The Lion and the Jewel

by

Wole Soyinka

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Lakunle Character Analysis

Lakunle is the young schoolteacher in Ilujinle. He was educated in Lagos, presumably in a British school, which results in Lakunle's overblown sense of his grasp of English. He wishes to modernize the village and wants Sidi to marry him and be a "modern wife." In keeping with his values, Lakunle refuses to pay Sidi's bride price and instead tries to woo her with flowery language and biblical references. Lakunle speaks about village life and customs as though he finds them abhorrent, though he does seem to enjoy the village’s dance performances.

Lakunle Quotes in The Lion and the Jewel

The The Lion and the Jewel quotes below are all either spoken by Lakunle or refer to Lakunle. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Tradition vs. Modernity Theme Icon
).
Morning Quotes

Lakunle: You could wear something.
Most modest women do. But you, no.
You must run around naked in the streets.
Does it not worry you... the bad names,
The lewd jokes, the tongue-licking noises
Which girls, uncovered like you,
Draw after them?

Sidi: ...Is it Sidi who makes the men choke
In their cups, or you, with your big loud words
And no meaning?

Related Characters: Sidi (speaker), Lakunle (speaker)
Page Number: 3
Explanation and Analysis:

For that, what is a jewel to pigs?
If now I am misunderstood by you
And your race of savages, I rise above taunts
And remain unruffled.

Related Characters: Lakunle (speaker), Sidi
Page Number: 3
Explanation and Analysis:

Well go there. Go to these places where
Women would understand you
If you told them of your plans with which
You oppress me daily.

Related Characters: Sidi (speaker), Lakunle
Page Number: 5
Explanation and Analysis:

Wasted! Wasted! Sidi, my heart
Bursts into flowers with my love.
But you, you and the dead of this village
Trample it with feet of ignorance.

Related Characters: Lakunle (speaker), Sidi
Page Number: 6
Explanation and Analysis:

A savage custom, barbaric, out-dated,
Rejected, denounced, accursed,
Excommunicated, archaic, degrading,
Humiliating, unspeakable, redundant.
Retrogressive, remarkable, unpalatable.

Related Characters: Lakunle (speaker), Sidi
Page Number: 7
Explanation and Analysis:

Ignorant girl, can you not understand?
To pay the price would be
To buy a heifer off the market stall.

Related Characters: Lakunle (speaker), Sidi
Page Number: 8
Explanation and Analysis:

It's never any use.
Bush-girl you are, bush-girl you'll always be.
Uncivilized and primitive—bush-girl!

Related Characters: Lakunle (speaker), Sidi
Page Number: 9
Explanation and Analysis:

You are dressed like him
You look like him
You speak his tongue
You think like him
You're just as clumsy
In your Lagos ways—
You'll do for him!

Related Characters: Sidi (speaker), Lakunle, The Stranger
Page Number: 7
Explanation and Analysis:
Noon Quotes

My name is Sidi, and I am beautiful.
The stranger took my beauty
And placed it in my hands.

Related Characters: Sidi (speaker), Lakunle, Baroka, Sadiku, The Stranger
Related Symbols: The Magazine
Page Number: 20
Explanation and Analysis:

Voluptuous beast! He loves this life too well
To bear to part from it. And motor roads
And railways would do just that, forcing
Civilization at his door.

Related Characters: Lakunle (speaker), Baroka
Page Number: 25
Explanation and Analysis:
Night Quotes

For though you're nearly seventy,
Your mind is simple and unformed.
Have you no shame that at your age,
You neither read nor write nor think?

Related Characters: Lakunle (speaker), Sadiku
Page Number: 37
Explanation and Analysis:

Ah, I forget. This is the price I pay
Once every week, for being progressive.
Prompted by the school teacher, my servants
Were prevailed upon to form something they call
The Palace Workers' Union. And in keeping
With the habits—I am told—of modern towns,
This is their day off.

Related Characters: Baroka (speaker), Sidi, Lakunle
Page Number: 38
Explanation and Analysis:

The old must flow into the new, Sidi,
Not blind itself or stand foolishly
Apart. A girl like you must inherit
Miracles which age alone reveals.

Related Characters: Baroka (speaker), Sidi, Lakunle
Related Symbols: Postage Stamps
Page Number: 54
Explanation and Analysis:

Dear Sidi, we shall forget the past.
This great misfortune touches not
The treasury of my love.
But you will agree, it is only fair
That we forget the bride-price totally
Since you no longer can be called a maid.

Related Characters: Lakunle (speaker), Sidi, Baroka, Sadiku
Page Number: 60
Explanation and Analysis:

A present from Sidi.
I tried to tear it up
But my fingers were too frail.

Related Characters: Sidi (speaker), Lakunle
Related Symbols: The Magazine
Page Number: 63
Explanation and Analysis:
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Lakunle Quotes in The Lion and the Jewel

The The Lion and the Jewel quotes below are all either spoken by Lakunle or refer to Lakunle. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Tradition vs. Modernity Theme Icon
).
Morning Quotes

Lakunle: You could wear something.
Most modest women do. But you, no.
You must run around naked in the streets.
Does it not worry you... the bad names,
The lewd jokes, the tongue-licking noises
Which girls, uncovered like you,
Draw after them?

Sidi: ...Is it Sidi who makes the men choke
In their cups, or you, with your big loud words
And no meaning?

Related Characters: Sidi (speaker), Lakunle (speaker)
Page Number: 3
Explanation and Analysis:

For that, what is a jewel to pigs?
If now I am misunderstood by you
And your race of savages, I rise above taunts
And remain unruffled.

Related Characters: Lakunle (speaker), Sidi
Page Number: 3
Explanation and Analysis:

Well go there. Go to these places where
Women would understand you
If you told them of your plans with which
You oppress me daily.

Related Characters: Sidi (speaker), Lakunle
Page Number: 5
Explanation and Analysis:

Wasted! Wasted! Sidi, my heart
Bursts into flowers with my love.
But you, you and the dead of this village
Trample it with feet of ignorance.

Related Characters: Lakunle (speaker), Sidi
Page Number: 6
Explanation and Analysis:

A savage custom, barbaric, out-dated,
Rejected, denounced, accursed,
Excommunicated, archaic, degrading,
Humiliating, unspeakable, redundant.
Retrogressive, remarkable, unpalatable.

Related Characters: Lakunle (speaker), Sidi
Page Number: 7
Explanation and Analysis:

Ignorant girl, can you not understand?
To pay the price would be
To buy a heifer off the market stall.

Related Characters: Lakunle (speaker), Sidi
Page Number: 8
Explanation and Analysis:

It's never any use.
Bush-girl you are, bush-girl you'll always be.
Uncivilized and primitive—bush-girl!

Related Characters: Lakunle (speaker), Sidi
Page Number: 9
Explanation and Analysis:

You are dressed like him
You look like him
You speak his tongue
You think like him
You're just as clumsy
In your Lagos ways—
You'll do for him!

Related Characters: Sidi (speaker), Lakunle, The Stranger
Page Number: 7
Explanation and Analysis:
Noon Quotes

My name is Sidi, and I am beautiful.
The stranger took my beauty
And placed it in my hands.

Related Characters: Sidi (speaker), Lakunle, Baroka, Sadiku, The Stranger
Related Symbols: The Magazine
Page Number: 20
Explanation and Analysis:

Voluptuous beast! He loves this life too well
To bear to part from it. And motor roads
And railways would do just that, forcing
Civilization at his door.

Related Characters: Lakunle (speaker), Baroka
Page Number: 25
Explanation and Analysis:
Night Quotes

For though you're nearly seventy,
Your mind is simple and unformed.
Have you no shame that at your age,
You neither read nor write nor think?

Related Characters: Lakunle (speaker), Sadiku
Page Number: 37
Explanation and Analysis:

Ah, I forget. This is the price I pay
Once every week, for being progressive.
Prompted by the school teacher, my servants
Were prevailed upon to form something they call
The Palace Workers' Union. And in keeping
With the habits—I am told—of modern towns,
This is their day off.

Related Characters: Baroka (speaker), Sidi, Lakunle
Page Number: 38
Explanation and Analysis:

The old must flow into the new, Sidi,
Not blind itself or stand foolishly
Apart. A girl like you must inherit
Miracles which age alone reveals.

Related Characters: Baroka (speaker), Sidi, Lakunle
Related Symbols: Postage Stamps
Page Number: 54
Explanation and Analysis:

Dear Sidi, we shall forget the past.
This great misfortune touches not
The treasury of my love.
But you will agree, it is only fair
That we forget the bride-price totally
Since you no longer can be called a maid.

Related Characters: Lakunle (speaker), Sidi, Baroka, Sadiku
Page Number: 60
Explanation and Analysis:

A present from Sidi.
I tried to tear it up
But my fingers were too frail.

Related Characters: Sidi (speaker), Lakunle
Related Symbols: The Magazine
Page Number: 63
Explanation and Analysis: