From the very title of this historical fiction novel, Things Fall Apart, composed by Chinua Achebe, foreshadows the tragedy unleashed by the tragic hero. Defined by Aristotle, an ancient Greek philosopher, a tragic hero is a character of noble stature and greatness who possesses a hamartia, a tragic flaw that leads to the character's downfall. Subsequently, the tragic hero undergoes peripeteia, the sudden reversal of fortune for this character that ends in catastrophe. Eventually the character recognizes his situation, known as anagnorisis. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay In Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo, the central character, is considered the tragic hero. He goes from being an admired leader and strong warrior of the lower Nigerian tribe, Umuofia, to engaging in an act based on his hamartia that influences catastrophe. Okonkwo's actions resulted in the suffering of others, including himself. The anguish others felt because of Okonkwo's indecent choices contributes to the universal vision of Okonkwo's journey as a tragic hero. The first requirement for a character to be considered a tragic hero is that the character must have a high status. As stated by Achebe in the novel, “Okonkwo was well known in all nine villages and beyond. His fame was based on solid personal achievements” (3). Okonkwo started from scratch, without any inheritance from his father, Okonkwo managed to work strenuously to become a strong warrior and a wealthy, respected man. Okonkwo earned many titles due to his work and dedication to not become a failure like his father, Unoka. Unoka had borrowed a huge amount of money from his neighbors to purchase the securities he wanted. He was a man known for being in debt. Okonkwo's fear of becoming like his father drove him to make the decision to hate everything his father had ever loved. Okonkwo's toil earned him a large compound with a hut for each of his 3 wives and many children. Okonkwo also possessed a large supply of sweet potatoes, earning him much respect from others because sweet potatoes are prized in Ibo beliefs. Okonkwo earned respect even at 18 years old, when he bought honor for his city by defeating Amalinze the Cat, a previously undefeated wrestler for 7 years. Okonkwo is a respected judge in the community, as he is one of the nine Egwugwu. This means it is assumed to be the spirit of an ancestor. Furthermore, he is also a representative of his village to talk to Mbaino village about the killer of the Umuofia girl. Distinctively, Okonkwo is of noble stature, despite how he began. Like other tragic heroes, Okonkwo possesses a tragic flaw, his hamartia. To his father, a failure, Okonkwo possesses the fear of weakness and failure. While these aspects have brought him success, fame, and achievements, they have also caused him many conflicts. Because Okonkwo is afraid of failure and weakness, this leads him to behave impulsively and violently towards others. This also includes his family members towards whom he is always violent and harsh. This is for his purpose of not being seen as a weak person. Okonkwo's extreme attitude of using strength and violence so as not to be seen as weak ultimately causes problems with his family leading to his ultimate downfall. For example, Okonkwo breaks a clan law and beats the youngest of his wives during the week of peace. At the same time he risks shooting his second wife. Okonkwo kills a close fifteen-year-old friend of hisson Nwoye who was sacrificed in Umuofia for killing one of Umuofia's women. Ikemefuna, his name was, lived with Okonkwo's family for three years before the elders ordered him to be killed. . Okonkwo is told not to take part in Ikemefuna's sacrifice because he is basically the man who raised him for three years.years and Ikemefuna calls Okonkwo “father”. Okonkwo's fear of being seen as weak causes him to react violently and kill Ikemefuna despite the warning he was given. Ikemefuna asks for Okonkwo's help because “he was afraid of being considered weak” (43). By trying to be a powerful person and deciding to kill Ikemefuna and beat his wives during the peace week, Okonkwo weakened his relationship with Nwoye and his wives. His violent and impulsive qualities also harm him mentally, leading him to kill a British court messenger during the clan meeting which shortly thereafter leads Okonkwo to discover his own tragic fate. The final requirement for a character to be a tragic hero requires that the character recognize their fate and situation, anagnorisis. Okonkwo experiences anagnorisis when he returns home to Umuofia after his seven years of exile with his great plan. Upon his arrival, Okonkwo realizes that many things have changed in Umuofia and that he is now no longer considered as important or famous as he was before his exile. When his arrival doesn't attract as much attention as he hoped for, he loses his place in the Egwugwu. He also discovers that white men have settled in the village, trying to convince the Ibos to convert to Christianity. He sees that, in his opinion, Christians are attacking Igbo customs and faith. Okonkwo was not satisfied with this and with his character convinces his clan to use violence to drive the white men out of the village. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay Conflicts between the Ibos and the Christians included the unmasking of Egwugwu, the burning of the church, and the deceitful meeting held by the white men which results in the capture and humiliation of the five members of the clan, including Okonkwo. Okonkwo then kills one of the five members of the British court, and it is then that he discovers his tragic fate. When Okonkwo beheads the messenger at the clan meeting and sees that none of his clan members pursue the fleeing white men, he "knew that Umuofia would not go to war" (144). He realizes that he will never be able to get rid of the white men of Umuofia because his clan will not fight with him. He realizes that he is defeated and cannot save his village from the influences of white men. Okonkwo decides to hang himself, which contributes to the meaning of abomination in Igbo culture. The character of Okonkwo fits Aristotle's definition of a tragic hero. Okonkwo becomes the honorable and successful leader of Umuofia. He also has the tragic flaw of fear of weakness and failure which ultimately leads to his downfall. Ultimately, he discovers his tragic fate and the plight of his tough character by killing the British court messenger. If it were not for the suffering of others in the novel caused by Okonkwo, a tragic hero, then Okonkwo's vision of the tragic hero would not be complete. References Begam, R. (1997). Achebe's Sense of an End: History and Tragedy in "Things Fall Apart." Studies in the Novel, 29(3), 396-411. (https://www.jstor.org/stable/29533223) Whittaker, D., & Msiska, M. H. (2007). Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart: A Study Guide by Routledge. Routledge. (https://www.taylorfrancis.com/books/mono/10.4324/9780203496404/chinua-achebe-things-fall-apart-david-whittaker-mpalive-hangson-msiska) Korang, K. L. (2011).)