This question is based on Wole Soyinka's The Lion and the Jewel. The division of the play into morning, noon and night signifies unity of

Assessment: JAMB UTME - Literature In English - 2025 Subject: Literature In English

Question 1 Report

This question is based on Wole Soyinka's The Lion and the Jewel.

The division of the play into morning, noon and night signifies unity of

Answer Details

The division of Wole Soyinka's The Lion and the Jewel into "Morning," "Noon," and "Night" signifies the unity of time. In classical dramatic theory, the three unities are unity of action (one main plot), unity of place (one setting), and unity of time (events occurring within a single day or a brief, continuous period).

By structuring the play around three parts of a single day - morning, noon, and night - Soyinka signals that all the major events unfold within the span of one day. The rivalry between Lakunle and Baroka for Sidi's affection, Sadiku's false report of Baroka's impotency, Sidi's visit to Baroka, and the resolution of the love contest all take place within this compressed time frame. This adherence to the unity of time gives the play a sense of dramatic intensity and inevitability.

Unity of place (or space) would require all events to occur in a single location, which is not what the morning/noon/night division indicates. Unity of action concerns the plot having one main storyline without unrelated subplots, which is a separate structural consideration from the time divisions.

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