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In The Lion and the Jewel by Wole Soyinka, what evidence is there that Sidi views her sexuality as a weapon, men as her opponents, and her...

In the first scene of the play entitled "Morning," the village girls tell Sidi that she has become famous because her image is throughout an entire magazine. Sidi is excited and believes that she is more esteemed than Baroka because of her fame. When the girls discuss how many leaves of the magazine her picture takes up, Lakunle counts three leaves, and Sidi says, "One leaf for every heart that I shall break" (Soyinka 13).


In the second scene of the play entitled "Noon," Sadiku tells Sidi that Baroka asks for her hand in marriage. Sidi is quick to reject Baroka's offer and begins to criticize him for his old age. Sidi has become conceited and believes that she is more important than the Bale of Ilujinle. Sidi looks at her images in the magazine and comments that she never noticed her velvet skin before. Lakunle feels guilty for not mentioning her skin and says that he would have said something, but believed it was not the proper thing to do. Sidi pushes out her breasts and says, "There's a deceitful message in my eyes beckoning insatiate men to certain doom. And teeth that flash the sign of happiness, strong and evenly, beaming full of life" (Soyinka 22).


Sidi's comments portray how she views her sexuality as a weapon to entice and bring doom upon men who become infatuated with her beauty. She mentions that she is looking forward to breaking men's hearts and views them as her opponents. In Yoruba culture, the payment of the bride-price is a very important custom. Sidi understands that her worth has elevated and views her virginity as a treasure. Initially, she is not willing to marry Baroka because of his age, which is a modern view of marriage, but eventually becomes his bride after he cunningly seduces her.

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