The Hero Of Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe - 2190 Words

What is a hero? From Batman to Wonder Woman; from Mother Theresa to Ghandi; from Malala Yousafzai to Nick Vujicic; even the protagonist of Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo, is portrayed by Chinua Achebe as a hero in his own right. For centuries and across many civilisations, we have revered people dead, alive and fictional alike. Yet if we were to compare every definition of a hero, few would explicitly match. To define – or even simply list – every archetype within the genre of a hero is an almost impossible task as the extensive interpretations and variations span across time and culture. Despite this variation, Okonkwo from Things Fall Apart depicts the traits of hero. From a literary perspective, he is explicitly tragic hero, particularly as defined by Aristotle. A tragic hero can be defined as a [great] man who is not eminently good and just, whose misfortune is brought about not by vice or depravity, but by some error or frailty. This further consists of five major trai ts: hamartia (a tragic flaw); peripeteia (a reversal of fate); anagnorisis (enlightenment from ignorance); catharsis (purification or purging); and pathos. Overall, Okonkwo characterises a classic tragic hero, and Achebe achieves this through three major aspects of his characterisation: father-son relationship, an imbalanced character and structured downfall. A primary motive behind Okonkwo’s actions was his father. In the first chapter, Achebe utilises descriptive labels to present Unoka in a negativeShow MoreRelatedOkonkwo 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 destin ies of others by pursuing his own. He is a man noted for special achievements. His life is defined by ambivalence, because his actionsRead MoreAn Alternative Hero : Chinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart948 Words   |  4 PagesJeremy Pilz Mrs. Cloud Things Fall Apart Essay 27 March 2017 An Alternative Hero An archetype in literature expresses â€Å"a realm of human experience in many myths and fantasy stories† that can go deeper than â€Å"any rational or intellectual thinking† (Gillespie). The archetype of the monomyth, or â€Å"The Hero’s Journey† first originated from a mythological researcher named Joseph Campbell. The monomyth consists of â€Å"several basic stages that almost every hero-quest goes through, no matter what culture theRead MoreThe Tragic Hero Of Chinua Achebe s Things Fall Apart1522 Words   |  7 Pagestragic 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 v illage’s affairs. One may say that he was the perfect man to be the hero ofRead 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 MoreA Study on the Author, Chinua Achebe 1467 Words   |  6 Pages A STUDY OF THE AUTHOR, CHINUA ACHEBE Chinua Achebe was born unto a Nigerian parents in Nigeria on November 16, 1930. He was from a family that born six kids; he being the fifth among them. Chinua Achebe’s parents were Isaiah Okafor Achebe and Janet Achebe. He begin an English at eight in Ogidi, Nigeria. Encouraged by his father, he was excited to learned English quickly. His father Isaiah Achebe was one of the first that converted from their religion to Christianity and he also foundedRead MoreThe Tale of Two Limit Exceeding Men Who Fell Short of Personal Goals1000 Words   |  4 Pagessubject. In the beginning of the hero cycle, reverent tone is used many times, however, as the character progresses through the book, they begin to show their flaw, which, many times is revealed by the changing tones the author uses. In the conclusion of the story, they accept defeat with honor after discovering their flaw. Changing tones used by both Chinua Achebe in his book, Things Fall Apart, and William Shakespeare in his playwright, Othello, progress the tragic hero cycle of Okonkwo and OthelloRead MoreAnalysis of Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart1579 Words   |  6 PagesChinua Achebes 1958 novel Things Fall Apart marked a significant turning point not only for literature, but the world, because the novel is an attempt to blend the conflicting identities and ideologies of Africa in the wake of colonization. The novel depicts the destructive tension that arises between the traditions of the Igbo people and white colonizers, but, perhaps contrary to the readers expectation, it does not present either side as holding the ethical high ground. Rather, the novel suggestsRead MoreChinua Achebe : The Invention And Mastery Of Modern African Literature1695 Words   |  7 Pages In her essay Chinua Achebe: The Invention and Mastery of Modern African Literature Emeka Aniagolu labels Chinua Achebe as â€Å"the single most important literary figure in modern African literature† (1). Aniagolu goes on to praise Achebe as â€Å"perhaps the most well-known, most widely read, most translated, and most widely respected modern African writer, novelist and polemical essayist†, especially considering he as been crowned as the inventor of modern African literature (1). The praise he has receivedRead MoreWork1068 Words   |  5 Pages2013 Things Fall Apart: Character Analysis Research Paper In the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the main character Okonkwo has only one tragic flaw; he has raised himself so that looking weak or effeminate is the worst thing to him that he could do. Okonkwo is a model clansman based on his success. However, he is more alienated from his culture based on his lack of respect for it. In this research paper, I’ll walk through a character analysis of Okonkwo. The protagonist of Things Fall