The Gods Are Not to Blame
| Author | Ola Rotimi |
|---|---|
| Language | English |
| Genre | Tragedy |
| Publisher | Oxford University Press Oxford, University Press plc (UPPLC) |
Publication date | 1971 |
| Publication place | Nigeria |
| Media type | Print (Paperback) |
| Pages | 72 pp |
| ISBN | 0-19-211358-5 |
| Preceded by | Our Husband Has Gone Mad Again |
| Followed by | Kurunmi |
The Gods Are Not To Blame is a 1968 play and a 1971 novel by Ola Rotimi. An adaptation of the Greek classical play Oedipus Rex, the story centres on Odewale, who is lured into a false sense of security, only to somehow get caught up in a somewhat consanguineous trail of events by the gods of the land.
The novel is set in an uncertain period of a Yoruba kingdom. This reworking of Oedipus Rex was part of the African Arts (Arts d'Afrique) playwriting contest in 1969. Rotimi's play has been celebrated on two counts: at first scintillating as theatre and later accruing a significant literary aura. This article focuses specifically on the 1968 play.