Okonkwo A Tragic Hero - 1836 Words

Throughout literary history, tragic characters have helped readers to understand human conflicts. Authors such as William Shakespeare and J.R.R. Tolkien have included tragic heroes in their novels in order to examine various flaws that lead to the protagonist’s death. In the play Macbeth by William Shakespeare, the main character, Macbeth, displays characteristics commonly present in tragic characters when he says â€Å"I am in blood stepped in so far that, should I wade no more, returning were as tedious as go o’er† (Shakespeare 349). This quote demonstrates Macbeth’s vaulting ambition and how he has reached the point of no return and will eventually face his death. Various characteristics define a character as tragic and the technical†¦show more content†¦Despite Okonkwo’s good intentions to be a better father to Nwoye than his father was to him, Nwoye becomes distant from his father as the story progresses. When Okonkwo is given Ikemefu na to take care of, he becomes very fond of the boy and likes him much more than Nwoye. This causes Nwoye to feel left out and create even more separation from his father. The distance that Nwoye sets between himself and Okonkwo, scares Okonkwo greatly because it makes him feel like a failure. Being a failure terrifies Okonkwo so much that he is driven insane to his inevitable death. In addition to the conflict with Nwoye, Okonkwo’s greater conflict is the task of becoming a prominent leader within the Ibo tribe, and it eventually leads to his downfall. From the beginning of the novel Okonkwo is one of the most powerful, respected men in the tribe, and is â€Å"well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. His fame rested on solid personal achievements† (Achebe 1). Okonkwo is very powerful socially and financially, as well as being one of the lands greatest wrestlers. Even though he has lots of power, Okonkwo always strives for more. This avariciousness is o ne of the sparks that ignites the flame that consumes his life. When Okonkwo is exiled from Umofia, he is devastated and he realizes, â€Å"his life had been ruled by a great passion-to become one of the lords of the clan†¦ AndShow MoreRelatedOkonkwo Is a Tragic Hero861 Words   |  4 PagesOkonkwo is the protagonist in the book Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. Things Fall Apart is about Okonkwo rule by success and fuel by the absolute resentment of becoming like his father, Unoka. Okonkwo chooses to live life by creating fear and anger to his tribe and his family. Okonkwo is ruled by fear and anger, which takes part in his ultimate downfall. Okonkwo is not so much a martyr but a tragic hero because he is a man of importance brought down by an insurmountable amount of conflictRead MoreOkonkwo As A Tragic Hero1526 Words   |  7 Pagesmain character, Okonkwo, serves as a tragic hero. A tragic hero, as defined by Aristotle, is a great character who makes a judgement err or that inevitably leads to his or her’s own downfall. By the end of the novel, Okonkwo’s downfall can be seen when he ends up taking his own life. On one hand, some may argue that Okonkwo was merely a victim of fate. On the other hand, others may also argue that Okonkwo was responsible for his own downfall. I believe that Okonkwo, like all tragic heroes, was ultimatelyRead MoreIs Okonkwo A Tragic Hero709 Words   |  3 PagesAristotle says a tragic hero is someone who makes a decision that inadvertently brings an end to their life. In Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe the main character Okonkwo is considered a tragic hero, he faces all his challenges with great Courage and Pride. But all of his challenges he brought upon himself because of his tragic flaw, which is his hatred for his father Unoka. Unoka was a lazy drunk with no titles, this hatred drove Okonkwo to become a very good man. He became one of the greatestRead MoreOkonkwo Tragic Hero Analysis821 Words   |  4 Pagesthe mind behind the concept of tragic hero. A tragic hero, he depicts, is a hero who falls from affluence to calamity. This fall must be caused not by ill luck but at the fault of the tragic hero himself. To be considered a tragic hero aristotle had specific criteria. Goodness, being the first. A tragic hero must have good morals and their actions should follow suit. Appropriateness, the character must fit into the role they play in society. Lifelike, the tragic hero must be realistic. Finally, ConsistencyRead MoreOkonkwo: Great Man, Tragic Hero981 Words   |  4 PagesJanuary 15, 2013 Okonkwo: A Great Man, Tragic Hero A tragic hero is a archetype who fails to overcome or surpass his/her conflict. The book â€Å"Things Fall Apart† included a tragic hero. The book was written by the name of Chinua Achebe. The tragic hero in the book was Okonkwo, a warrior from a village called Umuofia. Chinua Achebe wrote the book with the purpose of showing how someone with high esteem can fall from greatness so dramatically because of that person’s actions. Okonkwo exhibited hubrisRead MoreOkonkwo: a Life Story of a Tragic Hero1069 Words   |  5 PagesHyatt May 23, 2012 Things Fall Apart Final Literally Analysis Essay Okonkwo: A Life Story of a Tragic Hero What makes up a hero in today’s society? Young children today imagine a hero with superpowers and a cape, but little do they know heroes come in many different forms. In his novel, Things Fall Apart, the Nigerian author Chinua Achebe illustrates the making of modern hero. Even though Okonkwo does not act like a regular hero, he still has a noble structure, makes mistakes throughout life, andRead MoreOkonkwo as a Tragic Hero-Things Fall Apart1198 Words   |  5 Pagesï » ¿ OKONKWO AS A: TRAGIC HERO Aristotle once said â€Å"A man doesn’t become a hero until he can see the root of his downfall.† The protagonist of the book â€Å"Things Fall Apart† by Chinua Achebe, Okonkwo demonstrates characteristics of being an Aristotelian tragic hero. According to Aristotle, a Tragic Hero is one who exhibits a tragic flaw that causes a reversal of fortune to him in his own error of judgment. Okonkwo is a leader and a hardworking member of the Igbo tribe of the village of Umofia whoseRead MoreOkonkwo: The Tragic Hero in Things Fall Apart Essay458 Words   |  2 PagesA character with a tragic flaw is one who consistently makes a particular error in their actions and this eventually leads to their doom. Okonkwo, a perfect tragic character, is driven by his fear of unmanliness, which causes him to act harshly toward his fellow tribesmen, his family and himself. He judges all people by how manly they act. In Okonkwo’s eyes a man is a violent, hard working, wealthy p erson and anyone who does not meet these standards he considers weak. Okonkwo’s fear of unmanlinessRead MoreOkonkwo as Tragic Hero in Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe1140 Words   |  5 PagesOne of the most commonly asked questions about the novel Things Fall Apart is: why did Achebe choose a tragic hero, Okonkwo, as the main character in the story. According to Nnoromele, â€Å"A hero, in the Igbo cultural belief system, is one with great courage and strength to work against destabilizing forces of his community, someone who affects, in a special way, the destinies of others by pursuing his own. He is a man noted for special achievements. His life is defined by ambivalence, because his actionsRead MoreThings fall Apart and Okonkwo; A Classic Greek Tragedy and Tragic Hero1112 Words   |  5 PagesThings Fall Apart and Okonkwo; A Classic Greek Tragedy and Tragic Hero Both the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, and its main character Okonkwo closely adhere to the definitions of a classic Greek tragedy and a typical tragic hero. First of all, Okonkwo is a tragic hero by the Greek definition. While Okonkwo wasn’t born to a nobleman or king (as the definition of a tragic hero states), he was a man of high status and respect in his community, as Obierika stated near the end of the book