Okonkwo The Tragic Hero in Things Fall Apart Essay

A 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 person and anyone who does not meet these standards he considers weak. Okonkwo’s fear of unmanliness is kindled by his father, who was a lazy, unaccomplished man. Okonkwo strives to have a high status from a young age and eventually achieves it. He has a large family, many yams and is well known throughout the village for his valor. He†¦show more content†¦One day at a kindred tribal meet a man contradicted Okonkwo’s view. Okonkwo was quick to call him a woman, and just as quickly Okonkwo was reprimanded by the other tribesmen. These outbursts made Okonkwo look ignorant and brash, but he could not stand weakness of any sort. This is one of many situations that convey the severity of Okonkwo’s tragic flaw. His tragic downfall truly begins when his is sent away because of an accidental murder of a boy. Okonkwo and his family are exiled from the tribe for seven years and Okonkwo is stripped of the fruits of his hard work. While he is away the white missionaries move into the village. They preach against the culture and its violent ways, causing Okonkwo to become saturated with rage. Seven years later, Okonkwo is able to return. He plans to reestablish himself and his position with the help of his family. However, Umofia is not as it once was. The white men have moved in and dismantled the tribe with their laws and government. Okonkwo wishes to fight, but the clan does not agree with his suggestion. After realizing the fate of the village, Okonkwo chooses to take his life. He would rather die than watch everything he had worked for fall apart because of weak people. His tragic flaw, a fear of weakness, is so strong it destroyed him. Okonkwo, though harsh, is a strong man. He works hard toShow MoreRelatedOkonkwo 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. 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