A Dance of the Forests

Demoke is the village carver, as well as the Court Poet in the Court of Mata Kharibu. Some scholars consider Demoke to be the true protagonist of A Dance of the Forests, as carving is an essential and sacred act in the Yoruba tradition, aligning Demoke with Nigerian culture. Demoke also sets off one of the driving conflicts in the play when he unwisely chooses to carve the village idol out of the deity Oro’s sacred tree, araba. Demoke kills Oremole, a devotee of Eshuoro, out of jealousy, and sets off a feud between Eshuoro and Ogun, Demoke’s patron god. During the Dance of the Dead, Demoke saves the Half-Child from Eshuoro. Demoke is then chased up the flaming idol tree by Eshuoro, but is rescued by Ogun when he falls. Despite all he has witnessed, Demoke is unable to explain the significance and has likely learned nothing that will help the future. In Demoke, Soyinka explores the inability of humans to learn from their mistakes or experiences, and portrays Demoke as primarily motivated by his fear and ego. However, Soyinka also allows Demoke to have moral character, as he seeks to end the suffering of the Dead Woman and return the Half-Child to her.