Essay on No Tragic Hero in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart

No Tragic Hero in Things Fall Apart According to Aristotle a tragedy is a drama...which recounts an important and casually related series of events in the life of a person of significance, such events culminating in an unhappy catastrophe, the whole treated with great dignity and seriousness. The novel Things Fall Apart, written by Chinua Achebe begins as a story about the life of a man named Okonkwo. It recounts the events beginning with his childhood and ending with his death. Part I of the novel is about Okonkwo, his family, and the customs and culture of his clan. In Part II the white men came from England, bringing with them their own culture, religion, and government. Part III focuses on the struggle between the†¦show more content†¦It can be argued that he was too proud, and that the value of his life was too great to be condemned by the white men. A tragic hero insists on expressing himself even though he must suffer for his self assertion (Hibbard, Holman, and Thrall). This is true in Okon kwo case. Also, it is said that the hero is not arbitrarily struck down but has in some way contributed to his fall (Hibbard, Holman, and Thrall). This is true in that Okonkwo did choose to kill the messenger, and did take his own life. In the novel, Obierika, Okonkwos best friend, relates to the Commissioner how he feels about Okonkwos death; That man was on of the greatest men in Umofia. You drove him to kill himself; and now he will be buried like a dog... (208) The way in which Okonkwo took his own life can also lead to the argument that he was no hero, but that he took the easy way out. The pathetic is achieved when the protagonist is, by virtue of his witlessness, his insensitivity, or the very air he gives off, incapable of grappling with a much superior force (Miller). It can be agreed that his death was somewhat pathetic as opposed to heroic. It is also hypocritical that Okonkwo worked so hard to be respected and to stand up for his own customs, and yet took his own life, which in the clan was considered an abomination. It is an offense against the Earth, and a man who commits it will not beShow MoreRelatedOkonkwo as Tragic Hero in Things Fall Apart, by Chinua Achebe1140 Words   |  5 PagesOne of the most commonly asked questions about the novel Things Fall Apart is: why did Achebe choose a tragic hero, Okonkwo, as the main character in the story. According to Nnoromele, â€Å"A hero, in the Igbo cultural belief system, is one with great courage and strength to work against destabilizing forces of his community, someone who affects, in a special way, the destinies of others by pursuing his own. He is a man noted for special achievements. 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