of living including technology Western marriage customs and gender equality Lakunle refuses to pay Sidi s bride-price because he considers it an outdated and barbaric tradition He values modern thinking over tradition Lakunle thinks paying bride-price for a wife is like buying a cow from the village market To pay the price would be To buy a heifer off the market stall Lakunle wants a modern marriage where he and his wife are equals He wants Sidi to be a modern wife as he says Be a modern wife look me in the eye And give me a little kiss Baroka however views Sidi as a prize to add to his harem of wives 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 In the end Baroka tricks Sidi and rapes her Sidi chooses Baroka over Lakunle This fact suggests that tradition still holds strong in the village However Soyinka suggests that neither tradition nor modernization is perfect when it is forced on other s free will Gender Roles Marriage and Power The play also explores the roles and expectations of men and women in society In Ilujinle women are expected to be submissive take care of domestic duties and fulfill their husbands desires Men on the other hand are seen as decision-makers Men are the symbols of strength and power Sidi challenges these expectations by refusing Lakunle to marry without her bride-price She believes marrying without her bride-price would make her a laughing object in the village She tells Lakunle Will you make me A laughing-stock Lakunle claims to believe in equality but his actions show otherwise He calls Sidi ignorant and insults her intelligence You are as stubborn As an illiterate goat It suggests that Lakunle s modern beliefs are shallow Baroka while deeply rooted in tradition uses his power to manipulate and control women He tricks Sidi and rapes her Pride and Vanity Sidi s character symbolizes pride and vanity especially after seeing her photographs in a magazine She becomes obsessed with her beauty She believes it gives her power over others including Baroka Sidi says I am greater than the living god among men However her vanity blinds her to Baroka s cunning nature and she falls into his trap Baroka also displays pride in his status as the Bale Trickery Trickery is a recurring theme in the play Baroka is portrayed as a clever trickster who uses lies and manipulation to get what he wants He pretends to be impotent knowing that Sadiku his wife will spread the news This trick lures Sidi to his home where he ultimately rapes her Sidi tries to outsmart Baroka by mocking him but her inexperience and vanity lead to her failure In conclusion The Lion and the Jewel is a rich exploration of the tension between tradition and modernity gender roles marriage pride and trickery Soyinka emphasizes the corrupted African culture as well as how the youth should embrace the original African culture