Plot Analysis of the Play: The Lion and The Jewel

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INTRODUCTION

In the play “THE LION AND THE JEWEL” we can see the ignorant atmosphere of the people in the village of “ILUJINLE” in such village we can saw a “CUNNING WOMAN SIDI” who wanted to attract many men but wanted a husband of royal status who would pay a bride-price for her let as see about it and getting a cunning “RESPONSE FOR SIDI’S CUNNING WISH”.

Foolish Lakunle

The people of Ilujinle village called Lakunle the hero of the play and who was the village school master a fool as he wanted to change the village people “TO COME OUT OF THEIR IGNORANT AND SUPERSTITIOUS WAY OF LIFE”. He also spoke many words from his little dictionary which was unknown to the village people he wanted to protect the “VILLAGE FROM THE LION BAROKA WHO EXPLOITED THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE VILLAGE AS HE RESTRICTED IN LAYING RAILWAY LINES WHICH WOULD AFFECT HIS BUSINESS THROUGH CART”. Though Lakunle wanted to do everything for the “UPLIFTMENT OF THE VILLAGE” and its people, he was “NOT WISE ENOUGH” to handle it.

Immoral Sidi

Lakunle was a poor village school teacher who had greater admiration for Sidi, “THE VILLAGE BEAUTY WHO WANTED EVERYMAN TO LOOK AT HER SO, SHE MADE A SHOW OFF” when carrying a pail of water, through her way of walking and improper dressing which did not cover the parts of her neck and shoulders. Sidi wanted to attract Lakunle also and “BEING LITTLE INFLUENCED BY HIS LOVE BUT DID NOT ACCEPT HIM FULLY AS HE WAS NOT ENOUGH TO PAY A BRIDE-PRICES FOR HER”.

Passion of Baroka

A photograph of Sidi appeared in the central page and cover of the magazine in which “HER PRIDE WENT BEYOND WITHOUT HAVING ANY LIMITS”. Baroka the antagonist...

... middle of paper ...

... DECEIVED

BY THE CUNNING FOX BAROKA

WHICH PROVED

US

WE SHOULD AVOID THE

CRUEL CUNNINGNESS

FROM OUR ENTIRE LIFE

TO LEAD OUR LIFE

IN A HAPPY AND PROSPEROUS WAY”

BIBLIOGRAPHY

 Title: The Lion and the Jewel

Author: Soyinka, Wole

Length: 65 pages

Genre: Fiction, Drama

Publisher / Year: Oxford University Press / 1962

Source: Used bookstore in Johannesburg

 The Lion and the Jewel. – London: Oxford Univ. Press, 1963

 Agetua, John, When the Man Died. Benin City, Nigeria: Bendel Newspaper Corp., 1975. HV9865.5 A15

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