Okonkwo is a tragic hero in the classical sense: although he is a superior character, his tragic flaw—the equation of manliness with rashness, anger, and violence—brings about his own destruction.
Why is Okonkwo not a tragic hero?
Okonkwo is not a tragic hero merely due to his upbringing from very little and became such an important man in his society at such a tender young age . ... For a character to be classified as a true tragic hero they must fall from a high place because of a fault of theirs.
What type of person is Okonkwo?
Okonkwo is a self-made, well-respected member of the Umuofia clan . Though outwardly stern and powerful, much of his life is dictated by internal fear. His greatest, overwhelming worry is that he will become like his father – lazy, unable to support his family, and cowardly.
Why was Okonkwo a bad person?
He beats his wives and doesn’t have a good handle on his emotions. He is driven by fear , and that leads to destructive behavior, like killing Ikemefuna and disowning his oldest son. Okonkwo holds his children to high standards.
Is Okonkwo a tragic hero essay?
In Things Fall Apart, a novel by Chinua Achebe, Okonkwo can be considered a tragic hero because he meets all of Aristotle’s criteria by being a tragic hero by being a successful and respected leader in Umuofia, having a tragic flaw, and discovering his fate soon after his action.
What makes a tragic hero?
A tragic hero is a character in a dramatic tragedy who has virtuous and sympathetic traits but ultimately meets with suffering or defeat . Something tragic is sadly disastrous, such as the untimely death of a loved one. A hero is someone who has accomplished special achievements and is viewed as a role model for others.
Is Macbeth a tragic hero?
Macbeth is the tragic hero of the play . Ambition is his fatal flaw. Tragic heroes start off nice, then a bad part of their personality kicks in (a fatal flaw) to make them not so nice. ... Shakespeare wrote plenty of stories about tragic heroes, eg Othello, Hamlet, Julius Caesar.
Who is Okonkwo’s favorite child?
Ezinma is also Okonkwo’s favorite child, for she understands him better than any of his other children and reminds him of Ekwefi when Ekwefi was the village beauty. Okonkwo rarely demonstrates his affection, however, because he fears that doing so would make him look weak.
Is things fall apart a tragedy?
Things Fall Apart fits the definition of tragedy because it documents both the personal downfall of Okonkwo and the broader erosion of the Igbo cultural world that Okonkwo wishes to defend. ... Things Fall Apart even has a tragic-sounding title.
Why does Okonkwo hate his father?
As you can imagine, Okonkwo resents his father a great deal for the lack of work ethic when he was alive, as well as his overall refusal to provide for his family . He also fears becoming his father, because Unoka had no interest in wrestling, fighting, or general bloodshed.
Is Okonkwo a hero or a villain?
Okonkwo is a tragic hero in the classical sense: although he is a superior character, his tragic flaw—the equation of manliness with rashness, anger, and violence—brings about his own destruction.
How does Okonkwo fit the definition of a tragic hero?
The protagonist of Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo is also considered a tragic hero. A tragic hero holds a position of power and prestige, chooses his course of action , possesses a tragic flaw, and gains awareness of circumstances that lead to his fall. Okonkwo’s tragic flaw is his fear of weakness and failure.
Why is Okonkwo respected?
His tribal leaders greatly respect Okonkwo in his efforts to provide for his family. In Okonkwo’s tribe, it is a respectable trait to work hard and produce many barns filled with yams. Okonkwo is also a great warrior . He has many human skulls to prove his bravery.
Does Okonkwo have good intentions?
Okonkwo is flawed by his excessive pride and need for everything to be perfect, but he has good intentions . As the white men come and spread Christianity amongst his people he faces them making him the protagonist. He earns tribal titles and commands authority, power, and wealth.
Is Okonkwo destined for tragedy?
In Chinua Achebe’s novel, Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo plays the role of a tragic hero destined to fall from his lofty titles. So Okonkwo with his characteristics doomed for tragedy, led a seemingly successful life, though a tragic flaw of pride and wrong decisions robbed him of his self fantasized gilded life.
What does Okonkwo symbolize?
In ‘Things Fall Apart’, the main character, Okonkwo, is often described in terms of fire and flames – his nickname is even ‘Roaring Flame’ – so, to him, fire symbolizes potential, masculinity, and life. Okonkwo is a lot like a fire, really.
