The Tragic Hero Of Things Fall Apart - 1283 Words

Macbeth and Okonkwo What comes to mind when you hear the word hero? You may think of superheroes, a significant figure in your life or anyone else who generally brings greatness about the world. A tragic hero on the other hand is a character who has a flaw that eventually helps aid to their downfall as a tragic hero. In the novel Things Fall Apart written by Chinua Achebe and Macbeth written by Shakespeare, we meet two prime examples of tragic heros. The elements of a tragic hero include hamartia, anagnorisis and the tragic downfall. Hamartia is the hero s tragic flaw, it often gets in the way of their success. Anagnorisis is the turning point for the character, they often come to realization of something important and meaningful. Lastly is the tragic hero s downfall, this is simply the heroes downward spiral of events. The characters Okonkwo and Macbeth both carry all of these aspects. The protagonists , Okonkwo and Macbeth, are both tragic heroes, who share similarities and differ ences that ultimately lead to their downfall. Okonkwo is considered a man of high status. He was looked at as a fierce warrior in the clan of Umofia. According to Achebe, â€Å"He was a man of action, a man of war.† (10). He was a hard worker throughout his community which had landed him the position as a wealthy farmer. His hard work had obtained him a high ranking throughout the nine villages. Okonkwo s tragic flaw was simply his fear of weakness or failing, which all had stemmedShow MoreRelatedOkonkwo as a Tragic Hero-Things Fall Apart1198 Words   |  5 PagesAS A: TRAGIC HERO Aristotle once said â€Å"A man doesn’t become a hero until he can see the root of his downfall.† The protagonist of the book â€Å"Things Fall Apart† by Chinua Achebe, Okonkwo demonstrates characteristics of being an Aristotelian tragic hero. According to Aristotle, a Tragic Hero is one who exhibits a tragic flaw that causes a reversal of fortune to him in his own error of judgment. Okonkwo is a leader and a hardworking member of the Igbo tribe of the village of Umofia whose tragic flawRead MoreOkonkwo 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 ot hers by pursuing his own. He is a man noted for special achievements. His life is defined by ambivalence, because his actionsRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Chinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1522 Words   |  7 PagesAristotle, a Greek philosopher, defines a tragic hero â€Å"as a person of noble or high status who displays a tragic flaw hamartia, and experiences a dramatic reversal peripateia. In addition, his downfall is often preceded by self-realization†. In Things Fall Apart, the author uses Okonkwo, to illustrate the downfall of pre-colonial Ibo society. In the beginning, Okonkwo was destined for greatness. He was strong, economically stable, and had a huge influence over the village’s affairs. One may sayRead MoreEssay on No Tragic Hero in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart892 Words   |  4 PagesNo Tragic Hero in Things Fall Apart   Ã‚  Ã‚   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 deathRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Chinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1375 Words   |  6 Pages A tragic hero is a character that is both protagonist and antagonist, throughout the action they make as a person. According to Aristotle s definition of tragic hero, he explains a tragic hero as a character that has noble stature and greatness. The character must have high status position, but also have nobility and virtue. In Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, Okonkwo the fierce warrior who is well known in his tribe Umuofia, connects to a tragic hero. Even though Okonkwo does notRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Chinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1453 Words   |  6 PagesIs a tragic hero really that tragic? A tragic hero is a person who is a character that makes the wrong decisions which cause the character destruction. The definition of a tragic hero is terrible because of how a hero ends up being in a downfall. According to Aristotle, a tragic hero is a character of noble stature and has greatness. The character must have high status position, but must also have nobilit y and virtue. In the book, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, Okonkwo, the great warrior whoRead More Comparing the Tragic Hero in Things Fall Apart and Heart of Darkness1022 Words   |  5 PagesThe Tragic Hero in Things Fall Apart and Heart of Darkness A tragic hero could be considered a noble person with a fatal flaw or an opponent of society who is willing to take action that sensible people might applaud but never perform themselves. In Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart and Joseph Conradss Heart of Darkness, two characters, Okonkwo and Kurtz, have some qualities which could categorize them as tragic heroes. However, only the readers interpretation of the charactersRead MoreOkonkwo: The Tragic Hero in Things Fall Apart Essay458 Words   |  2 PagesA character with a tragic flaw is one who consistently makes a particular error in their actions and this eventually leads to their doom. Okonkwo, a perfect tragic character, is driven by his fear of unmanliness, which causes him to act harshly toward his fellow tribesmen, his family and himself. He judges all people by how manly they act. In Okonkwo’s eyes a man is a violent, hard working, wealthy person and anyone who does not meet these standards he considers weak. Okonkwo’s fear of unmanlinessRead MoreThings fall Apart and Okonkwo; A Classic Greek Tragedy and Tragic Hero1112 Words   |  5 PagesThings Fall Apart and Okonkwo; A Classic Greek Tragedy and Tragic Hero Both the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, and its main character Okonkwo closely adhere to the definitions of a classic Greek tragedy and a typical tragic hero. First of all, Okonkwo is a tragic hero by the Greek definition. While Okonkwo wasn’t born to a nobleman or king (as the definition of a tragic hero states), he was a man of high status and respect in his community, as Obierika stated near the end of the bookRead MoreOkonkwo: Great Man, Tragic Hero981 Words   |  4 PagesGreat Man, Tragic Hero A tragic hero is a archetype who fails to overcome or surpass his/her conflict. The book â€Å"Things Fall Apart† included a tragic hero. The book was written by the name of Chinua Achebe. The tragic hero in the book was Okonkwo, a warrior from a village called Umuofia. Chinua Achebe wrote the book with the purpose of showing how someone with high esteem can fall from greatness so dramatically because of that person’s actions. Okonkwo exhibited hubris, had a tragic flaw, and