Igbo Gender Roles

Throughout the novel it follows the traditional lifestyle of the Igbo tribe and their lifestyle revolves around structured gender roles. Idealistically all of Igbo life is always gendered. In Igbo culture women are considered the weaker species but have certain qualities that make them worthy of worship, for example the ability to have a child. The ideal man provides for his family and can himself themselves in battle. Much of the gender theme throughout the book correlates to balance between masculine and feminine and if one is imbalanced the system may collapse.
Okonkwo, the protagonist is concerned with being masculine and refuses to value anything feminine, leaving him an unbalanced person. Although Okonkwo spends most of his time expressing his masculinity, he ignores or violates feminine beliefs like peace and valuing one’s family. Shunning all things feminine causes him to commit crimes and leads to his downfall. Okonkwo’s character represents men who have a title and are strong, hardworking, and authoritative. Men were required to be aggressive and tending to land and business. As shown by …show more content…
No, that is a boys job.”” (Things fall apart, pgs. 59-60). This a conversation between Enzinma and Okonkwo, and although Enzinma is probably his favorite child, he refers back to the strict norms of male and female roles. Okonkwo’s strict following of gender roles prevent him from showing his affection for his daughter. “Nothing pleased Nwoye now more than to be sent for by his mother or another of his father’s wives to do one of those difficult and masculine tasks in the home…”Things fall apart, pgs.75-76). Ikemefuma’s presence Nwoye more willing to take on masculine tasks. Okonkwo sees this behavior as a new interest in masculinity in his son Nwoye. Okonkwo defines men partially by their behavior towards woman. To him you are not a man unless you force a woman to do their bidding, Men have free will and women must be