LANGUAGE IN INDIA

Strength for Today and Bright Hope for Tomorrow

Volume 11 : 6 June 2011
ISSN 1930-2940

Managing Editor: M. S. Thirumalai, Ph.D.
Editors: B. Mallikarjun, Ph.D.
         Sam Mohanlal, Ph.D.
         B. A. Sharada, Ph.D.
         A. R. Fatihi, Ph.D.
         Lakhan Gusain, Ph.D.
         Jennifer Marie Bayer, Ph.D.
         S. M. Ravichandran, Ph.D.
         G. Baskaran, Ph.D.
         L. Ramamoorthy, Ph.D.

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Sidi’s Choice of Baroka and the Victory of Traditional Values over Western Ones in Wole Soyinka’s The Lion and the Jewel


Fariha Ishrat Chowdhury, M.A.

Abstract

The Lion and the Jewel is an interesting play to study if one wishes to learn more about Soyinka, Nigeria, the effect of Western influence on its colonies, and a good one to perform if one has a relatively small theatre group with an emphasis on group movement for the mime and the dance scenes.

Set in the Nigerian village of Ilujinle, it takes place over the course of a day and is divided in Morning, Noon and Night. Its major themes constitute of the notion of progress in an African setting, tradition, synchronism, love and marriage, and the conflict between traditional Nigerian Yoruba values and the Western influence of Nigeria’s colonizers.

The Lion and the Jewel is a satirical comedy with music, songs, and dance. Here we notice the treatment of serious issues in a generally light-hearted manner, content to oversimplify and to leave some issues unresolved with a view to providing an entertaining as well as provocative experience.

This paper presents a critical analysis of certain main characters with references to their activities and their possible interpretations in order to highlight the unpredictable ending of the play delineating tradition’s triumph over modernity.

The Development of Characters

In The Lion and the Jewel we are acquainted with three major characters: Sidi, Lakunle and Baroka. The play opens with Lakunle’s pursuit to win Sidi’s heart.

This is only the beginning part of the article. PLEASE CLICK HERE TO READ THE ARTICLE IN PRINTER-FRIENDLY VERSION.

Fariha Ishrat Chowdhury, M.A.
Assistant Professor
English Discipline
Khulna University
Khulna-9208
Bangladesh
farihaishrat@yahoo.com


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