Okonkwo: Tragic Hero Archetype

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?

According to Aristotle, a tragic hero archetype is “a [great] man who is neither a paragon of virtue and justice nor undergoes the change to misfortune through any real badness or wickedness but because of some mistake." In other words, a hero is confronted with the root of their downfall as a result of their flaws or fate. In the novel, Things Fall Apart (1958), written by Chinua Achebe (1930-2013), the main character Okonkwo is characterized as a tragic hero. Achebe did not merely craft this archetype by coincidence, but rather to project and mimic the fall of the Nigerian culture, society, and values. 

Okonkwo is a hardworking, well-respected member of the Ibo clan in Umuofia. His tragic flaw, also known as hamartia, was his mental incapability of adapting his values due to his priorities on social reputation and honor. His ultimate fear was being like his father Unoka, who was cowardly and unable to support his family. Henceforth, he ingrains his emphasis on hyper-masculinity, titles, and pride. These flaws fundamentally lead to the collapse of his persona when the Igbo culture is colonized by British missionaries, as he resists change leading to his downfall.

Subsequently, Okonkwo’s downfall mimicked the destruction of the Nigerian society during the British colonization in the 19^th century. As displayed in the novel in relation to the cultural composition, Okonkwo’s ultimate hamartia and peripeteia led to his demise. In the same way, his downfall symbolizes how British colonizers dismantled the authentic Nigerian culture, society, values, and religion which lead to a change in societal dynamics. This shift is what lead to the Nigerian society to crumble and falling apart from their traditional customs. Therefore, Okonkwo encompasses and voices the unheard story of Nigeria’s downfall due to British colonization—a central message Achebe aimed to unravel within the novel.