The Destiny's Knot.part two

In the context of Shakespearean tradition, a "glorious end" for a tragedy like The Destiny's Knot does not imply a happy, comedic resolution where everyone lives happily ever after. Rather, it signifies a profound restoration of cosmic and social order, a moment of great wisdom (anagnorisis), and the display of the tragic hero's inherent nobility even in death. The hero's suffering results in a final emotional release (catharsis) for the audience and a valuable lesson about the human condition.

The Glorious End of "The Destiny's Knot"

The final act would culminate not just in death, but in a solemn, ritualistic acceptance of fate and a redemptive act that purges the kingdom of the curse.

Act V: Scene V - The Palace Courtyard at Dawn

(The scene is set for public declaration. The plague has worsened. Oba Adewale, having discovered the full, horrific truth, has blinded himself, mirroring Oedipus Rex, a classical influence on Shakespearean tragedy. Queen Ojuola has taken her own life in grief).

OBA ADEWALE (led by a young attendant, his voice clear despite his blindness):

"Hear me, my people! O, hear me, subjects mine!

The plague that wastes our lands, that stills the babe's cry,

Is born not of the gods' caprice, but of my sin!

I, Adewale, your King, am the cursed root.

In ignorance, I spilled my father's blood,

And married her who gave me life, my Queen!

This blind flesh, that did not see the truth,

Deserves not e'en the light of sun or moon."

(A hush falls over the crowd. Baba Fakunle, the Babalawo, approaches the King).

BABA FAKUNLE:

"Great Oba, thou art wretched, yet most great.

Thy sufferance brings wisdom; thou hast paid

The price the Odu asked. The knot is loosed.

Orunmila smiles upon thy truthful soul.

For in thy fall, the kingdom shall arise."

OBA ADEWALE:

"Then is my death a balm, a final grace?

I yield my spirit to the great unknown.

Let the new King, a man of blameless birth,

Assume the crown, and lead this land to health."

(Adewale offers himself for ritual sacrifice, a final noble act. He is not killed on stage, but led off. Esu-Dara, the trickster spirit, is vanquished as the truth and order are restored).

The Glorious Resolution:

Order Restored: The kingdom of Ilu-Aje, which began in order and fell into chaos, returns to harmony. The curse lifts, and the plague subsides.

Catharsis: The audience experiences a profound sense of pity and fear (catharsis), but ultimately feels release and moral clarity, as the tragic events serve a greater cosmic purpose.

Wisdom through Suffering: Adewale's end is "glorious" because, through extreme suffering, he achieves ultimate self-knowledge and accepts his destiny, proving that even a king is subject to the divine order of Ifa. He dies with dignity and wisdom, his initial nobility recognized by all.

New Leadership: A new, unblemished ruler is chosen to lead, ensuring the future prosperity of the realm, a classic Shakespearean device for restoring stability (e.g., Malcolm in Macbeth, Fortinbras in Hamlet).

Tragic Waste Tempered: While Adewale's life is a "tragic waste" of a potentially great man, his final act of self-sacrifice and acceptance prevents total nihilism, offering hope and a clear moral compass to the