The Lion and the

Jewel
Study Guide by Course Hero

What's Inside d In Context

j Book Basics ................................................................................................. 1

d In Context ..................................................................................................... 1
a Author Biography ..................................................................................... 3
h Characters .................................................................................................. 4
k Plot Summary ............................................................................................. 6
c Act Summaries ........................................................................................ 10
g Quotes ......................................................................................................... 15
Postcolonial Literature
Postcolonial literature grapples with the legacies of primarily
Western colonialism (action taken by a variety of American and
European nations to explore, conquer, settle, and exploit world
regions), including the effects colonialism has on colonized and
often oppressed peoples and cultures. A decolonized society,
one where the colonizing nation has relinquished rule, must
contend with the reclamation or rebuilding of identities,
cultures, and traditions. This struggle is illustrated in The Lion
and the Jewel as Baroka and Lakunle present opposing views

l Symbols ....................................................................................................... 17 regarding the future of Ilujinle (rural Nigerian village). Like many
other examples of postcolonial literature, The Lion and the
m Themes ........................................................................................................ 17 Jewel presents characters who embody different possibilities
of the postcolonial experience. Baroka demonstrates
resistance, or the refusal of the postcolonial person to adopt
or accept the practices of the colonizer. Lakunle demonstrates
j Book Basics hybridity, or the incorporation of aspects of both the colonizing
and colonized cultures.
AUTHOR
Otherness is a frequent characteristic of postcolonial
Wole Soyinka
literature. Lakunle demonstrates otherness, or the quality of
FIRST PERFORMED being perceived as completely different from and outside of
1959 the dominant and valued group. Otherness originally described
the relationship between a postcolonial person and Western
GENRE culture, but it has been extended to describe the feeling of
Drama displacement, or of not belonging to one's own culture. Lakunle
is clearly separated from his cultural traditions through his
ABOUT THE TITLE
"strange speech," modern views, distaste for gender
The terms lion and jewel of the title refer to the two main
expectations, and British education. Lakunle's otherness
characters. The lion is Baroka, the village chief who is
separates him from other men and often makes him a
considered wild and strong. The jewel is Sidi, the most
laughingstock. Baroka, on the other hand, clings to traditions of
beautiful girl in the village, whom many men long to obtain as
his past because they give him a sense of power. The two men
their own.
engage in different ways of pursuing Sidi, the village "jewel," for
marriage: Baroka through force and Lakunle through romance.
The Lion and the Jewel Study Guide
The struggle for autonomy, or control over one's own
decisions, is another common characteristic of postcolonial
literature. Sidi's indecision about which man to marry or
whether she wants to marry at all illustrates her struggle for
self-rule. Sidi's struggle represents the larger struggle of
postcolonial people, groups, or nations to establish themselves
as autonomous beings in the wake of colonialism. Sadly, in the
end, the decision is made for Sidi, taking away both her agency
and her autonomy.
British Colonialism in Nigeria
The seventh most populous country in the world, Nigeria is
located in West Africa on the Gulf of Guinea. Before the British
arrived in the late 19th century, the territory now known as
Nigeria was split among unrelated tribes. British forces waged
war against the indigenous peoples to gain control of the land.
Colonialism is the dominance of one people over another,
involving significant, permanent resettlement by the colonizing
country in the colonized territory. Colonialism also involves the
colonizer's direct economic, military, and political control of the
colonized people. The nation of Nigeria is a colonial creation of
the British Empire. Before 19th-century colonialism, European
powers conducted trade in coastal Igboland (southeastern
Nigeria and home to the Igbo people). The slave trade ended in
1807, but trade in agricultural commodities thrived. European
countries were also interested in African natural resources and
land acquisition. When European conflict erupted over claims
in Africa, the Berlin Conference was scheduled to formalize the
process of African colonization. The Berlin Accord of 1889
divided Africa among various European powers. Britain was
granted territory around the Niger River, which it managed as
two separate protectorates. In 1914 the two protectorates
were merged, and Nigeria was born. The progressive
consolidation of previously autonomous territories forced a
multitude of diverse indigenous tribes with distinct, ancient,
and sophisticated cultures to live within the economic, political,
and cultural strictures of a single modern state.
In colonial Nigeria local governments were run by indigenous
leaders, accountable to British officials, in a system of indirect
rule. The system worked better among the Muslim Hausa
people in the north, with their tradition of hierarchical
governance, than it did among the Igbo, who traditionally split
power among various groups. During this period, Western
education, the English language, Christianity, and technology
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In Context 2
spread throughout Nigeria, more so in the south. Britain's
policies fostered enmity among groups over the unequal
allocation of power.
Nigerians fought for the British in World War I (1914–18) and
demanded political reforms after the war in exchange for their
service. Britain began making measured concessions to these
demands. Pan-Africanism, a movement whose goal was
political unity among all Africans and people of African
descent, was on the rise worldwide. In the 1920s and '30s
Nigerians formed political parties, established movements, and
won elections.
In 1954 Britain granted significant autonomy to the three
regional governments in the north, west, and east.
Independence from Britain was granted in 1960 with a
constitution that established a federal government, which
concentrated political power in the more populous northern
region, while keeping the English monarch as the ceremonial
head of state and a British court as the highest judicial
authority. The 1963 constitution abolished these final direct
political ties to Britain.
The Lion and the Jewel was written in 1962, a year before the
final severing of ties with Britain. After colonialism ended and
Nigeria gained its independence, it had to decide how to
restructure its culture and society. Should the new Nigeria
embrace the British culture it overthrew, or should it return to
its village heritage? This question dominates The Lion and the
Jewel as characters grapple with the inevitable tension
between modernization and tradition, as the two blend to form
Nigeria's modern culture.
Nigerian Culture
Dance and Drums
The Lion and the Jewel is filled with rich examples of traditional
Nigerian culture, particularly of Nigerian music and dance.
Traditional Nigerian dance has many functions, particularly in
tribal cultures. It can be used to tell historical or entertaining
stories, to educate, to communicate with deities, and to mark
important life events. Early in the play, the characters
participate in "the dance of the lost traveler," seemingly in Bata
style. Bata dancing comes from the Yoruba area of Nigeria (the
same area where The Lion and the Jewel is set). Traditionally,
The Lion and the Jewel Study Guide
the Bata is used to communicate with Sango, the god of
thunder. Throughout the play, characters refer to Sango but
never mention Bata directly. Contemporary Nigerians still
dance the Bata, although it may now also be used for secular
events. In the play, Bata is used secularly, for entertainment
and storytelling.
The dance is accompanied by three Bata drums: the iya, played
by a master drummer; the itotele, a midsize drum that
converses with the iya; and the okonkolo, a smaller drum that
keeps rhythm. The dancers follow the rhythm and order set by
the drummers, so there must be a strong sense of unity and
communication among the performers. In "Night" Sadiku and
Lakunle watch a group of mummers perform a pantomime of
Baroka losing his manhood and being overpowered by his
wives. Mummers are street performers from any culture, not
only Nigerian, who wear masks or costumes and put on
pantomimes (performances without words).
Gender Roles and Marriage
At the time when The Lion and the Jewel was written, most
Nigerian people continued to embrace the Western patriarchal
gender roles adopted during colonialism. In the colonial
context of the mid-20th century, Nigerian women were viewed
as subservient to men and were expected to fulfill domestic
roles of housecleaning, child-rearing, and cooking. Men made
most decisions and were considered politically more powerful.
This situation wasn't always the case. Before Nigeria was
colonized, women held significant social power. They
participated in economic activities, were often village chiefs,
and made important decisions that affected entire
communities of people. British colonization brought patriarchal
male dominance, with European men preferring to make
business deals with Nigerian men rather than women. Over
time, female authority and autonomy waned. Whatever power a
woman maintained was generally personal, within her own
home. Audiences of the play see female power demonstrated
in Sadiku's matchmaking—she has the power to change
women's lives—and she appears to be the only wife who can
keep her husband happy.
Because Nigeria is made up of so many distinct ethnic groups,
approaches to institutions such as marriage vary. In many of
Nigeria's cultures, marriages were traditionally more
businesslike than romantic. Polygamy—marriage to more than
one spouse—was and is common in every social class. Women
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Author Biography 3
were often betrothed at a very young age and had little
expectation of love, affection, communication, or partnership
from their husbands. Instead, they often bonded with their co-
wives. No legislation protected wives from unwanted sexual
advances, as marital rape was—and remains—legal. In Nigeria
all sex is considered consensual when it occurs between a
husband and wife, regardless of whether or not both partners
agree. Baroka's rape of Sidi, even though they are not yet
married, demonstrates the unbalanced power dynamic
between the sexes. Since the 1960s, gender expectations
have softened. There are some laws protecting women's
rights, but societal expectation still favors restrictive gender
roles. Despite many other social changes, most marriages still
include a dowry payment, or bride-price.
a Author Biography
Early Life
Akinwande Oluwole Babatunde Soyinka, who later shortened
his name to Wole Soyinka, was born in Abeokuta, western
Nigeria, on July 13, 1934. His father was an Anglican minister,
and Soyinka was raised on an Anglican mission compound. At
the same time, he developed a strong connection to his Yoruba
roots through his grandfather, a Yoruba priest. As a child,
Soyinka was inquisitive and charming, and he excelled in
school. He graduated from his preparatory university studies
(high school) in 1954 and moved to England to attend the
University of Leeds, where he earned his bachelor of arts
degree in English literature in 1958. He later returned to Leeds
for his doctorate, which he completed in 1973.
Early Works
After graduating from college Soyinka returned to Nigeria and
started his own theater troupe, The 1960 Masks, which
performed some of his early works, including The Lion and the
Jewel, The Trials of Brother Jero (performed 1960; published
1963), and A Dance of the Forests (performed 1960; published
1963). All of these early plays contain serious messages hidden
within satirical or comedic stories. The Lion and the Jewel
pokes fun at both Western and traditional African cultures. The
Trials of Brother Jero satirizes the way greedy preachers
The Lion and the Jewel Study Guide Characters 4

exploit their parishioners' trust, and A Dance of the Forests
comedically destroys the romance surrounding the newly
decolonized Nigeria by presenting it as just as troubled as
before decolonization.
Political Activism and Arrest
In the mid-1960s Soyinka's plays began taking a more political
tone. During the Nigerian Civil War (1967–70) Soyinka penned
an article asking for a cease-fire. This request caused the
government to fear that Soyinka might be a rebel sympathizer,
and he was arrested. Soyinka was held as a political prisoner
for 22 months, a time during which he wrote Poems from
Prison (1969). He also published The Man Died (1972) about his
arrest and imprisonment. Despite his imprisonment Soyinka
remained politically active through his involvement with
numerous organizations, including the National Democratic
Organization, the National Liberation Council of Nigeria, the
Pro-National Conference Organizations (PRONACO), and the
Democratic Front for a People's Federation.
Although he is considered primarily a playwright, Soyinka has
published novels, poems, literary criticism, and political writing.
In 1986 he became the first black African to be awarded the
Nobel Prize in Literature.
Baroka anyway.
Baroka
Baroka is chief of Ilujinle. He represents traditional Nigerian
culture through his many marriages. As a village leader, Baroka
looks out for only himself. When faced with opportunities to
modernize the village, Baroka rejects them unless they benefit
him personally. He bribes prospectors to move a railroad, for
example, but he loves the idea of printing and using his own
stamps. As a self-proclaimed symbol of masculinity, Baroka is
used to getting what he wants at any cost. In the play he wants
Sidi. He lies and manipulates in the hopes of winning her over
but ends up taking her by force.
Lakunle
In direct contrast with Baroka, Lakunle, a British-educated
schoolteacher, loves modernization for modernization's sake.
He loves technology, European fashion, and "modern"
romance. He claims to love Sidi and to want to marry her, but
he dismisses her request for a bride-price and really just wants
to mold her into his ideal wife. After Baroka rapes Sidi, Lakunle
tries to step up and marry her anyway, but he's actually
exploiting Sidi's tragedy to try to avoid the bride-price.

h Characters
Sadiku
Sidi Sadiku is a 70-year-old woman who is Baroka's first wife and
matchmaker. Baroka calls Sadiku his most "faithful" wife, but
she quickly breaks his trust and spreads rumors about his lost
Sidi is a naive village girl who gets her first taste of power
manhood. At the end of the play it's unclear whether Sadiku
when a traveler publishes photographs he took of her. Before
tricked Baroka into thinking she was faithful to him or tricked
the photographs were released, Sidi had one suitor: the
Sidi into thinking her information was trustworthy.
schoolteacher, Lakunle. After the publication, the village chief,
Baroka, also wants to take Sidi as his wife. Sidi doesn't know
what she wants to do with her future, but she knows she
doesn't want to marry either of these men. She rejects Lakunle
because he refuses to pay her bride-price, and she rejects
Baroka because he's too old. All the attention Sidi receives
from the photographs makes her feel important, and her
confidence swells. When she tries to shame Baroka, however,
she gets "outfoxed," and he rapes her. Although Sidi is
devastated to have lost her power, she decides to marry

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The Lion and the Jewel Study Guide Characters 5

Character Map

Baroka
Self-serving village chief

Suitor

First
wife

Sidi
Naive young girl

Suitor

Elder

Lakunle Sadiku
Modern schoolteacher Traditional matchmaker

Main Character

Other Major Character

Minor Character

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The Lion and the Jewel Study Guide
Full Character List
Character Description
Sidi is the most beautiful girl in the village.
Her vanity gets the best of her when a
foreigner publishes her pictures in a
Sidi
magazine, and she makes a tragic
mistake when attempting to mock the
village chief.
Baroka is the village Bale, or chief. Known
as "The Lion" for his ferocity and
Baroka strength, most villagers think he hates
change. In reality he loves power and
changes only to benefit himself.
Lakunle is a British-​educated
schoolteacher who longs to leave
Lakunle
Nigerian tradition behind and encourage
his village to embrace modernity.
Sadiku is Baroka's eldest wife. She acts
as matchmaker for Baroka, finding him
Sadiku
beautiful, young wives such as Sidi to
satiate his sexual appetite.
The favorite is Baroka's last wife. She's
The favorite young, beautiful, and jealous—tasked with
plucking Baroka's armpit hairs.
Sometimes referred to as the Lagos man,
the lost traveler, the surveyor, and the
foreigner, the stranger is a Western man
The
who visits Ilujinle after his car breaks
stranger
down. He takes photographs of village
life, including beautiful photographs of
Sidi.
The wrestler is hired by Baroka to
challenge him physically. He will only
The wrestler
retain his job as long as he bests Baroka
and provides a challenge.
k Plot Summary
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Plot Summary 6
Morning
Sidi, the most beautiful girl in her Yoruba village, arrives on
stage carrying a bucket of water on her head. The foppish
schoolteacher Lakunle rushes out of the schoolhouse to help
her. He chides her for ruining her posture and tries to flirt with
her. Sidi teases Lakunle back, reminding him that most of the
village calls him a "madman" for embracing so many Western
ways. The pair tease each other flirtatiously, with Lakunle
offering his marriage proposal. Sidi nonchalantly says she'll
marry Lakunle whenever he agrees to pay her bride-price, a
tradition Lakunle finds savage and dated. Another villager
arrives to announce that the foreigner who visited their village
to take pictures has returned. He took many beautiful
photographs of Sidi, one of which is featured on the cover of a
magazine. The photograph is more prominent even than the
photograph of their village chief, Baroka. Dancers break into a
reenactment of the traveler's visit, with Lakunle reluctantly
playing the traveler. The performance is interrupted by Baroka
himself. The reenactment breaks up with Lakunle feeling
embarrassed and Sidi feeling excited. As she runs to find the
traveler, Baroka laments that it's been five months since he
took a new wife.
Noon
Sidi returns to the stage staring intently at her photographs in
the magazine. She feels empowered by her own beauty,
becoming somewhat vain and entitled. Sadiku, Baroka's first
wife, arrives and announces Baroka's plans to take Sidi as his
final wife. Sidi laughs in Sadiku's face, saying that she would
never marry a man as old as Baroka. Sidi's insult shocks
Sadiku, but she still invites Sidi to join the chief for dinner that
night. Sidi refuses again, saying she has no interest in dining
with a "fox." She accuses the chief of only wanting to possess
her power and beauty, which was captured in the photographs.
When Sadiku returns with the news of Sidi's rejection, Baroka
rages about his recent masculine accomplishments. He
wonders aloud how any woman could reject such a masculine
specimen, yet he collapses on the bed and laments that he
actually lost his manhood the week before. He had hoped a
young virgin such as Sidi could have revived his libido.
The Lion and the Jewel Study Guide Plot Summary 7

Night
Sidi sees Sadiku in the village square dancing and laughing
around a statue of Baroka. When she demands to know what's
going on, Sadiku confides the secret of Baroka's impotence,
saying she feels victorious that he's been "scotched" (put out
of service). Entertained, Sidi decides to visit Baroka and mock
his lost manhood, despite Lakunle's warnings of the danger
that Baroka represents. When Sidi arrives at Baroka's palace,
he's wrestling with a hired sportsman. At first, he pretends not
to understand why Sidi would pay him an unannounced visit,
but he eventually warms and welcomes her. When the wrestler
leaves, Baroka shows Sidi a stamp maker he had built
especially so he could start printing stamps in the village. He
hopes to use Sidi's image on the first stamps. He talks
eloquently to her about the future of the village and their
impending "union." Sidi doesn't understand everything Baroka
says, but she feels enamored of him due to his confidence.
Shortly after, Lakunle and Sadiku see Sidi rushing through the
village square, crying. Sidi announces that Baroka raped her.
Angered, Lakunle promises to marry Sidi anyway, in part
because he won't have to pay a bride-price for a "spoiled"
woman. Sidi rushes to her house and packs up her belongings.
She hands Lakunle the magazine photographs of herself and
dispassionately invites him to her wedding. Confused, Lakunle
wonders why he shouldn't be present at his own wedding. Sidi
says that she could never marry Lakunle after "experiencing"
Baroka's manliness. The play ends with her walking to her
wedding, singing traditional Yoruba songs with Sadiku.

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The Lion and the Jewel Study Guide Plot Summary 8

Plot Diagram

Climax

Rising Action 4 Falling Action

6
3

2 7
1
Resolution
Introduction

Falling Action
Introduction
6. Lakunle offers to marry Sidi despite her lost virginity.
1. Lakunle flirts with Sidi in the village square.

Resolution
Rising Action
7. Sidi chooses Baroka over Lakunle.
2. Sidi admires her photographs and newfound power.

3. Sadiku reveals that Baroka has lost his manhood.

4. Sidi tries to mock Baroka but ends up ensnared.

Climax

5. Sidi admits that Baroka raped her.

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The Lion and the Jewel Study Guide Plot Summary 9

Timeline of Events

Early in the morning

Lakunle proposes a modern marriage to Sidi.

After they bicker

Villagers tell Sidi that the traveler has returned.

Then

Dancers perform the dance of the lost traveler.

Afterward

Baroka longs to marry a new wife.

Midday

Sidi feels empowered by seeing her photographs.

Then

Sadiku presents Baroka's marriage proposal.

Later on

Baroka lies to Sadiku about his impotence.

That evening

Sadiku mockingly dances around the Baroka statue.

After they scheme

Sidi visits Baroka with the intention of shaming him.

A few minutes later

Baroka rapes Sidi.

After packing her things

Sidi leaves to marry Baroka.

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The Lion and the Jewel Study Guide Act Summaries 10

announces that the foreign man who had visited their village
c Act Summaries previously has returned. Through the confused conversation
it's revealed that a foreigner stopped in their village when his
car broke down. He took photographs of the villagers and

Morning returns now with the book he made of the photographs. The
girl reports that a gorgeous photograph of Sidi has been used
on the cover, which has made the Bale both proud and envious.
A photograph of Baroka himself was included, but it made him
Summary look small and old, standing next to the village latrine. Sidi
delights that she is "more important even than the Bale. / More
The stage is set as the Nigerian Yoruba village of Ilujinle. At
famous than that panther of the trees." Sidi calls excitedly to
center stage is a schoolhouse, where children reciting their
dance "the dance of the lost Traveler," in which they act out a
times tables can be heard through an open window. A beautiful
retelling of the photographer's arrival. She casts Lakunle as the
young woman, Sidi, appears on stage with a pail of water
traveler himself. Drummers strike up a beat, and the dancers
balanced on her head. Immediately, the schoolmaster, Lakunle,
swirl around Lakunle, transporting the audience back in time to
rushes out to help her, warning that carrying heavy loads on
witness the traveler's arrival. Although he had resisted playing
her head will shorten her neck. He also chastises Sidi for
along at the start, Lakunle quickly gets into the role, not even
walking around with her shoulders exposed. Sidi laughs and
noticing when the Bale arrives. His presence breaks up the
says that it shouldn't matter what she looks like because
dance, with Lakunle the last to notice. Sidi excitedly rushes
Lakunle has sworn to love her forever. The two trade playful
toward the village square to find the traveler himself. As she
insults about which is more the talk of the town: the immodest
leaves, the Bale laments that it's been five months since he last
young woman or the "madman" schoolteacher who curses
took a wife.
traditional village life. Lakunle takes his jokes too far when he
claims that women have smaller brains than men, which is why
they're "the weaker sex." Sidi responds with the angry threat Analysis
that she wants to "pulp" his brain. She wonders whether it's the
weaker sex who "pounds the yam / Or bends all day to plant The first interactions between Lakunle and Sidi present two
the millet / With a child strapped to her back." Lakunle merely main themes explored in the play: tradition versus
shrugs and says that in a few years "you will have machines modernization and gender roles. Immediately, Lakunle and Sidi
which will do your pounding." tease each other about the different ways they fail to meet
gender expectations. In Nigeria gender roles mean that men
The conversation turns to Lakunle's longstanding marriage
are the decision makers. They hold familial, social, and political
proposal. He has been begging Sidi to marry him, but she won't
power, while women are expected to be obedient and
consider his proposal until he pays her bride-price, a tradition
subservient. Gender expectations call for women to be
in their village. Lakunle, who has been educated in the capital
modest, docile, and pleasing, while men are expected to be
and believes himself to be a modern man, refuses. He
strong, powerful leaders. Sidi doesn't meet many of society's
romantically declares his undying love, swearing that Sidi will
expectations for her. She dresses comfortably—immodestly to
live a modern, equitable, respectful marriage because "I do not
Lakunle—and she works efficiently, balancing the bucket,
seek a wife / To fetch and carry ... I seek a life-companion." Sidi
rather than vainly. She stands up for herself when Lakunle
won't budge, saying she'll marry Lakunle "any day you name"
gripes about her bride-price and strongly rejects Lakunle's
as long as he pays her bride-price. Lakunle finds the tradition
"disgusting" kiss. Sidi carries herself with confidence and
"savage ... barbaric, out-dated," making Sidi no more than his
strength. She seems to know what she wants, and she won't
"chattel, my mere property." He tries to kiss Sidi, but she
be persuaded otherwise. In contrast, Lakunle appears
recoils in disgust, calling his "unclean" way of showing affection
emotional and foppish, the opposite of a traditional, strong
"disgusting." Annoyed, Lakunle calls Sidi an "uncivilized and
man. In contrast to Sidi's apparent strength and vision, Lakunle
primitive ... bush-girl."
seems impressionable. He has rejected his cultural heritage
As they argue, a village girl runs in shouting for Sidi. She and adopted a new European one, despite the other villagers'

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The Lion and the Jewel Study Guide
reactions. He claims to want equality with Sidi but disrespects
her by refusing to pay her bride-price, physically pushing
himself on her, and insulting her intelligence. These flaws show
Lakunle's shallow understanding of modernization and equality.
For him, modernization is another doctrine to push on people
rather than communication and cooperation.
Their conversation also highlights tensions between tradition
and modernization in the village. Lakunle obviously favors
modernization in every aspect of his life, from technology to
marriage. It's interesting to note, however, that for as much as
Lakunle praises modernization and tries to spread it
throughout the village, he still clings to traditional mindsets. He
claims to want a woman who wears red lipstick and straightens
her hair, yet he shames Sidi for exposing her shoulders on a
hot day. Clearly, Lakunle doesn't actually want "a friend in
need. / An equal partner in my race of life." If he did, he would
marry a woman with the same physical and intellectual
freedom as a man. It seems that Lakunle, like the village men,
wants a woman to be subservient to his views, albeit different
views from the traditional.
In The Lion and the Jewel Sidi's character symbolizes the
objectification of Nigeria. In the early 1900s Britain seized
control of Nigeria through colonization. Britain ruled for 60
years before Nigeria won back its independence. As is
common in decolonization, Nigeria struggled with self-identity
after earning its freedom: Should it return completely to
traditional ways and values? Should it fully embrace the
modernization offered by colonial powers? More often than
not, decolonization creates hybridity, the incorporation of
aspects of both the colonizing and colonized cultures. Sidi, the
beautiful "jewel," is the desire of many men. In this scene both
Lakunle, who represents European colonial culture, and
Baroka, who represents traditional Nigerian culture, want to
marry her. Through Lakunle's dialogue it becomes clear that
for both men, traditional and modern, marriage is simply
another word for control. The photographs of Sidi spread her
beauty to a wider audience, thereby making her more
vulnerable to objectification.
Noon
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Act Summaries 11
Summary
Sidi appears on stage holding the photography book,
engrossed in her own image. Lakunle follows behind carrying
firewood. Sadiku, Baroka's first wife—an old woman with a
shawl over her head—enters from the other side of the stage
and greets Sidi, startling her out of her reverie. She wastes no
time speaking the Bale's proposal: he would like to take Sidi as
his wife. Lakunle rushes forward in protest, but Sidi silences
him and laughs in Sadiku's face, saying, "Not this Sidi whose
fame has spread to Lagos." Shocked, Sadiku tries to explain
how comfortable life would be for Sidi as the Bale's final wife.
Once he dies, she would be "head of the new harem," but Sidi
will hear none of it. She knows that "the Lion" had little interest
in her before the photographs were published, and now he
seeks to "have me as his property / Where I must fade beneath
his jealous hold." Sidi continues praising her own beauty,
stroking the photographs, bragging that she's far too beautiful
for Baroka, whom she compares to "a leather piece / Torn
rudely from the saddle of his horse."
Shocked at Sidi's disrespect toward the chief, Sadiku storms
off but quickly circles back, saying that Baroka anticipated that
Sidi might turn down his proposal but hopes that she will join
him for dinner that evening anyway. Sidi claims to know all
about Baroka's "little suppers," where beautiful women come to
dine and end up "his wife or concubine." Lakunle adds that they
must call Baroka "the Fox" for something. Sadiku tries to
defend the Bale against these "lies," but Lakunle won't stop. He
says that Baroka wants everything his own way, which is why
he refuses to modernize the village. He remembers hearing a
story of prospectors trying to build a road near the village that
would have created easy trade with Lagos, but Baroka paid
them to move the road elsewhere.
The scene changes to Baroka's bedroom, where one of his
wives, called "The Favorite," plucks his armpit hairs. Baroka
gently criticizes his wife's method of hair plucking, complaining
that she doesn't rub his armpit long enough before plucking
and that her pull is too gentle. He says she shouldn't worry
about hurting "the panther of the trees." When the favorite
promises to improve, Baroka tells her not to bother. He'll have
a new wife soon to take over this task. The favorite plucks the
next hair so sharply that Baroka cries out in pain and calls her
a "vengeful creature." Just then, Sadiku arrives. The favorite is
dismissed, and Sadiku delivers the news that Sidi has refused
Baroka's proposal. At first Baroka rages that a girl such as Sidi
The Lion and the Jewel Study Guide
should be grateful to have the attention of such a manly man.
He lists his recent physical accomplishments, such as log-
tossing and leopard hunting, but then sinks to the bed. He
admits to Sadiku that his "manhood / Ended near a week ago"
and that he had hoped a virgin such as Sidi might revive him.
He wishes he could have remained as virile as his ancestors,
and he swears Sadiku to secrecy.
Analysis
This scene explores gender expectations from a new angle:
the powerful man and the subservient objectified woman.
Baroka's lamentations remind readers that in Nigeria, gender
expectations demand that men remain strong and virile,
essentially forever. Once a man loses his ability to have
children, he considers his manhood "lost." Even though Baroka
is nearly 50 years older than Sidi, he feels genuine shock that
she would reject his marriage proposal. His list of physical
accomplishments is certainly impressive for a man of his age.
In Nigeria, however, Baroka expects to have his pick of any
woman because he views himself as the symbol of masculinity.
This view objectifies and commodifies women. He wants Sidi
for his wife not because he feels a genuine connection to her
but because he wants to collect her like a beautiful jewel. Just
as Sidi suspects, Baroka sees her as an object rather than a
person. Baroka hopes that a beautiful virgin, "young and hot
within," would "rise and save my pride." In this way Baroka
wants to use Sidi for his pleasure, thus objectifying her.
Audiences see further examples of Baroka's objectification
through the treatment of the favorite. This character doesn't
even have a proper name; her value comes through Baroka's
opinion. Baroka tasks her with dehumanizing chores such as
plucking his armpit hairs, chores that he would be perfectly
capable of doing himself. Not only this, he also criticizes and
berates his "favorite" wife, calling her a "vengeful creature." He
delights in his cruelty, gloating of his plans to marry a new wife
and replace her and then chuckling at her emotional response.
Unlike the Western marriages Lakunle idolizes, it's clear that
Baroka does not see his wives as "an equal partner in the race
of life." Rather, he sees them as manipulable, replaceable
playthings, or objects of his fancy.
The only woman Baroka views differently is Sadiku, whom he
refers to as "the queen of them all." Perhaps this is because
they have been partnered for over 50 years, or perhaps it's
because Sadiku has a long history of following Baroka's
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Act Summaries 12
demands. He calls Sadiku "my most faithful wife," despite the
fact that she failed to secure Sidi as his new bride. Despite her
behavior in the next scene, Sadiku seems genuinely saddened
to hear that Baroka has "lost" his manhood. She cries, prays to
the gods, and offers physical comfort by stroking Baroka's
feet. In the play's final scene, each character emerges as a
trickster, including Sadiku. Based on her behavior in this scene,
it's unclear whether she has spent the last 50 years tricking
Baroka into believing she's faithful or whether she's tricking
other characters into believing she's trustworthy.
Finally, now that Sidi's photographs have been published, she
begins to see the value of her own beauty. Sidi laughs in the
face of a marriage proposal from the most powerful man in her
village, a dismissal that shocks everyone, not least of all
Sadiku. Because Sidi recognizes that men want to possess and
control her beauty, she begins to commodify herself. She tells
Sadiku, "The stranger took my beauty / and put it in my hands."
For this brief moment Sidi believes she can control her future
because she "holds" the key to male desire. Being able to
physically hold her beauty in her hands via the magazine
photographs fills Sidi with newfound vanity and confidence.
Night
Summary
Sadiku enters the village center with a statue of Baroka. She
sets it down and bursts into laughter, taunting and mocking the
statue, saying, "We scotched you." She dances and mocks,
calling him a "fool" just like his father. Sidi enters and demands
to know what Sadiku is up to. Sadiku gives a cryptic answer
and calls for Sidi to join her in the "victory dance" because
"every woman" has won today. When Sidi remains confused,
Sadiku confides Baroka's secret. Sidi laughs and cheers
alongside Sadiku, shouting, "We won! We won! Hurray for
womankind!" Lakunle enters and calls the women crazy. They
laugh in his face and say, "If [Baroka] is no longer a man, then
what are you?"
Sidi stops her laughing and dancing long enough to propose
playing a trick on Baroka. To "mock the devil" she decides to
visit him and pretend as if she would like to reconsider his
proposal. She longs to "see him thwarted," and even Sadiku
encourages her to "torment him until he weeps for shame."
The Lion and the Jewel Study Guide
Lakunle begs Sidi not to poke the lion, but she ignores him.
When she leaves, Sadiku mocks Lakunle for not being man
enough to pay Sidi's bride-price. Lakunle retorts with a long list
of modernizations, including banishing bride-prices, that he will
bring to their village.
The scene changes to Baroka's bedroom, where he sits poised
with a hired wrestler before a match. In the distance Sidi's
voice can be heard. She comes closer and closer before
startling everyone by walking right into the Bale's bedroom. At
first Baroka greets her roughly, startled by her rude entrance,
but he eventually warms to her presence. Sidi appears more
nervous in the Bale's presence than she thought she would be,
making boldly flirtatious remarks and then cowering under his
sharp remarks. When Sidi asks about his proposal, Baroka
pretends not to know what she's talking about, which knocks
Sidi's confidence. Eventually, Baroka admits that he did indeed
ask for her hand in marriage and that Sidi is welcome to visit
with him. He complains that he must hire new wrestlers
whenever he learns how to best them, just as he must marry
new wives whenever he learns to "tire" them.
Sidi continues the conversation by saying that a woman came
to her as a "go-between" for a marriage proposal today and
that she would like the Bale's opinion on whether she should
accept. She describes the intended man exactly as Baroka
himself, seeing just how far she can push the insults before
Baroka recognizes himself. She calls the intended man rich but
old, with many other wives and a taste for corn and pepper
because he's too cheap to buy snuff. The final comment
enrages Baroka, and he easily overpowers the wrestler, much
to Sidi's dismay. Even though it's clear that Baroka has
recognized himself in Sidi's descriptions, he continues to
question her about her intended as though he has not.
As he talks, he and the wrestler engage in an arm-wrestling
match at the table. Baroka tries to highlight some of his better
qualities—his kindness to animals, his hunting prowess, and his
frugality. Sidi turns each response into an insult, suggesting,
for example, that the man's animal skins were bought at the
market. Sidi's final insult comes when she says that the man
can no longer father children and that at night the man "turns
his buttocks / To his wives." Angered, Baroka slams the
wrestler's arm down and sulks to his bed. He accuses Sidi of
gossiping with Sadiku, but Sidi swears that she has heard
nothing from Sadiku other than that Baroka begged her to dine
with him tonight. Baroka rages in defense of himself, saying
that he knows Sidi has come here to taunt him and that he isn't
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Act Summaries 13
even interested in her. He claims that Sadiku makes the
mistake of proposing marriage to any woman he comments on.
Changing the subject, Baroka pulls a strange-looking machine
from beside his bed and shows it to Sidi. It's a stamp maker. He
asks whether Sidi knows what stamps are, and she admits
knowing that they're "a tax on / The habit of talking with
paper." Baroka announces that he had this machine specially
made to create his own stamps. He would like to use Sidi's
image as long as it isn't "too great / A burden, to carry the
country's mail / All on your comeliness." He vows to start small,
hand-cutting the stamps and only using them within the village
but eventually circulating his stamps more widely. He claims
not to hate modernity as so many have accused him, only to
hate the "nature / Which makes all roofs and faces look the
same." He sits next to Sidi on the bed and asks whether she,
too, finds "sameness" boring. Enraptured by Baroka's words,
Sidi silently nods. Baroka continues, patting Sidi gently on the
head. He says that until now, Sidi has done all her learning with
Lakunle but that he has things to teach her, too. He claims that
the old and new generations must learn from each other.
Enraptured by Baroka's words, Sidi lays her head on his
shoulder.
In the village square Lakunle and Sadiku wait for Sidi's return.
Lakunle grows anxious, fearing that Baroka has killed Sidi, but
Sadiku pays him no attention. Dancers and street performers
arrive, making the scene somewhat chaotic. Sadiku teases that
they must have heard the news about Baroka, and she reaches
into Lakunle's pockets for money to pay them. Sadiku stealthily
swipes coins from Lakunle's pockets and pays the dancers,
who dance "the dance of virility" with one dancer clearly
portraying Baroka. Female dancers surround "Baroka" and
dance tauntingly as "Baroka's" movements shift from athletic
to pained. On the sidelines Sadiku delights in the performance
and joins the dancers for the "kill." The rest of the dancers
depart, leaving only Sadiku to "dance on oblivion," revealing
"surprising agility for her age." Despite his initial protests to the
mockery, Lakunle enjoys the dance, yet he tells Sadiku that he
hopes Baroka "kills you for this."
Sidi bursts onto the scene, sobbing, and throws herself to the
ground. Shocked, Sadiku and Lakunle rush toward her, but Sidi
warns them, "Get away from me. Do not touch me." Lakunle
feels certain that Baroka has beaten her, but Sidi won't let him
touch her for comfort. He angrily announces that he'll kill
Baroka for this or at the very least take him to court. Sidi
interrupts his outburst with tearful sobs, saying that Baroka is a
The Lion and the Jewel Study Guide
liar and they are all fools, especially Sadiku. Baroka's
impotence was nothing more than a trick, which he boasted
about after deflowering Sidi: "How his frog-face croaked and
croaked / And called me a little fool!" Even though Sidi is no
longer a virgin, Lakunle promises to marry her.
Sidi runs off stage, and Lakunle congratulates himself for
finding another way around paying the bride-price. When Sidi
returns, she's dressed for a wedding, her belongings in hand.
Confused, Lakunle wonders why they must hurry. They can at
least wait a day. Not listening, Sidi hands him the book of
photographs, saying that she tried to destroy it but that her
fingers were too weak. She invites him to her wedding, which
confuses Lakunle: "I should hope so indeed / Since I am to
marry you." Surprised, Sidi turns to him and laughs, saying that
she could never marry Lakunle after feeling "the strength, /
The perpetual youthful zest / Of the panther of the trees."
After experiencing Baroka she could never choose "a watered-
down ... beardless version of an unripened man." As she walks
off stage, Sadiku wishes for the fertility gods to bless her. The
women walk off together, chanting a traditional song. A young
dancer prances around Lakunle, and he quickly follows her.
Analysis
When discussing Sidi's rape, it's important for modern
audiences to know that marital rape is not a crime in Nigeria. In
fact, it isn't named or recognized. The law states that all sexual
acts are made consensual through marriage, meaning that by
law, it is impossible for a husband to rape his wife. Although
Baroka and Sidi are not married, understanding the law helps
explain character reactions. Because Sidi agrees to marry
Baroka afterward, whatever act occurred before will likely be
swept under the rug. Given the patriarchal power structure in
Nigeria, it would be unlikely for a woman such as Sidi to make a
rape claim against her village chief or for her accusations to be
taken seriously. Even Sidi herself doesn't feel that a crime
occurred. She feels tricked, as if her hand has been forced in
the marriage proposal. In light of this cultural context, the rape
functions not as a crime but as a way of stripping Sidi of
agency, power, and value in a culture that ascribes monetary
value to virgins.
The play's emotional final scene showcases to audiences the
danger of government control. If The Lion and the Jewel is
viewed as an allegory for colonialism, Lakunle represents
colonial culture—in this case British culture—and Baroka
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Act Summaries 14
represents traditional village culture. Each man represents his
culture through his views on marriage. Lakunle wants a
"modern" marriage, in which Sidi is treated as his equal. He
does not want to partake in the traditional culture of paying a
dowry, and he wants a physically romantic relationship with his
wife. Initially, Baroka wants a traditional Nigerian marriage to
Sidi, one that functions more like a business proposal than a
romantic relationship. He will pay her bride-price and offer her
food and shelter in exchange. Husbands do not necessarily
expect an emotional relationship or even a friendship, hence
Baroka's disregard for the incompatibility of their personalities.
Sidi does the unexpected when, after she realizes the innate
value of her beauty, she attempts to harness agency to make
her own decisions. Unfortunately, Sidi does not know what she
wants to do with her newfound power. She just knows she
wants to lord it over the men who have threatened to control
her. In her naivete Sidi sets herself up to be exploited by
"foxes" who have more experience getting what they want.
When Sidi rejects Baroka's proposal, he takes her by force,
raping her and claiming her virginity. When he hears this,
Lakunle leaps at the opportunity to marry a "spoiled" woman.
Doing so excuses him from paying the traditional bride-price
(which he didn't want to pay anyway) and makes him feel
"modern" for overlooking Sidi's "flaw." In reality Lakunle
exploits Sidi's situation just as Baroka does—if not as violently.
Neither man cares what Sidi wants for herself. They seek to
obtain their "jewel," or "prize," at any cost. In this conflict
Soyinka argues that during decolonization, neither tradition nor
modernization is "better" when the Nigerian people cannot
choose for themselves.
In this scene three characters transform, or attempt to
transform, into the traditional trickster characters of African
folklore. Through the rape it is revealed that Baroka lied to
Sadiku about his impotence, in order to disarm Sidi. It's
possible he even anticipated her vanity and used the lie to lure
her to him. This would mean he premeditated her rape rather
than responding opportunistically. The earlier conversation
between Sadiku and Sidi, in which Sidi rejects the dinner offer
because "every woman who has supped with him one night, /
Becomes his wife or concubine the next," suggests a
behavioral pattern. In this way Soyinka suggests that Sidi
should have "known better" than to think she could outfox "the
panther of the trees." The intellectual struggle to outfox each
other is symbolized in Baroka's wrestling match. Although he
puts on a show of struggling to overpower his opponent, as
soon as he's annoyed, he easily wins. The same goes for his
The Lion and the Jewel Study Guide Quotes 15

mental match with Sidi. At first, he puts on a show of being — Sidi, Morning
confused about Sidi's presence. By the end of the scene he
has Sidi wrapped around his finger. He has completely
Sidi has no interest in love or romance. If Lakunle wants to
disarmed the once confident yet clearly naive girl. In this way
marry her, she expects him to pay the traditional bride-price.
Baroka emerges as the victorious trickster and Sidi the failed
Lakunle's hesitance to partake in such a "savage" tradition
trickster.
highlights the conflict between tradition and modernization in

Sadiku is also a cunning trickster. At the start of this scene the play.

Sadiku dances mockingly around Baroka's statue, loudly

delighting in his lost manhood. Just moments earlier Baroka
praised Sadiku as his "most faithful" wife and swore her to "Be a modern wife, look me in the
secrecy. So either Sadiku spent her entire marriage tricking
eye / And give me a little kiss."
Baroka into thinking she was trustworthy, or she's cooperating
in Baroka's trickery when she tells Sidi about his impotence.
Perhaps as a "faithful" wife, Sadiku concocts a tricky plan to — Lakunle, Morning
win Baroka his desired wife. If this were true, Sadiku knew Sidi
would fall victim to her own vanity. She encourages Sidi to Lakunle wants to embrace modernization at any cost,
"torment him until he weeps for shame." When Sidi returns and regardless of how it makes other villagers, including his
has been raped, Sadiku nonchalantly says, "Cheer up. It intended wife, feel. Lakunle's continued insistence on kissing
happens to the best of us." Her unemotional reaction suggests Sidi despite her disgust with the practice highlights how he
that she isn't surprised and perhaps even expected it all along. actually wants not an equal partner, but rather modernization
If Sadiku really felt excitement that Baroka was "scotched," at any cost.
surely she would mourn the news that it was a lie. Instead, she
takes Sidi back to Baroka's house, singing and dancing to a
traditional song. When Sadiku learns that Baroka's manhood
"I am greater than ... the living god
has been restored, she leaves the scene happy, even though
only shortly before, she had been celebrating its loss. among men."

— Sidi, Morning
g Quotes
Sidi feels empowered by seeing her beauty for the first time in
the magazine prints. She recognizes that her beauty is a
"You are as stubborn / As an commodity, allowing her agency to make a future for herself.
illiterate goat." This is a novel idea: choosing one's own future is reserved for
men.

— Lakunle, Morning

"It is five full months since last / I

Although Lakunle attempts to display chivalry toward Sidi in
the village square, he insults her intelligence, showing that no took a wife."
matter how modern he pretends to be, he still clings to the
belief that women are inferior to men. — Baroka, Morning

Baroka reveals his longing for Sidi and his desire to add to his
"Will you make me / A laughing- long list of wives. He lusts after young, beautiful virgins
stock?" because they make him feel masculine and powerful.

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The Lion and the Jewel Study Guide Quotes 16

commoditization of women in Nigerian culture.

"The greedy dog! Insatiate camel
of a foolish, doting race."
"Race of mighty lions, we always
— Lakunle, Noon
consume you."
Lakunle's outrage at Baroka's marriage proposal to Sidi
— Sadiku, Night
highlights his disgust with traditional marriage culture in
Nigeria. He finds polygamy unsavory and "barbaric" in contrast
to his idealized monogamy. Deep down, however, Lakunle is Sadiku secretly delights in her husband's impotence. She takes
simply jealous of Baroka. his lost manhood as proof that women are mightier than men
because they can suck the power from them.

"It is a rich life, Sidi."

"Goad him my child, torment him
— Sadiku, Noon until he weeps for shame."

Sadiku tries to convince Sidi to accept Baroka's marriage — Sadiku, Night

proposal. Despite Sidi's dislike for and lack of attraction to
Baroka, Sadiku continues to argue that she should accept. This
Sadiku reveals the depth of her unhappiness when she
highlights the nature of marriage in traditional Nigerian culture
encourages Sidi to shame Baroka for his impotence. Sadiku
has been Baroka's faithful wife for decades, suggesting that
traditional marriage customs are heavily flawed.
"He's a die-hard rogue / Sworn
against our progress."
"Will the smell of the wet soil be
— Lakunle, Noon too much for your delicate
nostrils?"
Lakunle perpetuates a common rumor that Baroka is simply
dead set against progress. This mindset fails to consider that
— Sadiku, Night
Baroka only agrees to modernization when it benefits him
personally. His selfish hoarding of power continues to strip
agency from his people, perpetuating the colonial mindset Sadiku mocks Lakunle's refusal to pay Sidi's bride-price by
even within a traditional setting. suggesting that he's less of a man because he works a "soft"
job rather than a physical one.

"I am withered and unsapped."

"She'll be found ... in a dark corner
— Baroka, Noon / Sulking like a slighted
cockroach."
Baroka laments having lost his "manhood," or his ability to
perform sexually. He claims to want to marry Sidi in the hopes
— Baroka, Night
of reviving his desire. This shows the objectification and

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The Lion and the Jewel Study Guide
Baroka compares his "Favorite" wife to a cockroach after she
accidentally injures his armpit. Statements such as this
highlight how little men value women, even their wives.
"Everything you say, Bale, / Seems
wise to me."
— Sidi, Night
In the moments before Baroka rapes Sidi, he speaks
eloquently about their "union," disarming and confusing her.
Because she's uneducated and naive, Sidi proves herself easy
to manipulate.
"Would I choose a watered-down,
/ A beardless version of unripened
man?"
— Sidi, Night
Sidi explains why she would choose to marry her rapist rather
than a man who claims to love her. Both men try to force Sidi
into a position where they can overpower her, either physically
or emotionally. Neither lets Sidi make her own decision,
stripping her of agency. In the end she chooses Baroka simply
because he's more powerful.
l Symbols
The Railroad
The railroad mentioned in "Noon" symbolizes modernization.
The railroad would have connected Ilujinle to the bustling
capital city of Lagos, allowing for trade, travel, and exposure to
cosmopolitan ways of life. Baroka bribed the developers to
move the railroad elsewhere, thus ensuring that his village
maintains its traditional practices and mindsets. To many
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Symbols 17
villagers, including Lakunle, it seems that Baroka rejects all
forms modernization, but in reality he rejects modernization
that he does not benefit from. This shows how the powerful
manipulate their position whether they are embracing tradition
or technology. One is not better than the other when corrupted
by greed.
The Baroka Statue
The Baroka statue symbolizes masculinity. The statue was
originally created for women, particularly Baroka's wives, to
worship. Even Sidi calls Baroka "the living god among men."
The statue highlights symbols of his masculinity, such as his
muscles and large penis. After he claims to be impotent,
however, Sadiku uses the imagery to further mock and shame
him. She dances around the statue and cheers that she has
"scotched" him, meaning that she has sucked the power from
him. When Baroka "loses" his ability to perform sexually, he is
viewed as less of a man to the village women.
m Themes
Tradition versus Modernization
The village of Ilujinle is stuck in the past. The villagers adhere
to traditional roles and beliefs despite the fact that larger
cities, such as the capital of Lagos, have modernized. Lakunle
represents the desire for modernization. He has been
educated in a British school in Lagos and admires Western
modern life, including railroads, "civilized" dining, and gender
equality. In contrast, Baroka, the village Bale (chief), represents
cultural tradition. On the surface he seems averse to
modernization, but as the play progresses, it becomes clear
that Baroka is only interested in modernization that directly
benefits him. He embraces the stamp machine because it will
make him money, for example, but rejects the railroad because
it would benefit everyone.
The push and pull between tradition and modernization can
The Lion and the Jewel Study Guide
clearly be seen in the dueling marriage proposals. Both Baroka
and Lakunle want to marry Sidi, but for different reasons.
Lakunle hopes Sidi will be his marital equal. He wants a wife to
"walk beside you in the street, / Side by side and arm in arm."
He wants a European-style wife with "stretched" hair and "red
paint on her lips," who kisses him passionately on the mouth. In
short, Lakunle wants a wife who symbolizes his modernization,
and as such, he refuses to pay Sidi's traditional bride-price.
Baroka, on the other hand, wants to marry Sidi because she's
beautiful and popular. As village Bale, he longs to add to his
harem of wives and concubines, proving his masculine strength
by "taming" beautiful, elusive women just as he hunts
dangerous wild animals in the jungle. At the end of the play
Sidi, the "jewel" who symbolizes Nigeria's innate beauty,
chooses Baroka over Lakunle. If audiences view The Lion and
the Jewel as a fable for 1960s Nigeria, Baroka represents
traditional village control, and Lakunle represents British
colonial control. In choosing Baroka, Soyinka appears to be
making a clear argument for preserving cultural tradition. Yet
when audiences remember that Baroka raped Sidi before her
choice, it becomes clear that neither tradition nor
modernization is a better choice when the Nigerian people
cannot choose for themselves. For Soyinka and Sidi, being
forced one way or the other tarnishes the country's natural
beauty and resilience.
Gender Roles, Marriage, and
Power
In Ilujinle characters adhere to strict gender roles. Women are
expected to fulfill domestic roles, and men work traditional jobs
and make most of the decisions. The gender roles depicted in
The Lion and The Jewel are representative of gender roles in
Nigeria, particularly during the 1960s. On the surface it
appears that Soyinka makes an argument for equality through
modernization. Lakunle describes a modern marriage as one
where the husband and wife are equal, walking side by side in
the street. No wife of Lakunle will fetch, carry, cook, or scrub.
In his proposal Lakunle presents gender roles as "savage" and
"ignoble" in contrast to his modern, "respectful" marriage. Yet
while he criticizes traditional roles, he maintains the view that
women are inferior by mocking and shaming Sidi. He calls her
"ignorant" and "uncivilized," at one point suggesting that she
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Symbols 18
couldn't possibly understand his offer because "as a woman,
you have a smaller brain than mine." He also uses physical
dominance to kiss Sidi against her wishes, not asking for
consent or apologizing when she recoils in disgust.
In this way Lakunle's presentation of marriage differs little from
Baroka's traditional view, which is purely functional and
completely devoid of romance. In Baroka's view marriage is a
contract that primarily benefits the man: he marries the wife of
his choosing. She bears him children, maintains his house,
grooms him, and cooks for him. The woman has very little
agency—she remains subservient to the man, who makes most
of the household decisions. Men are free to pursue education
and jobs, but women are not. When Sidi tries to assert agency
in her own decisions (rejecting Baroka, demanding a bride-
price), men try to take her by force. Baroka rapes Sidi, and
Lakunle offers to marry her without a bride-price (suggesting
that no one else would marry her now that she's "spoiled.") If
The Lion and the Jewel is meant to be read as a fable about
colonization, Baroka represents traditional village culture, and
Lakunle represents colonial culture. Postcolonial literature
often deals with themes of hybridity and otherness as
decolonized people struggle to identify their culture. The push
and pull between Baroka and Lakunle represents the dangers
of forcing people to identify. Rather, Soyinka sends the
message that to be powerful, people should be allowed to
choose their own fate.
Trickery
African fables traditionally include an archetypal trickster
character—one that bends or breaks rules to get what they
want. Tricksters may use their wiles to survive dangerous
situations or to impart a moral or lesson to audiences. Soyinka
clearly presents Baroka as a trickster. He lies to Sadiku about
his impotence, knowing his wife would spread the gossip, thus
disarming Sidi and allowing him to make his advances on her.
Sidi attempts to be a trickster when she travels to Baroka's
house to shame him, hoping to expand the sense of power her
photographs first introduced. Unfortunately, her attempted
trickery results in her rape.
Sadiku wants to make a marital match between Sidi and
Baroka to maintain her position of power among the wives and
The Lion and the Jewel Study Guide Symbols 19

to ensure she isn't pulled back into the demeaning jobs (such
plucking armpit hairs) reserved for newer wives. On the
surface Sadiku seems unfaithful for spreading rumors of
Baroka's impotence, yet in the scene previous Baroka praises
her for being his "eldest ... most faithful wife." So either Sadiku
has tricked Baroka into trusting her fidelity for decades, or she
cooperates with Baroka's ploy by tricking Sidi into believing the
impotence lie. At the end of the play, after Sidi reveals Baroka's
rape, Sadiku nonchalantly responds, "Cheer up. It happens to
the best of us," before walking back to Baroka's palace,
singing, with Sidi at her side. This response suggests that
Sadiku, not Baroka, should be called "The Fox."

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