summary of Dance on his grave by Barclays Ayakoroma, themes and character analysis

Playwright: Barclays Ayakoroma

Book: Dance on His Grave

Genre: Drama  

     Table of contents

     Plot overview

    Movement by movement summary

   Characters analysis

   Themes

   Additional information

   Poem. 

            PLOT OVERVIEW

The play Dance on His Grave opens with a meeting of women at the village square of toru-ama. The women leader and wife of the king of toru-ama, speaks on the relegation of women in community. Using powerful rhetorics,she urges them to see their position in the society: the place they hold now and the place they should hold. It is agreed that they should force the men to listen to them,using stubbornness as a weapon.

   Consequently, King Olotu has a clash with his wife, who displays a new -found stubbornness. He is shocked that the women have agreed that the men should call-off the proposed war against Angiama. He nevertheless resolves to "handle " his wife.

   The play reaches its climax when Alaere and king Olotu, argue about the future of their daughter: Beke.Using her powers: the powers of a woman, she gives the king a heart-rendering hint, to the fact that Beke may not be his daughter. Because, he says "no one can tell ", except the mother, whom a child belongs to.

   The chiefs and all the men in the village are in a bad mood,because of the stubbornness of their wives. They all complain Of starvation. They all agree to ignore their wives and to handle them if the need arise.

  The women meet again, some beaten and injured and some lucky. With encouraging words, Alaere tells them to continue the struggle.

   In contrast to the fire he shows his wife, king Olotu's heart is frozen with worry. He confides in chief Apodi, of the matter in his household. Chief Apodi advices that the rebellion be crushed to which King Olotu agrees.

   Calling a meeting of the men of the community, king Olotu hands them canes, to flog sense back into their wives.

   This is done and the land returnes back to "normal", except the palace. King Olotu begs his wife to clear his suspicion -if he is the father of Beke or not - which she does, but he disagrees, kneels down and begs her. She capitalizies on his show of weakness and mocks him. Angry, he tries to kill her, but the household and chiefs come to her rescue. Beke, angry, shouts at him, saying he is not her father.

    Heartbroken and depressed, he commits suicide, declaring the winners of the war -women-. Chief Apodi, angry at the women's "crocodile tears", tells the women -the king killers- to dance on the king's grave.

    MOVEMENT BY MOVEMENT SUMMARY

       MOVEMENT ONE

  Lights fade in on the village square of Toru-ama. The scene depicts a meeting of women. Erebu,one of the women leaders calls the crowd to order, introduces a group of dancers and hands over the floor to the amananarau (woman owner of the town )the wife of the king, Alaere.

  Going straight to the business at hand, she exposes to the women the ridiculous position they hold in the land...

   "Alaere: ...but what do we have in this land? We are no better than slaves! "

  She continues, saying that though women are not vying for leadership position, but rather that their opinions and persons should not be ignored and relegated to the background. To press home their "reasonable "demands, Alaere employs the women to use stubbornness as a weapon to force the men, their "husbands" into submission...

    "Alaere:... No woman should clear the compound alone...

  No woman shall allow her husband to marry a second wife... "

 This brings argument as some women declare that it would be hard to be that stubborn. The women fight and quarrel until they are brought to order by an older woman.

 Alaere continues, urging the women that theirs was a good cause: to be given a say in the land and for the proposed invasion of Angiama to be called off. That this could be achieved, if they show stubbornness. A song is raised by the women as lights fade out.

          MOVEMENT TWO

 Lights come on revealing King Olotu's palace. He is talking to his messenger when Alaere walks in defiantly, without minding them walks towards the inner room. Surprised, Olotu calls her, she casually turns without answering him. Sending the messenger away, he asks her the reason for not acknowledging his presence. She replies that there is nothing wrong with him greeting her. This sparks off King Olotu, who sees her boldness as madness.

 She lays out the women's decision: a proper representation and call-off of the proposed invasion of Angiama or have war in all families.

 Calling them "eggheads ", he orders her to prepare his meal, to which she replies that he should prepare his food himself. (Alaere and king Olotu are used as a mirror of what will be happening in all the houses in Toru -ama )

At this point, King Olotu tells her the reason for the planned war (a son of Angiama had eloped with a daughter of Tour-ama: but to the king and men of Toru-ama, the people of Angiama were challenging them by "carrying away their daughters like kites ).

 Alaere gives the king a piece of her mind and storms out.

    

      "Alaere:... we want to be recognized; and no more wars in the land! If you refuse with those chiefs of yours, we will have our own war in this house " 

 Speechless and surprised at the" world turning upside down ". He nevertheless resolves to "handle "his wife. Alaere who has been spying, tells him that he is wasting his time. In anger he pursues her as lights fade.

         MOVEMENT THREE

 Lights come on, it meets king Olotu and his sister's son, Dude. The king orders him to marry a girl he had intercourse with. Dude tries to refuse, saying he is not sure he is the only one to sleep with her, not to talk of impregnating her. Nevertheless, the king orders him to marry her.

 As Dude leave stiffly, Alaere enters aggressively. She asks of the decision of the king concerning their only child, Beke. To which he replies that he wants her to go to the city and that the matter is not open to debate. Alaere, as a mother says she must have a say in the affairs of her child. To which the king says he will have no compromise.

 Turning to leave, she asks him about the matter with Dude. He answers her, saying she doesn't need to know. She replies then that it is an open secret. Revealing his tragic flaw, he says "...you can't say who a child's father is". To that Alaere asks...

     "Alaere:...Then how is it that the father has such rights, such total powers over a woman's child? "

 The play reaches its climax in this scene, as king Olotu declares that she isn't married to come and reason with him and in the same tempo, she declares the battle line drawn. Angry, he raises his hand to slap her. Blackout 

         MOVEMENT FOUR

 Lights come on revealing the king's palace. It meets king Olotu with his daughter, Beke. She is happy that she is going to the city, though she begs her father to at least strike a compromise with her mother. To which he replies that as the man, he has the only say in the matter.

 Alaere enters and wants Beke to decide, but her father disagrees and sends her inside, but Alaere orders her to stay, until shouting, king Olotu commands her in. Alaere asks why he didn't want Beke to stay. He replies that, using the powers of a mother and a woman she could change the girl's mind.

 King Olotu is adamant on his stand. Alaere, ready for war, uses a feminine power (her tongue). She tells the king that he may or may not be the father of Beke, applying his own logic of one not being able to tell who the real father of a child is. Alaere taunts him further, which drives him to anger and he tries to strangle her. The household rescues her, and she declares that with the powers of a "woman", she will win the war. 

      "Alaere:... the powers of a woman, and I shall use it to bring you under restraint. "

 Angry, he goes to the wall and pulls out a sword to attack her. Lights fade as everyone runs. 

              MOVEMENT FIVE

 Lights come on at the palace, chief Apodi and chief Biri share tales of their suffering. Chief Apodi complains of food starvation. Chief Mowei and Osima enters and Apodi asks after the welfare of their houses. This sparks a quarrel between him and chief Osima, which the others intervene.

 The king comes in, in a pitiable condition that shocks the chiefs. He asks for chief Atuaba, who immediately runs in and apologizes, giving the same reason as all the chiefs. The king tells the chiefs the reason for the war in the families: women representation in the council of the state and the call -off of the proposed invasion of Angiama. To this the chiefs were shocked, saying that it can never happen. That they were the "husbands ", not their wives.

 Chief Atuaba suggests that the women be ignored. This brings commotion until he is seconded by chief Mowei. Biri and Mowei quarrels because mowei throws his buttocks at Biri. After the king calms them down, it is agreed that their wives be ignored. He orders that everything should go on as normal: the war plan. And if no change occurs, they will meet at the next big Akenbai(market day ).

 As the king retreats to his inner room, Chief Osima and Apodi continues their fight. Lights fade.

           MOVEMENT SIX

 Lights fade In to reveal the village square. Erebu and Alaere are waiting for the women and almost lose hope, until they see them trickling in. Some have bandages round their heads, hands or legs, indicative of beating from their husbands.

 Erebu greets them and only few ones answer. Alaere congratulates them, and encourages them to keep up the struggle. She is cut sharply by a woman,who says, when starting the "struggle "she thought it would be easy. But the beatings she received were too much. Some women argree with her, while others disagree. There is commotion until the woman speaks again, saying they should reconsider their stand. This earns her an attack from another woman.

 Alaere calms the women down and encourage them, urges them to continue and also to use their greatest weapon: the stuff between their legs.

      "Alaere: So, we will continue! Remember, no cooking for them, no washing of their clothes, or fetching them water to bathe..."

 With this, they are urged by Alaere to continue. A song is raised. Lights fade

           MOVEMENT SEVEN

 Lights fade In on the king's palace. He is bowed down with grief. Chief Apodi enters. The king confides in Apodi of the matter In his house. He asks Apodi if he is the father of his children. A shocked Apodi says he doesn't understand the king. The king opens up, that it is what his wife is telling him, all because of their "difference as to that child's future ".

 Apodi giving his advice as asked by the king suggest that the rebellion must be crushed in all families and then, they will be able to solve the king's own problem. He then narrates his experience with his youngest wife...

 On hearing this, the king flares. Calling his messenger, he tells him to summon his chiefs and all the married men to the village square the next day . He also whispers into his ears "something "that suprises Odibo. Here the conventional "male "in Olotu rises. 

       "Olotu: You see, chief Apodi, every ailment has its own cure. Our wives are our wives and when they prove stubborn, we have to deal with them accordingly."

 Lights fade as they both exit.

         MOVEMENT EIGHT

 Lights fade in on the village square. The married men of Toru-ama are gathered and waiting for their king. Shortly, he enters and calls them to order and states the reason for their meeting: to show their wives that they were their husbands. He urges the men to unitedly use the "male's" common weapon: violence.

 Odibo brings in the canes, as requested. He tells the surprised men...

       "Olotu:... Yes... they are canes. I am giving one to each of you... If they refuse us entry, the canes will Do their work. If we break their will, their unity will be broken. Do not stop till they plead for mercy... Now go my people; go and fight this war in the families."

 With that ,the men take the canes and dance out. Lights fade out.

         MOVEMENT NINE

 Lights fade in as women run round the stage in hot pursuit by their husbands. This MOVEMENT shows the war turning in the favour of the men. After the "battle "some men come on stage, congratulating themselves. They share their experiences and laugh, knowing fully well that they had won the war. 

       "Apodi: That is true. We now know that the wars in our families have ended... "

 Lights fade out as they go "make up for the long period of starvation ".

          MOVEMENT TEN

 Lights fade In on the palace, revealing king Olotu and Alaere after their own struggle. He asks her to tell him if Beke was his daughter or not, to which she answers in the affirmative. The king finds this hard to believe and pressures her to confirm his suspicion, which she raised. She tells him that they were fighting a war, and so to win could be by fair or foul means.

 King Olotu kneels before her and begs, she makes fun of this, hinting she could dethrone him, by proclaiming that he was mad. This infuriates him and he pounces on her and tries to strangle her.

 The chiefs and household comes and rescues her. Beke shouts at her father, telling him that he is wicked and jealous.

 He threatens to flog her if she doesn't behave, but she retorts,saying he is not her father. This breaks the heart of King Olotu, who now realizes he has been fighting a lost war. He now sees himself as nothing. He commits suicide to the suprise and shock of everybody (according to the law, Alaere was meant to die ).

 Alaere and Beke starts crying. They are rebuked by Apodi, who tells them...

        "Apodi:... I suppose you are happy, you sent a whole man to his early grave. Rejoice now! Rejoice! And dance on his grave. Yes, Dance on his grave!... "

          CHARACTERS ANALYSIS

 KING OLOTU: He is the king of Toru-ama and husband of Alaere. He is an authoritative and conservative king and husband. He is used to represent the males of the soceity,in terms of ideas and belief. He is totally against the idea of women "thinking ". Seeing them as bought property and so refuses to grant the women representation on state matters. He sees himself as a superior being who has the final say.

 King Olotu commits suicide, when he discovers that he is not the father of Beke.

  His hubris/tragic flaw is his belief or idea of being a "male ". He commits suicide when he finds out that he is not a "male ". He is a round character.

ALAERE: She is the wife of King Olotu, mother of Beke and women leader. She is the one who rallies the women to step up their position from "worse than slaves ",to people who have a say in their land. She introduces stubbornness as a weapon, which she herself uses to the end. She argues with her husband, also about the future of her daughter, Beke. She employs mind -weapons on her husband (telling him that he may or not be the father of Beke ).

 Alaere lives up to her title "Amananarau "(the woman owner of the town ). She lead the women to battle for their rights and fights to the end. She is crafty and wise.

 Her unfaithfulness leads her husband to an early grave. She is told (as a winner )to dance on his (her husband )grave. She is a round character. 

BEKE: She is the fifteen year old daughter of Alaere. Her future is a major bone of contention between her parents. She confirms her mother's unfaithfulness. Her words forms the dagger that pierces the king's heart, and sends him to an early grave. She is a minor character.

       OTHER CHARACTERS INCLUDE:

CHIEF OSIMA

CHIEF BIRIALA

CHIEF ATUABA

CHIEF APODI

CHIEF MOWEI

EREBU

ODIBO

DUDE

MEN AND WOMEN. 

           THEMES

(1).Realization of the change of times

(2). The misunderstanding of the role of bride price.

       ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

SETTING:The setting of place is in Tour-ama, a community in Sagbama L.G.A,Bayelsa state. The setting of time is implied to be during the colonial era.

  

CLIMAX/HIGHEST POINT OF CONFLICT:  Movement Three (3)

CONFLICT: Men and women

          Archaic ideology and modern ideology .

   Compiled and edited by the Amabebe Alexander -the Minder

            POEM

  Will you dance on his grave,

  or weep?

  Nay, dance for you are brave

  You made a family "matter "

  into a war.

  Since you are that brave,

  woman, enjoy your "victory "

  and Dance on His Grave.

               -Amabebe Alexander