exposes his lack of practical wisdom Again Lakunle tries to court Sidi in the following manner Be a modern wife look me in the eye And give me a little kiss Rejection of Tradition Lakunle rejects many of the village's traditional customs and practices He considers the customs backdated and superstitious His refusal to pay the bride price for Sidi the village beauty is a significant example of his disdain for traditional norms On the other hand Sidi thinks marrying without the bride price would make her a laughing object Sidi says Will you make me A laughing-stock It sets the stage for the conflict between Lakunle and the traditionalist characters in the play Idealistic and Romantic Lakunle is portrayed as an ideological and romantic character He is fascinated by Sidi and desires to marry her However his approach is unconventional as he wants to marry her without paying the bride price This unconventional approach reflects his rejection of traditional marriage customs Comic Relief Lakunle also serves as a source of comic relief in the play His interactions with Sidi his attempts to impress her with his modern ideas and his comical misunderstandings contribute to the humorous elements of the drama In Act Scene Lakunle approaches Sidi and tries to express his admiration for her beauty using Shakespearean language He says When I behold the heavens on a starry night and contemplate the infinite marvels of the universe thou alone makest my heart to flutter like the wings of a butterfly Unfamiliar with Shakespearean language Sidi is confused and responds straightforwardly and practically She says Why do you talk like a madman What are you saying nbsp Lakunle's attempt to use lofty and poetic language to woo Sidi becomes a source of humor because of the stark contrast between his romantic Shakespearean expressions and Sidi's down-to-earth response Symbol of Change Lakunle can symbolize the changing times and the clash between tradition and modernity in post-colonial Africa His character represents the challenge that traditional societies face when confronted with the influence of Western education and values Lack of Practicality Despite his education Lakunle is often portrayed as impractical and naive His idealistic views and refusal to conform to traditional norms lead to humorous situations and contribute to the satire in the play In The Lion and the Jewel Soyinka uses Lakunle's character to explore themes of cultural clash the impact of modern education on traditional societies and the complexities of social change in post-colonial Africa