Okonkwo as Epic Hero in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart...

Okonkwo as Epic Hero in Things Fall Apart Achebe’s work, Things Fall Apart, is an epic; it resembles stories about heroes found in many cultures. In these stories, the heroes are extraordinary individuals, whose careers and destinies are not theirs alone, but are bound with the fortunes and destinies of their society. They become heroes by accomplishing great things for themselves and their communities, winning much fame as a result. Okonkwo fits this pattern. The first paragraph of Things Fall Apart is notable in this respect, for it describes Okonkwo as follows: Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. His fame rested on solid personal achievements. As a young man of eighteen he†¦show more content†¦Things Fall Apart exemplifies this very well; it contains many passages in praise of Okonkwo and other heroic characters. There is, for example, the famous praise song for the champion wrestler, Okafo, which closely mirrors Okonkwos own achievements: Who will wrestle for our village? Okafo will wrestle for our village. Has he thrown a hundred men? He has thrown four hundred men. Has he thrown a hundred Cats? He has thrown four hundred Cats. Then send him word to fight for us. (36) African praise songs often simultaneously praise and criticize the intended person. The same is true of Things Fall Apart. This novel presents both positive and negatives aspects of Okonkwo. Since we tend to see Okonkwo as representing his society, we can say that Things Fall Apart both celebrates and critically appraises the culture whose tensions and contradictions he embodies. The contradictions in Okonkwo have deep implications. One of the most troublesome questions concerns the nature of heroism, and Okonkwos heroism in particular. Is Okonkwo really a hero? Before we go into this question, let us remember that Okonkwos culture is achievement-oriented. Achebe makes the following remark about Okonkwos society: Age was respected among his people, but achievement was revered. As the elders said, if a child washed his hands he could eat with kings. Okonkwo hadShow MoreRelated Things Fall Apart - White Missionaries Caused Umofia to Fall Apart1628 Words   |  7 PagesThings Fall Apart - White Missionaries Caused Umofia to Fall Apart      Ã‚  Ã‚   Faith has always been a guiding force in mans life.   Chinua Achebes novel Things Fall Apart is a story that describes the effects of a new Christian religion in a tribal village of Africa.   The tribe has their own language, known as Obi, a dignified culture and a value system that has continued for many years as they trace back into their ancestry.   Yet, voids that this culture can no longerRead More Okonkwos Tragic Flaws in Chinua Achebes Things Fall Apart Essay3094 Words   |  13 Pagesevident in todays international pieces, there exists continuity within the human fear of failure. Chinua Achebes novel, Things Fall Apart, details a remote native African society, the Igbo people, and their struggle with Anglican colonization at the turn of the century. The main character Okonkwo is forced to deal with change and transition and bears similarities essential to the tragic hero. Okonkwo is physically, politically, spiritually, and economically strong; however, these strengths combinedRead MoreAfrican Politics: No Longer at Ease by Obi Okonkwo Essay874 Words   |  4 Pagesthe power to provide guidance and direction. Moreover, this burden of leadership could elicit either patriotic parasitic tendencies in the utilization and exercise of power. (Ehling 23-25) According to Steven Gale in his Critical Commentary ‘Chinua Achebes No Longer at Ease’ where he declares: â€Å"It is evident almost from the beginning of No Longer at Ease that Obi is not of heroic nature and that his tragedy will not be a falling in full battle but rather it will result from an inability to face