Okonkwo's Tragic Flaw
Things Fall Apart follows the style of a classic shakespearian tragedy with a tragic hero who inadvertently causes his own downfall through his own actions. Chinua Achebe crafts a traditional Shakespearian tragedy that differs from the culture of Shakespeare’s tragedies. Achebe represents Okonkwo as the tragic hero who is blinded by his pride. Okonkwo follows the path of the traditional Shakespearian hero and is undone by his own blindness. Achebe starts the path of a Shakespearian tragedy by introducing a person of high esteem. “Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and beyond” (1) for throwing Amalinze the Cat in a wrestling match, who was undefeated for seven years. However, Okonkwo holds a fatal flaw in his character. Okonkwo
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Shakespearian tragic heroes often misread a situation or make rationalizations that cause the beginning of their downfall. Okonkwo is told that it is time for Ikemefuna to be sacrificed. Ezeudu tells Okonkwo not to take part in the sacrifice of Ikemefuna due to his close relationship with him, but Okonkwo misreads this as a challenge to his manlihood. Okonkwo is the one who deals the final blow to Ikemefuna after he calls to Okonkwo with the book saying “dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being though of as weak” (61). Okonkwo is completely overcome with grief and locks himself away for 3 days and heavily drinks palm wine. Okonkwo eventually tells himself to man up and grows himself completely into his work. At Ezeudu’s funeral, Okonkwo accidentally fires his gun and kills Ezeudu’s sixteen year old soon. This murder is seen as a crime against nature and Okonkwo is sentenced to seven years of exile. This exile is devastating to Okonkwo because he realizes he can not obtain titles in his motherland. Okonkwo’s ambition is crushed and he is unable carry the same sort of ambition for titles and power he once
Shakespearian tragic heroes often misread a situation or make rationalizations that cause the beginning of their downfall. Okonkwo is told that it is time for Ikemefuna to be sacrificed. Ezeudu tells Okonkwo not to take part in the sacrifice of Ikemefuna due to his close relationship with him, but Okonkwo misreads this as a challenge to his manlihood. Okonkwo is the one who deals the final blow to Ikemefuna after he calls to Okonkwo with the book saying “dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being though of as weak” (61). Okonkwo is completely overcome with grief and locks himself away for 3 days and heavily drinks palm wine. Okonkwo eventually tells himself to man up and grows himself completely into his work. At Ezeudu’s funeral, Okonkwo accidentally fires his gun and kills Ezeudu’s sixteen year old soon. This murder is seen as a crime against nature and Okonkwo is sentenced to seven years of exile. This exile is devastating to Okonkwo because he realizes he can not obtain titles in his motherland. Okonkwo’s ambition is crushed and he is unable carry the same sort of ambition for titles and power he once