Blog Post 22 - Blog Post: Tragic Hero

In many ways Things Fall Apart is considered a tragedy. Why would Achebe, taking into account the cultural context, choose to characterize Okonkwo using the tragic hero archetype?

In my opinion, I believe that Achebe characterises Okonkwo using the tragic hero archetype by portraying how he grew up in a culturally diverse society where he was given doubts about his future. As we all know, this is because Unoka has been borrowing and is in debt of yams. Consequently, when Unoka passed on, Okonkwo was left with his fathers shame and swore that he was not going to be like his father; the things his father loved, Okonkwo would hate. Looking at this significant   moment in Things Fall Apart, we can observe one of the reasons why Achebe chose to use the Antagonist of the novel to portray a heroic archetype.  This moment conveys the idea that Okonkwo grew up with the motivation of being the opposite to his father; a father that was lazy, but he wanted to be successful. However, Achebe portrayed the antagonist as a mighty hero who was self-centred, arrogant, short-tempered who displayed no emotion and who eventually hung himself. 
Based on assumption, I feel that Chinua Achebe introduced the Ibo culture with its cultural beliefs and political views to the audience to demonstrate how the community is collaborative. This is also portrayed in the events where one of the wealthiest men in the village gave yams to Okonkwo; the incentive to his success. Additionally this allows the audience to view how the community is willing to help others within the Ibo society, especially those who are self-driven. 
Okonkwo, the anatomist's death conveyed a message in regards to the Ibo's culture; specifically with the arrival of the missionaries during his arrival to the villages after his 7 year exile. I believe that okonkwo's character illustrated the fall of the Ibo culture and how they could not maintain the cultures beliefs and political views they contributed collaboratively. Okonkwo symbolises how the community within the Ibo culture could not maintain their stable and growing culture. Additionally, they could not adjust to what the missionaries had brought into their society.