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Roksolana
Instructor name
English Studies
24/05/2020
The tragic hero en Chinua Achebe´s Things Fall Apart
Is the protagonist of the story the tragic hero? Okonkwo illustrates perfectly the Aristotelian concept
of the tragic hero. His actions that provoke his failures prove it completely. The theory of Aristotle
makes evident that the character that is a tragic hero makes wrong decisions that lead him to his
destruction. The tragic hero must have the characteristics like to be the noble, suffer more than
others heroes, have fear and weakness, to make an important decision that will change his life and
many others.

On the one hand, Okonkwo didn’t want to become like Unoka, his father. The protagonist was
ashamed of his father. Unoka was an irresponsible man that couldn't even provide basic things for
his family. On the other hand, the fear of becoming like his father causes a weakness of Okonkwo
that has destroyed him completely. His psychological trauma from childhood led him to failure. He
became an important and loyal person in Umuofia, this shows that he is that nobleman of
Aristotelian theory. Okonkwo was a wrestler, a warrior, that couldn’t show other emotions except
for aggression. He considered that aggression would hide his weakness but this was a tragic
conclusion. “[Okonkwo] walked back to his obi to await Ojiugo’s return. And when she returned he
beat her very heavily. In his anger he had forgotten that it was the Week of Peace. His first two
wives ran out in great alarm pleading with him that it was the sacred week. But Okonkwo was not
the man to stop beating somebody half-way through, not even for fear of a goddess.” (an excerpt
from p.21). Okonkwo was so obsessed with showing his fear or weakness that he has beaten his
three women and his children. This fear of weakness has increased to uncontrolled aggression. He
thought that if sometimes he will show his force it will demonstrate his manliness. But it is
impossible to consider that he is the right man with correct values. He has just shown that it is a
pitiful character that will destroy himself with his dreadful decisions.

Once he has adopted Ikemefuna, a boy that was from another clan, he considered him as his son.
Ikemefuna had the qualities that Okonkwo dreamed that his other children would receive. Although,
Okonkwo was fond of Ikemefuna, he didn’t show any emotions of this admiration. Ezeudu, the
oldest man of the clan warned Okonkwo that oracle has decided that Ikemefuna should die. Ezaudu
suggested him no to take part in this cruel murder. Nevertheless, Okonkwo made the opposite
decision. “ As the man who had cleared his throat drew up and raised his machete, Okonkwo looked
away. He heard the blow. The pot fell and broke in the sand. He heard Ikemefuna cry, “My father,
they have killed me!” as he ran towards him. Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut
him down. He was afraid of being thought weak.” (an excerpt from chapter 7). His fear of being
feminine provoked that he killed his adopted child personally. This wrong mistake has lead him to a
depression that was caused by a feeling of guilt. This dreadful decision was the enormous failure
that led him gradually to his destruction. His aggressive nature has won the battle between his
humanity and his bestial nature.

Despite making one enormous mistake, Okonkwo has made another step to his destruction as a
tragic hero. At Ezeudu's funeral, Okonkwo accidentally has killed Ezeudu’s son. This failure leads
to the exile of Okonkwo and his family for seven years. His misfortune didn’t stop on that failures.
Returning to his clan after seven years of exile, Okonkwo realized that he isn’t important and loyal
as it was in the past. The presence of white people in his clan has changed life completely.
Okonkwo wanted to struggle for the independence of his clan from white people. But even his clan
didn't want to oppose the new system. Okonkwo realized that he lost his sense of life. He has made
a lot of mistakes that destroyed him psychologically, his clan hasn’t already respected him, his son
turned to a side of white people. These reasons have provoked that Okonkwo has committed
suicide. His death symbolizes the end of his clan’s culture. However, Okonkwo didn’t want to be
like his father. His life ends like his father’s life disrespectfully. The weakness of the tragic hero has
provided him with his destruction.

I consider that the person needs to show his feelings and emotions. If the person will hide his real
opinions and emotions it will destroy himself like Okonkwo. If Okonkwo hasn’t had a fear of
weakness, he wouldn’t become a tragic hero. We can observe that there are a lot of people like
Okonkwo that don’t want to seem weak and make wrong decisions. The morality of this story is to
review our way of life and don’t be like a tragic hero. If we do things morally it doesn’t mean that
we are weak.

Works Cited

Aristotle, et al. Poetics. Macmillan, 1930.

The Aristotelian Concept of The Tragic Hero. Charles H. Reeves, 1952.

Things Fall Apart. Chinua Achebe, 1958.