Qualities of a Tragic Hero Displayed by Okonkwo in Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe

hhhhhAristotle first described the qualities of a tragic hero in his manuscript Poetics. These qualities – Hamartia – a fatal flaw, Hubris – over abundance of pride, Peripertia – a sudden change in circumstances, Anagnorisis – a lesson learnt by the hero, and a Nemesis – usually fate. The character Okonkwo in the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, embodies all of these characteristics. In addition, the fall of Okonkwo creates a sense of Catharsis but in different ways in accordance with the audience – whether it is the reader, the Igbo or the Westerners.
hhhhhOkonkwo in several parts of the novel depicts the qualities of a tragic hero. For example, by beating Amalinze the cat on page 3, Okonkwo displays his strength, and makes him seem to exist on a higher plane than normal people. However, it is learnt that Okonkwo is driven by fear shown by “he was possessed by the fear of his father’s contemptible life and painful death” (Achebe 13), letting people relate to him. This fear, leads on to his Hubris, or pride based on his perceived strength, shown when Okonkwo breaks the week of peace, and though repentant “he was not the to go about telling the neighbors that he was in error.” (Achebe 22)
hhhhhOkonkwo’s Peripetia is displayed when the missionaries come into the Igbo understanding. The traditions of the Igbo reward Okonkwo for his strength and utter belief in the traditions with the status of the ozo title of his clan. However, with the coming of the missionaries and their new religion and government, Okonkwo is viewed little better than a savage, as depicted by the speech the district commissioner gave Okonkwo about peace, and by the title of the book he planned to write “The Pacification of the Primitive Tribes of the Lower Niger” (Achebe 148). This in turn leads to Okonkwo’s Anagnorisis, or learning. This occurs when “Okonkwo did not taste any food for two days after the death of Ikemefuna” (Achebe 44). This quote displays how Okonkwo discovers his softer side.
hhhhhThe novel creates a sense of catharsis for several groups such as the reader, the Igbo, and the Western colonizers. For example, when Okonkwo hangs himself on page 147, he is to be buried as an outcast of the traditions that gave him status. The fact that Okonkwo’s status is completely stripped from him by the very traditions he was trying to defend creates a sense of irony for the reader, as well as pity and thankfulness that such has not happened to them. This can be seen when Oberika says
“That man was one of the greatest men in Umuofia. You drove him to kill himself; and now him will be buried like a dog” (Achebe 147)
Thus, it can be observed that Okonkwo fulfils all of Aristotle’s characteristics for a tragic hero. The novel through Okonkwo’s being a tragic hero, thus creates a sense of catharsis for the reader. Okonkwo position in society, his hubris gained from this, and his eventual downfall due to the sudden change in his circumstances that together make him a tragic hero, and lead to the sense of catharsis affecting the reader.

Bibliography:

Sethi, Aman, Shirly Samuel, Lan Dang, “African Literature”, Powerpoint Presentation, March 16th 2009

Baldwick, Chris. Oxford Concise Dictionary of Literary Terms. 2nd. New Dehli: Oxford University Press, 2001.

Achebe, Chinua . Things Fall Apart. Oxford: Heineman Educational Publishers, 1958
Guma, Alex. "The Lemon Orchard" Into The Wind. Ed. Barrie Wade.Cheltenham: Thomas Nelson and Sons Ltd., 1990. 16-19