Who Are the Characters in the Play “The Trials of Brother Jero”?
The main characters in the 1960 play “The Trials of Brother Jero” are Jeroboam, the Old Prophet, Chume and Chume’s wife Amope. Secondary characters in the play include the boy drummer, the fish-seller, the politician and an angry woman that beats Jero at the end of scene three.
“The Trials of Brother Jero” is a play written by Wole Soyinka about a false preacher named Brother Jero that lives in Nigeria. Brother Jero exploits the people that make up his congregation for his own selfish financial gains. The character Chume is a long-time member of Jero’s congregation that has been tricked by Jero into believing that he will one day hold the position of Chief Messenger. Brother Jero owes Chume’s wife, Amope, a large sum of money, and throughout the play, Jero constantly tries to avoid Amope so that he doesn’t have to pay her.
Eventually, Brother Jero discovers that Amope is Chume’s wife. To further avoid having to pay Amope, Brother Jero gives Chume permission to beat Amope. Chume eventually finds out that Brother Jero was only granting him permission for Jero’s own selfish means, which makes Chume angry. As the play ends, Brother Jero must flee from his home in Lagos to escape the murderous Chume.
