The term tragic hero is defined as a person who is admired or idealized for courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities, but also has a dramatic downfall. Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart gives us a perfect example of a tragic hero. The book is about how the lives of the Igbo’s noble figure Okonkwo and the other members are affected by British Colonialism and Christian missionaries. Okonkwo was a tragic hero because he was admired by many because of his noble achievements but he let his fear of being weak get the best of him, and lead to his downfall. Okonkwo is a tragic hero because he is a person of importance in society. He held a high position so he is “known throughout the nine villages and even beyond”, (Achebe 3). This
…show more content…
Okonkwo’s father was a man that was not respected by many. He was lazy and weak. His son, Okonkwo, saw this and he vowed he would never be like his father. He showed that when he killed Ikemefuna. Okonkwo “drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak”, (Achebe 61). You see, Okonkwo even took his fear of being weak as far as killing a boy that was like a son to him. Also, a tragic hero is someone who has a downfall caused by fatal error in judgment. Okonkwo is a perfect example of this. In a funeral there was a moment of gunshots and cannons to celebrate the life of a fearless warrior. When Okonkwo fired his gun “Okonkwo’s gun had exploded and a piece of iron pierced the boy’s heart”, (Achebe 124). This fatal error in judgment lead to the death of a young boy in the community and eventually lead to Okonkwo having to live in his motherland for seven years. Being banned for seven years was just the beginning to Okonkwo’s great downfall. In the end Okonkwo began to give up on the clan because they stopped following their customs and it was changing so much. Eventually, Okonkwo had enough and he ended up hanging himself in a tree by his home. His good friend Obierika was very upset and said “That was one of the greatest men in Umuofia. You drove him to kill himself; and now he will be buried like a dog”, (Achebe 208). This shows that even the
Okonkwo’s father was a man that was not respected by many. He was lazy and weak. His son, Okonkwo, saw this and he vowed he would never be like his father. He showed that when he killed Ikemefuna. Okonkwo “drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak”, (Achebe 61). You see, Okonkwo even took his fear of being weak as far as killing a boy that was like a son to him. Also, a tragic hero is someone who has a downfall caused by fatal error in judgment. Okonkwo is a perfect example of this. In a funeral there was a moment of gunshots and cannons to celebrate the life of a fearless warrior. When Okonkwo fired his gun “Okonkwo’s gun had exploded and a piece of iron pierced the boy’s heart”, (Achebe 124). This fatal error in judgment lead to the death of a young boy in the community and eventually lead to Okonkwo having to live in his motherland for seven years. Being banned for seven years was just the beginning to Okonkwo’s great downfall. In the end Okonkwo began to give up on the clan because they stopped following their customs and it was changing so much. Eventually, Okonkwo had enough and he ended up hanging himself in a tree by his home. His good friend Obierika was very upset and said “That was one of the greatest men in Umuofia. You drove him to kill himself; and now he will be buried like a dog”, (Achebe 208). This shows that even the