English Literature

Introduction
Women in the plays of Henrik Ibsen and Wole Soyinka essentially bring out the disparity between how the traditional patriarchal societies view them and how they want to be viewed. Hence, themes such as feminism and gender role abound in the works of these two playwrights. Ibsens play Hedda Gabler, which was first staged 1891, features a women character who is one of the most monstrous depictions of human secretiveness and vile. The eponymous title of the play refers to Hedda Gabler, the central character embodying Ibsens customary musings on social realism and role of women. Nearly seven decades later in 1959, Soyinkas The Lion and the Jewel was staged, eliciting positive critical feedback from various literary quarters. Unlike Hedda Gabler, this play glorifies the position of women within conventional social hierarchies. It goes without saying that African societies in the colonial era witnessed frequent European invasions. This triggered a change in customs and beliefs, bringing in a sense of modern sophistication among the otherwise primitive clans. Sidi, the lead woman in The Lion and the Jewel, embodies the free spirit of womanhood and stands apart from other women by virtue of her elusiveness and romantic disposition.

Thesis
This paper is going to make a critical comparison between Ibsens Hedda and Soyinkas Sidi, in terms of the impact both of them have on their respective societies and personal relations.

Hedda  Sidi
Like Nora in A Dolls House, Hedda is a manifestation of Ibsens concept of the new resolute woman. But unlike Nora, Hedda lacks the constructive impulses within her, which ultimately leads her to commit suicide. Being into a loveless marriage, she not only fails to perceive her innermost expectations, but also stretches herself to psychic repudiations of morality. In a way, her secretive ploys contradict her self-realization about the social status she finds herself in with her husband Jrgen Tesman. Elements of reality in Heddas personality are so repelling that they become unreal (Templeton, 2001, p.204).

Emotional  Psychological Attributes
Compared to Heddas anger and confused desperation (Penny, 1996, pp.59-78), Sidi on the other hand shows temperate attributes that make her an endearing young woman representing the changing role of women in the context of modern Africa. While Hedda is in a company of people who are more sane and normal than she is, Sidi is projected into a situation that is underlined by conflicts between patriarchal dominance and womens assertion to their rights. Peterson et al. (1988) argue that Sidi remains to be one of the most beautiful characters in literature, unperturbed by the presence of the buffoon that is Lakunle or the feudal crazy, vicious, decadent chief called Baroka (p.153).

Domestic Portrayals vs. Community Portrayals
The role played by Ibsens women in general conforms to a closely-knit family documentation of conflict. The same may be said about Hedda too, as her character wades through numerous adverse situations within the household. On the other hand, Soyinkas women such as Sidi are lot more exotic and free willed. The external pressures of society and routine domestic affairs do not weigh heavily on their mind in any way.

Love Triangle
Another valid point of resemblance between the two characters is that both of them find themselves enmeshed in a love triangle. While Sidi, courtesy of her charismatic demeanor, manages to avert the possibility of any further complication, Hedda miserably gives in to her psychopathic ways. It is worth noting in this context that the hypocritical shades of the society are painted by Ibsen in such a way that does not interfere into the readers interpretation of Heddas characteristic traits. What this means is that Hedda is destined to become a femme fatale, regardless of the external factors that are woven into the play.

Gender Identities
Gender identities occupy an important place in both plays. Hedda suffers from an inferiority complex out of her discordant self. She fails to accept the marital relationship she is in, but cannot take the required steps to come out of it. Her lack of conviction in general makes her doubtful about her feminine identity. This is further augmented by the fact that her rival in love Thea Elvsted succeeds in rehabilitating her former lover Ejlert Lvborg. It makes Hedda burn in anguish and vengeance, not because that is a normal feeling when ones love is replaced by another person, but because she cannot possibly express herself in intelligible ways.