Igbo Traditional Culture and Okonkwo
Achebe spends the majority of the first part of the novel depicting Igbo traditional culture. He accomplishes this by describing various festivals and religious rituals, such as a wedding, a funeral, and the Week of Peace. Additionally, the roles of men and women are represented through the main character's (Okonkwo) relationships with his wives and children. This provides a framework to not only identify the changes and devastation brought to Africa by the British invaders, but to also recognize internal tribal divisions and different thinking patterns. By describing many aspects of the Igbo culture it is possible to perceive how Okonkwo manifests many of these values, but also transgresses several of them, resulting in his own demise. Igbo society is both hierarchical and patriarchal. Social status is achieved in the community through the earning of titles. This process is first described early in the novel when Okoye who had loaned Okonkwo's father, Unoka, 200 cowries came to Unoka's hut to reclaim the borrowed funds. Okoye was requesting repayment because he intended to take a title in the near future. Because he was taking the third highest title in the land, it was "a very expensive ceremony" and Okoye was "gather
Among the Igbo, "proverbs are the palmoil with which words are eaten" (Achebe 7). While this dedication to hard work allows him to rapidly climb the social status ladder and achieve great respect in the village, it also blinds him to other Igbo values. ing all his resources together" (Achebe 7). There is no central ruler or chief over the entire Igbo nation, but each tribe is led by elders and men who have earned titles. For instance, Okonkwo's banishment to his motherland is extremely difficult for him because he does not perceive his mother's people as masculine and war-like as his father's people. In Igbo society, "achievement is revered" (Achebe 8) and achievement can only be accomplished through hard work. quite incapable of thinking about tomorrow" (Achebe 4). Hence, the importance and centrality of the value of hard work and diligence to Igbo society is represented in the way by which one can gains social status in the community. For example, the priestess criticized Unoka for his weakness and commands him to "go home and work like a man" (Achebe 18). Okonkwo consciously adopts ideals opposite those of his father and becomes productive, wealthy, thrifty, brave, violent, and adamantly opposed to music and anything else that he perceives to be weak, soft, or feminine, such as emotion. As a result, he responds with violence by cutting off one the European messenger's heads. Thus, it is possible to see how Okonkwo's transgressions from some of the Igbo values led to his demise. The patriarchal aspects of Igbo culture are also important in the daily lives of the Igbo people and reflect the importance of masculinity and femininity in the society. He equates manliness with rashness, anger, and violence and refuses to understand the positive features that women and their femininity contribute to society. He did not save money or put any money he earned into building a life for his family, but instead spent it on wine, entertainment, and leisure activities.
Common topics in this essay:
Okonkwo Okonkwo,
Ikemefuna Okonkwo,
Africa British,
Peace Additionally,
,
igbo society,
social status,
igbo culture,
wives children,
earning titles,
achebe 8,
earned titles,
weak feminine,
aspects igbo culture,
dedication hard,
proverbs stories,
women igbo society,
appearing weak feminine,
achebe 8 okonkwo,
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