Who Is Okonkwo A Tragic Hero

Words: 779

Pages: 4

Open Document

There are many ways that a hero can be viewed, but they usually have a flaw. Flaws can be big and some can be small but in Okonkwo’s case it hurt his reputation of being a manly, bestial man. Aristotle tells of many characteristics on how a character can be a tragic hero and most of his ideas fits Okonkwo’s flaws, personality, and actions. Aristotle also shares of traits on how their life was and what they went through. In Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe the author uses the plot to show the Protagonist of Okonkwo to portray him as a tragic hero.
One way Okonkwo is the definition of a tragic hero according to Aristotle is that he has a weakness and Achebe shows this when he beats Ekwefi. Achebe wrote “At any rate, that was how it looked to his father, and he sought to correct him by constant nagging and beating” (14). This tells the reader that Okonkwo was a very controlling, consistent, and abusive man. This also tells us that he wanted his children to be successful and to be the opposite of his father. One of Okonkwo’s weaknesses was that he solved all of the problems that he had with the people around him by physically beating them. According to Aristotle, Okonkwo had a weakness and it affected him severely throughout the story.

Loeffler 2 …show more content…
Achebe wrote “Okonkwo did not have the start in life which many young men usually had. He did not inherit a barn from his father. There was no barn to inherit.” (16)This tells us that Okonkwo had a rough start as a young man. This also tells us that he had to build his own farm and barns because his father was a failure and borrowed money from villagers instead of making his own money. Okonkwo had to build his own living by himself and make his own money. Okonkwo had to do this because his father was a failure and Okonkwo with

things all apart african literature Essay

Essay In Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo wasn’t portrayed as a tragic hero in my opinion. One of the flaws that a tragic hero has is having a moment of enlightenment towards near their downfall. During that moment they have understand that they are wrong and defeated on what they initially believed in themselves. Okonkwo didn’t have this flaw because he committed suicide in the end. Another theme is that a tragic hero must be of a noble birth. This wasn’t the case for Okonkwo as he was born in a poor household…

Words 1107 - Pages 5

things fall Essay example

young warrior known as Okonkwo in the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe. Okonkwo could be described on several cases an antagonist but he best fits the definition of Aristotle's specific theory of a tragic hero. Aristotle defines his theory in to five terms. Okonkwo does have a high status, does have a tragic flaw, does fall from grace, his downfall does increase his awareness and he does most certainly undergo great tragedy. Aristotle states that a tragic hero "must come from nobility…

Words 1061 - Pages 5

Okonkwo As A Hero Essay

Nigerian tribal man named Okonkwo. Okonkwo is a proud soul who faces many hardships throughout the novel. He battles with his ego and chi and fights with the horrifying thought of change. Okonkwo eventually gives up in the end and hangs himself, but that just proves him to be a hero, tragic, at that. From killing a naive soul to exile and losing his son to change and Christianity, Okonkwo proves himself to be a tragic hero numerous times throughout the novel. Okonkwo fought with himself much more…

Words 546 - Pages 3

Okonkwo's Tragic Flaw

ancient tragic flaw theory. Achebe expresses structuralism through Okonkwo’s tragic flaw. A tragic hero possesses a tragic flaw, holds a position of prestige and power, chooses his course of action, and gains awareness of circumstances that lead to his fall. Tragedy depicts the downfall of a basically good person through some fatal error or misjudgment, producing suffering and insight on the part of the protagonist and arousing pity and fear on the part of the audience. Okonkwo's tragic flaw is his…

Words 956 - Pages 4

Is Odysseus A Better Hero

better hero than Okonkwo When looking into the novella, Things fall apart, by Chinua Achebe, and the poem, The Odyssey, by Homer, one comes at a dilemma on how to argue which hero is the “better hero”. There is two ways one can go about this, you can either argue that said hero is better than the other because they fit the type of hero that they are better than the other hero fits the type of hero they are. Or on the other hand, you can argue who is better morally, thus making the hero better in…

Words 1419 - Pages 6

Okonkwo Falls Apart Research Paper

Okonkwo Falls Apart One way that Okonkwo is a tragic hero according to Aristotle, is that he is noble in nature by having the best farm and being rich, making him successful. On page three the novel states, “His fame rested on solid personal achievements”. The quote means that he has lots to be successful for, and it is all because of him working hard. Okonkwo gained a lot of his fame after getting into a wrestling match with The Cat, and beating him. Okonkwo was well known around the village after…

Words 558 - Pages 3

Okonkwo's Tragic Hero In Things Fall Apart

term hero is derived from a greek work that means a person who faces adversity or demonstrates courage and faces a downfall as well. In the novel Things Fall Apart, chinua follows the life of his main character Okonkwo as he deals with the influence of British colonialism and christian missionaries on the Igbo community. Okonkwo is considered a tragic hero. Although he was an important figure in the Igbo tribe, his tragic flaw and outside forces led to his downfall. Okonkwo is a tragic hero, his…

Words 287 - Pages 2

Okonkwo Tragic Hero

A tragic hero is someone who makes a judgment or error that inevitably leads to his/her own destruction. The book Things Fall Apart tells two stories, one of a strong man of a village in Nigeria with conflict between Okonkwo the main character and society. And the second, the clash of cultures and the destruction of Okonkwo's world with the arrival of aggressive European missionaries. Okonkwo is a tragic hero because he was an important leader in his village but made errors in judgement which led…

Words 426 - Pages 2

Okonkwo Tragic Hero Essay

A tragic hero is a literature character who’s downfall leads to his/her destruction. Okonkwo lives in Umuofia (a tribe in Africa), where the tribe are being split apart by British Colonialism. He is a tragic hero mainly because he gains sympathy from the audience, although he has accomplished many things, his tragic flaw leads to his downfall. Okonkwo was a man who was known in many clans, for example when he had “arrived in Mbanta as the proud and imperious emissary of war, he was treated with…

Words 384 - Pages 2

Okonkwo A Real Tragic Hero Essay

Okonkwo: The Real Tragic Hero Tragic heroes are people who try their very best but never quite make it. There’s not a better description for Okonkwo than those two words. Okonkwo is that guy that always tries super hard to make everything the way he wants, but somehow always fails. He does that so many times in the book that his name should just be changed to “failure.” There are examples of his failure to be heroic all over the novel. Like when he tried to keep his house orderly in the Week of…

Words 458 - Pages 2