The Lion and the Jewel
Written by Africa’s well known dramatist, Wole Soyinka, the play – The Lion and the Jewel – has its setting in the village of Ilunjunle in Yoruba West Africa. It was published in 1963 by Oxford University Press.
The play is characterized by culture conflict, ribald comedy and love, where the old culture represented by the uneducated people in Ilunjunle, led by Baroka, Sidi and the rest, clashes with the new culture led by Lakunle, who is educated, school teacher by profession is influenced by the western ways.
Like the title suggests, The Lion and the Jewel
The play starts with Lakunle pouring out his heart to Sidi but she does not want to pay attention. If only Lakunle can pay dowry then she would marry him. But to Lakunle, that’s being barbaric, outdated and ignorant. If he could only make her understand. He says:
“To pay price would be to buy a heifer off the market stall. You would be my chattel, my mere property.”
Sidi does not pay attention. To her a girl for who dowry is not paid for will be hiding her shame for she will not be known as a virgin.
Her beauty has captured many souls, besides Lakunle. There is the photographer who took her photos and published them in a magazine, and even Baroka the lion, the bale/chieftain of Ilunjunle as well as other girls in the village. Sidi also brags a lot about her beauty. She is not afraid to speak of it in public.
Baroka has many wives though, despite his wanting Sidi for a wife. On seeing her in a magazine seated alone, he laments:
“Yes yes…………… it is five full months since I last took a wife…..five full months” (page 18)
Sadiku is Baroka’s head wife. As custom suggests, the last wife of the previous bale/chief becomes the head wife of the new chief once succeeded.
Her duty as a head wife is to lure any woman Baroka pleases to have into getting her. Sidi turns off Baroka’s proposal in the most demeaning way, through his head wife. She scorns him:
“Compare my image and that of your lord… an age of a difference….”
See how water glistens my face…. But he-his is like a leather piece torn rudely from the saddle of his horse.
Baroka blames it on himself when he gets the news of his rejected proposal. He says:
“My man hood ended a week ago.”
Sadiku rather glad about Baroka’s confession tells the news to Sidi. Sidi goes to see Baroka on the grounds that she did not intend to reject his invitation and proposal well knowing that he would not be capable of doing anything. In an unexpected turn of events, Baroka manages to seduce her and win her over Lakunle.
The The Lion and the Jewel
IT WAS A GREAT WORK OF THE PROF. IT ALWAYS MAKE ME TO REMEBER MY ABLE LITERATURE TEACHER IN SECONDARY SCHOOL, MR YOMI OMOTOSHO A NATIVE OF IBADAN WHO TAUGHT AT BAPTIST HIGH SCHOOL ILERO OYO STATE BETWEEN LATE 80S AND EARLY 90S
GBENGA AKINYEMI
08034685917
I read this book some few years ago and found it to be the most interesting, exciting and wonderful piece of work by prof. soyinka. I just love the settings and the language.
The beauty of literature has always evaded my appetite-no thanks to my choice of geography as an alternative for literature while in school,the thirst for it brought me close to this waters.Big Ups Grandmaster!
I have read this twice in the period of my study at polytechnic kano state.Obviously i found it very interested and vital in our life.
its one of the best drama i have read and am currently teaching this drama to my s.4 literature students.
ts jus assisted me bigtym in ma understandin of literature….big ups Wole
wole soyinka stae play book is quite interesting i like sidi confidence in wanting the bride price.
by nondumiso
South Africa.
thrilling, funny and exciting.
I read this book many years ago and still falls in love with the novel. More grace 2 prof Wole Soyinka
best drama ever written by an african
Fantastic! lakunle an educated or should i just say civilized man who wants to win the heart of a beautiful but seemingly old fashion village girl. No matter how civilized you are, you still have to bend your principles and radical belief by giving that which is for ceaser unto ceaser. Stop speaking grammar when the language understood by beuty and love is culture and tradition.
this work of literature is such a thrilling one i did it during my ‘o’ level and now teaching it, i really find a powerfull use of symbolism right from the onset.
im doin’ it in ma literature .Its so interesting
Its just a parochial representation of the way of life. The rich (Baroka) always get what they want. The poor (Lakunle) always watcho. There is nothing to learn from it. It is a good read but just that. And it can not transcend into modern times where people are no longer heavily bent on traditions like Bride price. It was just one of those pieces that is highly publicised but does not match the hype about it
Great gratitude to prof wole soyinka. Am critically reading this book and to my perspective its forming a base and a reflection in my future. I like drama and the book helps in the acquisition of the excellent knowledge. It motivates, raises my self esteem, empathy and increases my spontaneity as far as the social skills are concerned.hope to come up with the best.It forms a vital role in my educational goals.big up prof
i like also dramas this one has motivated me i m stdying this book n my o’level
i really like the way Sidi think but i dislike the way she falls for Baroka she betrays her own mind
A classic representation of what path African literature ought to take
Its a very exciting play…..pliz can those who understans it more give me the meanings of the terms used in the play within the play (noon part)when lankule is talking abt how Baroka refused to let the railway line pass thru her village,l mean the coconuts. Pot of beer etc pliz help its an assignment needed at xul and might help me to understand more……
i heard peole talking about the play,saying how exciting it’s, actually i don’t see it that way by now but im trying my best to understand it. My question i’d like to ask “if you were Sidi what would you do?”
its a good idea,which warn the whole society especially girls, that we must be very carefully with the decision we made. its me sheyla from tanzania,may god bless you
I Love everything about this book,the writing style,the drama and everything.
I love this book although I think sidi is a little too conceited about her beauty as see just realizes if after the stranger took her picture and placed it in the magazine but overall it is a very amazing book
I read this book more than 30 years ago and watched the play in the KENYA NATIONAL THEATER. It is fun and rich. Check this. “when a child is full of riddles, the mother has one water pot the less”
I read this play and it is very intresting. We the Africans have our own ways of life even before the coming of the white men, we should do our best to see that we stand by the truth…..
The love, culture and motivation expressed in this drama rely turns me on and i love it.the respect that sidi has,the way she wears ,the domestic work ,the way she believes in her self and i lyk it wen she insists on the bride price,i think its fantastic.and it seems this is enough 4 gals to from her
big up to wole sonyinka.