The Lion and The Jewel main character Sidi sitting in the middle of the picture wearing a striped dress with the outlines of two male faces on other side of her

The Lion and the Jewel

by Wole Soyinka

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Discussion Topic

Baroka's Cleverness in "The Lion and the Jewel"

Summary:

In "The Lion and the Jewel," Baroka is portrayed as cleverer than Lakunle due to his wisdom, life experience, and strategic thinking. While Lakunle, the modernist schoolteacher, appears shallow and clumsy, Baroka, the village Bale, skillfully navigates situations to benefit Ilujinle. Baroka cleverly prevents a railroad through bribery and gains village prestige by welcoming a foreign photographer. His cunning is further shown in his successful plan to seduce Sidi by exploiting her vanity and spreading false rumors of impotence.

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Why is Baroka portrayed as smarter than Lakunle in "The Lion and the Jewel"?

There are many reasons as to why Baroka is portrayed as being smarter than Lakunle. Although Lakunle is the village school teacher who is a proponent of modernization, he comes across as clumsy and shallow throughout the play. Lakunle tries to sound smart by using "big words," but is viewed throughout the village as a confused madman. Lakunle chooses to criticize the entire culture of Ilujinle, rather than make minor suggestions and speak about the traditional customs in a positive manner without offending everyone. Lakunle also fails at wooing Sidi, and foolishly believes that she is about to marry him at the end of the play. In comparison, Baroka is the wise Bale of the village who is esteemed throughout Ilujinle. He is much older than Lakunle, and his life experience is one reason he is portrayed as being smarter . Baroka successfully saves his village by bribing the surveyor...

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and also brings recognition to Ilujinle by openly accepting the foreign photographer.Baroka also exercises his wit in his elaborate plan to sleep with Sidi. His plan works to perfection, unlike Lakunle's stubborn petition to marry her. While Baroka is speaking to Sidi in his palace, he mentions that he does not oppose progress, but realizes its negative effects on the traditional culture and enviorment. Baroka also alludes to Christian doctrine and speaks in metaphors which display his intelligence. His entire character and the way he uses his intellect to get what he wants throughout life is the reason why Baroka is viewed as more intelligent than Lakunle.

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What moments in "The Lion and the Jewel" depict Baroka as clever?

Baroka is portrayed as the wisest character throughout the play The Lion and the Jewel and there are several scenes which depict his cleverness. In the first act entitled "Morning," the village girls participate in the "dance of the Lost Traveler" which depicts how the foreign photographer makes his way to the village of Ilujinle. After taking pictures of Sidi bathing, the lost traveler incurs the anger of the villagers, who bring him in front of the Odan tree. Baroka understands that the foreign photographer has the ability to give his village prestige and treats him with benevolence. Baroka cleverly gets him drunk and encourages him to take many photographs. The photographs end up in a magazine which portrays Ilujinle in a positive light.

Later on in the play, Lakunle explains how Baroka cleverly influenced the railroad surveyor to avoid running the tracks through the village of Ilujinle by giving him gifts and money. The surveyor "miraculously" looks at his map and declares that the ground is unsuitable to support the weight of a railroad. Baroka successfully foils the Public Works project by using his cleverness to bride the surveyor.
Baroka is also depicted as being a clever individual by successfully spreading a false rumor about his impotence to lure Sidi to his home where he convinces Sidi to sleep with him. Baroka knows that his wife, Sadiku, will gossip, which is why he tells her that he is impotent and no longer a man. Sadiku tells Sidi, and Sidi believes that Baroka is no longer a threat to her. When Sidi arrives at the Bale's palace, Baroka shows her a machine that makes stamps and promises Sidi that her face will be on every stamp leaving Ilujinle. Baroka cleverly uses Sidi's vanity against her and his plan works to perfection.

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