Okonkwo, a Tragic Hero

             Every society needs a leader; every leader has to be reasonable in order to make justice. In Things Fall Apart by Chenua Achebe the society in question is the Igbo. Order and hierarchy characterize the Igbo society. Both concepts are so deeply rooted that their alteration forcibly engenders chaos in society. Okwonko was the leader of the Igbos. For many people, he was considered a feared and reckless leader because of the way he used to manage the situations within the tribe and more specifically with the arrival of the English Christians. On the other hand, one can assume that he was not a bad person, a deep look in his psychological aspect could better explain that everything he did was not on a bad purpose but yes for the good of the people of his village.
             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. Okonkwo considers many of his father's characteristics to be feminine. According to C.I. Innes the atmosphere in which Okonkwo had grown determines how he would behave, "Perhaps one of the most significant things in Things Fall Apart is the way in which it demonstrates the intricate relationship between a man's individual psychology and the social context in which he has grown up" (Innes 24). Unlike his father, Okonkwo wants to be a different ruler; he does not allow himself to make mistakes. This means that Okonkwo attempts to work hard, provide for his family materially, be brave, and be masculine in every possible way. As a result, Okonkwo's becomes successful in many ways – he becomes very wealthy, holds a high-ranked position in the community, has three wives, and is known for his skill as a wrestler and warrior. According to Solomon Iyasere on his text named "N...

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Okonkwo, a Tragic Hero. (1969, December 31). In MegaEssays.com. Retrieved 00:31, April 20, 2024, from https://www.megaessays.com/viewpaper/204100.html