Tragic Hero
In Chinua Achebe’s novel
Things Fall Apart
, Okonkwo plays the role of a tragic hero and tragic heroes come with tragic flaws. Throughout this novel Okonkwo demonstrates many characteristics of a tragic hero; The ability to suffer, qualities, fatal flaw, pride, a journey and how he falls at the end. He accomplishes all these criterias and therefore comes into conflict against himself to prove himself worthy of his tribe.He is a great warrior and everyone looks up to him to keep them safe but at the end it all falls down. Okonkwo has suffered a lot in his lifetime. He started out poor and had to work very hard to rise through the kings in his tribe. Because killing a clansman is a crime against the earth goddess, Okonkwo was exiled from his own village for seven years, which destroyed his hopes of becoming a lord. On page 131 Uchendu says “Its Okonkwo that i primarily wish to speak to.
But i want all of you to note what i am going to say. I am an old man and you are all children.”
Uchendu clearly tells Okonkwo to man up just because he has to start all over doesn't mean it ends right there. This pains kills Okonkwo to know that things change over time especially traditions. Even though Okonkwo cares strongly about his village, he might not be a good leader because he cares even more about his own image. This became apparent when he beat his wife during the sacred Week of Peace which makes it a bad quality. “After waiting in vain for her dish he went to her hut to see what she was doing. There was nobody in the hut and the fireplace was cold.” Ojiugo had gone to her friends house to plait her hair and did not return early enough to cook the afternoon meal. When she did come he beat her, he wasn't the kind of men to stop beating somebody halfway through. It was unheard of to beat someone during the Week of
Peace, but Okonkwo did it anyway because he didn't want to look weak. However Okonkwo had good qualities as well, he was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond.
“During the planting season Okonkwo worked daily on his farms” He worked really hard to earn his first seed yams, no matter what he put in enough effort to earn his title in Umuofia. Okonkwo’s tragic flaws isn't that he was afraid of work, but rather his fear of weakness and failure which stems from his father’s, Unoka, unproductive life and disgraceful death.
“Perhaps down in his heart Okonkwo was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness.” Okonkwo’s father was a lazy, carefree man whom had a reputation of being “poor and his wife and children had barely enough to eat.” People laughed at him because he was a loafer, and they swore never to lend him any more money because he never paid back. Okonkwo never wanted to be like his father, he wanted to always be a successful hardworking man.
Things Fall Apart
, Okonkwo plays the role of a tragic hero and tragic heroes come with tragic flaws. Throughout this novel Okonkwo demonstrates many characteristics of a tragic hero; The ability to suffer, qualities, fatal flaw, pride, a journey and how he falls at the end. He accomplishes all these criterias and therefore comes into conflict against himself to prove himself worthy of his tribe.He is a great warrior and everyone looks up to him to keep them safe but at the end it all falls down. Okonkwo has suffered a lot in his lifetime. He started out poor and had to work very hard to rise through the kings in his tribe. Because killing a clansman is a crime against the earth goddess, Okonkwo was exiled from his own village for seven years, which destroyed his hopes of becoming a lord. On page 131 Uchendu says “Its Okonkwo that i primarily wish to speak to.
But i want all of you to note what i am going to say. I am an old man and you are all children.”
Uchendu clearly tells Okonkwo to man up just because he has to start all over doesn't mean it ends right there. This pains kills Okonkwo to know that things change over time especially traditions. Even though Okonkwo cares strongly about his village, he might not be a good leader because he cares even more about his own image. This became apparent when he beat his wife during the sacred Week of Peace which makes it a bad quality. “After waiting in vain for her dish he went to her hut to see what she was doing. There was nobody in the hut and the fireplace was cold.” Ojiugo had gone to her friends house to plait her hair and did not return early enough to cook the afternoon meal. When she did come he beat her, he wasn't the kind of men to stop beating somebody halfway through. It was unheard of to beat someone during the Week of
Peace, but Okonkwo did it anyway because he didn't want to look weak. However Okonkwo had good qualities as well, he was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond.
“During the planting season Okonkwo worked daily on his farms” He worked really hard to earn his first seed yams, no matter what he put in enough effort to earn his title in Umuofia. Okonkwo’s tragic flaws isn't that he was afraid of work, but rather his fear of weakness and failure which stems from his father’s, Unoka, unproductive life and disgraceful death.
“Perhaps down in his heart Okonkwo was not a cruel man. But his whole life was dominated by fear, the fear of failure and of weakness.” Okonkwo’s father was a lazy, carefree man whom had a reputation of being “poor and his wife and children had barely enough to eat.” People laughed at him because he was a loafer, and they swore never to lend him any more money because he never paid back. Okonkwo never wanted to be like his father, he wanted to always be a successful hardworking man.