Aristotle once said, “Tragedy is, therefore, an imitation of a noble and complete action which through compassion and fear produces purification of the passions.” Does Death and the King’s Horseman follow the form of a Greek tragedy? If so, who is the tragic figure, and what catharsis is achieved? What other elements in the play follow the form of a Greek tragedy? Both Jane Pilkings and Iyaloja are intelligent, powerful women who serve as foils to patriarchs in their communities. What do their characters reveal about the role of women in each community? How do they function as foils to their male counterparts?