the jungle He is a symbol of tradition He represents the older generation in the village Baroka sees it as his duty to preserve the customs such as polygamy and the bride-price Polygamy is Baroka s way of maintaining traditional customs Baroka marries a new wife every few months He says It is five full months since last I took a wife Despite his age Baroka is still active and proud of his masculinity Baroka s cleverness is like that of a lion hunting its prey In the play he pretends to be impotent and uses this lie to trick Sidi When Sidi comes to his house to mock his manhood he rapes her Ultimately he gets her as his wife The title highlights Baroka s dominant role in the play The title also suggests Baroka s ability to outsmart others especially Lakunle the modern-thinking schoolteacher The Jewel Sidi Sidi the Jewel represents beauty youth and vitality She is the pride of the village Her stunning appearance makes her the center of attention The title refers to her as a jewel because jewels are rare valuable and admired just like Sidi is admired for her beauty The foreign photographer captures her image for the magazine to show the world her charm However the title also hints at Sidi s objectification Just as a jewel can be owned Sidi becomes a prize that both Baroka and Lakunle compete for Baroka wants her as a new wife to add to his harem On the other hand Lakunle wants a modern marriage where he and his wife are equals He wants Sidi to be a modern wife as he says to Sidi Be a modern wife look me in the eye And give me a little kiss Sidi s own vanity grows after she sees her photographs in the magazine Sidi tells Sadiku I am the twinkle of a jewel Sidi s pride blinds her to Baroka s cunning By the end of the play she loses her independence and becomes part of Baroka s collection of wives much like a jewel in a treasure chest Symbolism of the Title The title also echoes the themes of power and deception Baroka uses his cunning and tricks to hunt and capture Sidi just as a lion hunts its prey Sidi the jewel symbolizes the beauty and value of tradition and culture She also becomes a prize for the men to compete over The title shows how power and control are central to the play as well as the clash between tradition Baroka and modernity Lakunle To wrap up the title The Lion and the Jewel is perfect for Wole Soyinka s play It captures the essence of the main characters and their roles in the story Baroka s strength and cleverness as the lion and Sidi s beauty and pride as the jewel are central to the plot The title also captures the play s deeper themes such as power deception and the relationship between tradition and modernity