( A Detailed Audiovisual Analysis of The Lion And The Jewel By Wole Soyinka: https://youtu.be/J1HFX7w-AE0)
THE TITLE AND ITS SIGNIFICANCE
The lion in the play refers to Baroka. Just as a lion hunts other animals in the jungle for his meat, Baroka uses his authority as village head to compel pretty women to become his wife. The jewel in the play refers to the character, Sidi who’s charming beauty makes her the centre of male attention in the village. When a magazine publishes her pictures, her rising influence increases Baroka’s interest in her: he wants to take possession of not only her beauty but also her rising influence. The conflict between Baroka and Lakunle refers to the conflict between African tradition and Western civilization.
THE SETTING OF THE PLAY
The events of the play are situated in Ilujinle, a village in Western Nigeria during the postcolonial period. This village gives us a picture of a society where polygamy is practised as part of the people’s custom. So it’s easy for Baroka make his wife Sadiku an intermediary between him and a younger woman (Sidi) whom he wants to marry.
OVERVIEW OF THE PLAY
The play is a portrayal of the clash between African tradition and Western civilization. The clash of cultures is dramatized through Baroka (the village head) and Lakunke (the village teacher): the two represent tradition and modernization respectively. In this comedic play, the events take place in Ilujinle, a village in Western Nigeria. Here, we find the jewel, Sidi, the village beauty who becomes an object of rivalry between the village head and village teacher. Baroka, the lion of the play, eventually wins the jewel after taking advantage of her vanity to deflower her. His willingness to pay Sidi’s price according to tradition gives him an edge over Lakunle whose idea of civilization is marrying a wife without paying the traditional bride price. Thus, it’s a fight between tradition and modernization in which tradition wins at last.
CHARACTERIZATION
BAROKA: Baroka is the traditional chief of the village, Ilujinle. He is married to Sadiku and His wives are Sadiku and Ailatu. Baroka is the lion and his hunting expedition is focused on the village beauty (Sidi). Baroka’s rivalry with Lakunle is based on the fact that each of them loves Sidi and wants to marry her. Baroka deflowers Sidi, having taken advantage of her vanity.
SIDI: She is the village beauty and is referred to as the jewel in the play. This makes her the centre of male attention and the ultimate cause of rivalry between the village head and the village teacher. She tells Lakunle to pay her bride price as a condition for his marrying her. When her pictures are published in a magazine, her arrogance and vanity greatly increase. She visits Baroka to tease him but ends up being deflowered by the man.
AILATU: She is the younger wife of Baroka. As a result, she enjoys his love and attention more than the elder wife.
SADIKU: She is the first wife of Baroka. She was initially married to Okiki, Baroka’s father, and then was inherited by Baroka after Okiki passed on. Sadiku is the one Baroka sends to woo Sidi on his behalf.
LAKUNLE: He is a school teacher in Ilujinle and his love for the village beauty (Sidi) brings him into conflict with the village head (Baroka). His awkward notion of modernization forbids him to pay Sidi’s price and yet he wants to marry her. He eventually loses her to the lion (Baroka) who deflowers her and is ready to pay the bride price in line with tradition.
OKIKI: He is the father of Baroka and the former husband of Sadiku.
THEMES
Conflict Between African Tradition And Western Civilization: The events of the play are used to portray this clash of cultures: Whereas the village chief (Baroka) is used to represent the African or Yoruba tradition, the village teacher (Lakunle) stands for modern civilization. Baroka gives bribe to prevent a rail line from being constructed across the village, but a Lakunle condemns his action. Lakunle’s dream is to construct a road linking the village to town. Lakunle wants to marry Sidi but refuses to pay her bride price because he believes it is an archaic practice. Baroka manipulates his way into deflowering Sidi and he’s ready to pay her bride price in line with tradition.
Virginity: Apart from being the village beauty, Sidi is also a virgin. So virginity is part of what makes her jewel. When she eventually loses her virginity to the old Baroka, she is in a dilemma. She had the desire to marry the younger Lakunle, but tradition forbids her to marry any other man except the man that has deflowered her. Besides, Lakunle’s refusal to pay her bride price will expose her to greater reproach in the community.
Vanity: This is evident in the character of Sidi. She is arrogant and full of vain glory on account of her beauty. She has the audacity to go and make mockery of the village chief because she feels she is superior to him. Her feeling of vain glory increases after a magazine published her pictures in its pages.
Women’s Domination by Men: This play gives us a picture of a society where the tradition favours men to the detriment of women. For example, Baroka has the right to marry many wives but requires a woman to remain with only her husband. Sadiku is reduced to an intermediary between her husband and a younger woman (Sidi) whom the man loves and wants to marry.
Betrayal: This is evident in the actions of Baroka. He betrays his wife Sadiku by sending her to woo another woman on his behalf. Sadiku betrays Baroka by telling Sidi that the man is impotent. In any case, her action turns out to be part of the man’s plan to trap Sidi and get her deflowered. Sidi might seem to betray Lakunle when she chooses to marry Baroka. However, it is Lakunle who first betrays Sidi: he professes much love for Sidi but refuses to pay her bride price.
CONFLICT
Sidi’s charming beauty attracts the both Baroka and Lakunle and becomes the source of conflict between them. The conflict between the two men is used as a metaphor for the clash between African tradition and modern civilization. When Sidi dares to go and make mockery of Baroka, it is a kind of contest that will prove who is superior. It creates some suspense as to what is going to happen.
DENOUEMENT: The conflict in the play gets to a climax when Sidi is overpowered and deflowered by the old fox. At this juncture, there is still a possibility that she might succumb to Lakunle’s marriage proposal. The whole situation is finally resolved when Side chooses to marry Baroka, leaving Lakunle with the option of turning his love and affection to another woman.
You’ll find an audiovisual lecture analyzing the play here: https://youtu.be/J1HFX7w-AE0
EBOOKS FOR YOU:
- Good Success in English: A Study Package or Good Success in English: A Study Package for Effective English Learning
- Good Success English Handbook
About the Author
Benjamin Abugu is a university graduate with a flair for content writing. He is an English teacher with over twelve years experience, a published author of many books (both paperback and eBook editions), a blogger and Youtuber.
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