengers of death.. the lioness or lion never leaves its prey to go scot free without devouring it just as The heat and treatment Queen odosun gives to messengers who are by the king to into her chambers is very severe and life worth just as visiting the lioness’ Den. The messengers are afraid of her because She bullies and compares it to the lioness’ den.
SYMBOLISM
“Ship….” : it symbolises the state or governance of the town.
“Craftsman” also symbolizes those who are mending the ship. Namely the chiefs, principal among them is king Omajuma(10th) himself.
“…Sunset..’ it also means the death or end of the king.
“…Tree that yields nothing” also refers to the king who is believed to be childless for almost thirty years.
“ Rock or boulder” is also a symbol of rejection used by the gods.
APOSTROPHE
This dramatic device deals with calling on absent inanimate or personified figures as if they are present. Majebi calls on the Ijala gods for justice as if they were present “.. Ijala!,I call and let the brooding cloud announce a rainstorm”.