The "jewel" in the play The Lion and the Jewel refers to the character Sidi. Sidi is a beautiful young woman who is coveted and pursued by both Lakunle and Baroka during the play. After a foreign photographer features her images in a popular magazine, Sidi gains fame and notoriety throughout her village of Ilujinle. When Sidi sees her images in the magazine, she becomes conceited. When Sadiku tells Sidi that Baroka wants her as his wife, Sidi rejects his offer and begins to ridicule the Bale. Sidi believes Baroka is simply jealous of her and wants to restore himself to his previously esteemed position. One page 21, Sidi says, "He seeks new fame as the one man who has possessed the jewel of Ilujinle!" Sidi refers to herself as the "jewel" because she is beautiful and precious. Baroka, who is referred to as the "lion" in the play, eventually deceives Sidi into believing that he is impotent and takes her virginity. Sidi, the "jewel," marries Baroka, the "lion," which is why the play is titled The Lion and the Jewel.
Does anybody know the etymology of the phrase "sweet dreams"? I tried googling but did not find anything satisfying. Is this a relatively new phrase of the modern world or has this been in use for some time? I think it's the latter one. Answer The OED has the interjection as "a farewell to someone going to bed" from the 20th century: 1908 Sears Roebuck Catal. 198/1 Tenor Solos..Good Bye, Sweet Dreams, Good Bye. But it goes back until at least the 19th and possibly 18th centuries. John Wolcot, writing under the pseudonym of Peter Pindar, used it in his poem "Orson and Ellen; A Legendary Tale" published in 1801: Also from 1801 in The infernal Quixote (Page 287) by Charles Lucas: In the March 1776 of The Universal Magazine was published "The Serenade. A Pastoral Tale. From the German of Gesner" , where the shepherd Daphnis watches over his beloved as she sleeps and sings: The same tale appears in 1776's as Idyl XI, " Daphnis ...
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