Background of the playwright, Wole Soyinka, setting of The Lion and the Jewel and plot of the drama book - week two

TOPIC – Background of the playwright, Wole Soyinka, setting of The Lion and the Jewel and plot of the drama book.

SPECIFIC OBJECTIVES:

By the end of the lesson, the students should be able to:

1. Identify the writer of The Lion and the Jewel.
2. State the setting of the drama book.
3. Narrate the story in the drama book. 

PLAYWRIGHT’S BACKGROUND:

Wole Soynika is a Nigerian dramatist. He wrote other books like A Dance of the forests, The Road, Kongi’s Harvest. He is born in July 13, 1934 in Abeokuta, Nigeria. He wrote three short plays:The trial of Brother Jero, Jero’s metamorphosis, You Must Set Forth At Dawn etc. He is also a political activist. He received noble prize for literature in 1986.

SETTING

It is set in Nigeria geographically especially in the Yoruba village called Ilunjinle. Physically, it is set at the village centre, where the school headed by Lakunle is located, at a road by the village market, behind the Odan tree, Baroka’s bedroom, at the market where night trading is taking place in the village of Ilunjinle.

The time frame of the drama is morning, noon and night. Socially,it is set when there is partial acceptance of modernity and all that come with it. Sidi like lakunle and his modernity but prefers Baroka the old and experienced in the culture the people and who can pay her bride price unlike Lakunle who prefers marrying her without bride price payment. It is set when Africans believe in polygamy as seen in Baroka the Lion. It is also set when Africa and its culture is seen by few modernized Africans as primitive, barbaric and uncivilized. This is seen in the life of the school teacher, Lakunle. The time setting indicates a traditional society undergoing some changes between tradition and modernity.  

PLOT:

The lion and Jewel is a comedy play. The play started as Sidi, the village belle of Ilujinle enters the square with a pail of water. She meets with the village school teacher who takes her pail and berates her for carrying load on her head and dressing immodestly. Sidi informs him that he is a madman of the village and gets angry with him demanding her pail of water. Lakunle refuses telling her that soon machine will do all the hard work.  Lakunle tells Sidi to agree marrying him without pride price before he gives her the pail. He confess his love for her grabs Side and pecks her to her disgust and anger.

Later several young girls run up to Side to tell her that the stranger is back with a magazine that contains. The pictures of the village and villages especially that of Side is proud of her beautiful image in the magazine. Eventually, Sidi and the girls act as the stranger is forcefully acted by Lakunle.

Eventfully, the head of the village Baroka enters and joined to play the Chief. Later, he admires Sidi in the magazine and decides to get a new wife for himself as a polygamous man. Sadiku,  the senior wife to Baroka sends his intention to marry Sidi but Sidi rejects him.  Lakunle listens jealously. Sadiku tells her husband that Sidi rejects his proposal. Cunningly,  Baroka tells her of his impotence which she reveals to Sidi later. Sidi then visits Baroka to make a jest of him but finds out that Baroka is not impotent but strong. She realizes his plan to make a stamp machine with her image and hat of the village Baroka,  the Lion convinced her of his love to progress Ilujinle with the teacher.

Meanwhile Sadiku celebrates the downfall of Baroka as a man with mummers Immediately, Sidi comes in sobbing that the Lion tricked Sadiku about his impotency. He is strong man and disvirgined her. Lakunle still confesses his love for Sidi and wants to marry her. Confused,  Sidi starts preparing for her marriage and Lakunle claims he is not ready for the marriage. But, Sidi laughed at him and tells him she is getting married to Baroka. Sadiku blesses her and asked the gods for fertility on Sidi.

Finally, the festivities for the marriage began and Lakunle was invited by Sidi to attend.

EVALUATION

1. Identify the author of The Lion and the Jewel.
2. State the setting of the drama book
3. Narrate the story in the drama book

ASSIGNMENT

1. Relate the story in the lion and jewel to your life experience