The Lion and the Jewel

Sidi is the “jewel” referred to in the play’s title. She is young and beautiful, and is known as “the village belle.” Sidi represents an aspect of tradition in the play. She first appears carrying a pail of water on her head, a traditional women’s task. She also dresses traditionally. These attributes, though normal to Sidi, are signs of a primitive past to Lakunle. Sidi has turned down Lakunle’s marriage offer, and refuses to marry him because he in turn refuses to pay her bride-price. The bride-price is another custom that Sidi upholds, linking her to the traditions of their village, Ilujinle. Sidi is also viewed as vain. Her picture is taken by a foreigner and published in a magazine, placing her far above even the village chieftain, Bale Baroka. Her vanity is ultimately her undoing. She is tricked by the Bale into sleeping with him. In the end, and though she had earlier promised to never marry him, she leaves at the end of the play to marry the Bale, thus highlighting a perhaps necessary balance between the rashness of youth and the knowledge of age.