Okonkwo: The Tragic Hero By Cherie Law, Allison Bitney, Anthony Warren, & Conall Quinn

Okonkwo: Model Clansmen?  Okonkwo is a model clansmen from based on his success. However, he is more alienated from his culture based on his lack of respect for it.  Okonkwo beats his wife during the Week of Peace. (Pg ).  Kills a clansman and feel his situation is unfair doubting his culture. (Pg ).  Violence is the answer, whereas peace is the solution for the tribe. (Pg. 199).  Okonkwo commits grave sin by committing suicide. (Pg. 207).

Okonkwo  Okonkwo is respected by the tribe because he won wrestling match against the cat. (Pg. 4).  He went from failure to success with his yams. (Pg. 24 & 26).  His chi agreed with him. (Pg. 27).

Okonkwo/Nwoye  Okonkwo and Nwoye have a sour relationship.  Okonkwo sees Nwoye as weak and lazy, just like his grandfather. (Pg. 13).  The relationship deteriorates after Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna. (Pg. 61).  Okonkwo disowns him for converting to Christianity. (Pg. 172).  Other examples: Pg 152.

Okonkwo/Ikemefuna  Okonkwo and Ikemefuna’s relationship is good.  Okonkwo loved him like his own son however kills him out of fear of being weak.  Examples: Pg. 28

Okonkwo/Unoka  The relationship between Okonkwo and Unoka is hate.  Okonkwo hated his father because he was lazy and a debtor.  He hates what his father loves. (Pg. 13).  Examples: Pg. 4, 5, 13.

Okonkwo/Ezinma  The relationship between Okonkwo and Ezinma is happy relationship.  Okonkwo secretly wishes she was a boy. (Pg. 67).  She has the work ethic of a boy.  He shows care for her. (Pg.112 & 172)  Attitude resembles her father, anger. (Pg. 173).  Okonkwo’s character teaches us that he shows no signs of emotions for the ones he loves, but greatly expresses hatred towards the one he does not like.

Public vs. Private  Okonkwo has a public and private self.  Publicly, he wants to be seen as this great clansman who has the absence of fear.  Privately, he had emotions deep within him that he did not want nobody to see, especially himself because to him he seems weak.  Example: We can see Okonkwo’s feelings for Ezinma privately. He secretly wishes she was a boy. Pg. 173 & 174.

Okonkwo and other Literary Tragic Hero  Okonkwo  Hubris  Status: Achievement  Tragic Flaw: Fear of failure  Character: Savage-like  Death: Suicide  Achilles  Hubris  Tragic Flaw: Ankle  Character: Savage-like  Death: Shot in the ankle

Characteristics of a Tragic Hero  High Status ~Birth ~Achievement  Tragic Flaw  Death or Destruction

Okonkwo  Okonkwo is a tragic hero because he is of high status. He earned it through achievement by the success of his yams.  Okonkwo has a tragic flaw which is fear of failure.  Okonkwo’s death is by his own hands.

Okonkwo  Okonkwo’s tragic flaw leads to his death because he fears failure.  He sees a sign of weakness as a downfall which the idea comes from his father.  Example: “Whenever the thought of his father’s weakness and failure troubled him he expelled it by thinking about his own strength and success.” Pg. 66.  He is so afraid of failure that he brings his own death upon himself.

Conclusion  Okonkwo is a tragic hero through the eyes of the clansmen.  However, the District Commissioner and other colonists see him as a person with no status.

The End