This question is based on THE LION AND THE JEWEL. The indication that Soyinka's "The Lion and the Jewel" is culturally set is its use of_____

Analyze the question The question asks which feature shows that Wole Soyinka's The Lion and the Jewel is culturally set, meaning rooted in a particular people's traditions, customs and way of life (here, Yoruba culture in the village of Ilujinle).

Explain the concept A culturally set work uses elements drawn from the community's real traditions. In African drama, these usually include:

• Dance, music and songs
• Proverbs and oral tradition
• Festivals and rituals
• Traditional dress, marriage customs (bride price) and the role of elders

Literary techniques like flashback, foreshadowing and irony are devices that any play from any culture can use. They do not show a specific cultural setting.

Solution

• A. Dance and songs: The play is full of them. Examples are the dance of the village girls, the mime of the "Dance of the Lost Traveller" (which re-enacts the arrival of the stranger and the coming of the camera and the railway), and the songs of Baroka's wives and the village folk. These are distinctly Yoruba and show the cultural setting. ✔
• B. Flashback: The play doesn't rely on this as a cultural marker. It is a general technique.
• C. Foreshadowing: This is a general technique and not specific to culture.
• D. Irony: Irony exists in the play (Baroka's trick of feigned impotence, for instance), but it is a general literary device, not a cultural indicator.

Answer: A, dance and songs.

Exam tip When a question says "culturally set" or "African setting", look for the option naming cultural elements (dance, songs, proverbs, festivals, rituals) rather than a literary technique (irony, flashback, foreshadowing).