Tragic Heros and Things Fall Apart
Tragic Heros and Things Fall ApartBy definition, a tragic hero is someone usually of elevated status, who has a character flaw, which causes his demise. In the novel Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, the character Okonkwo is an exemplary model of a tragic hero, fitting all parts of the definition. The first requirement of a tragic hero is that he is of lofty social status.
Okonkwo, although not of royalty as classical tragic heroes were, is one of the elite in the tribe. He participates at tribal meetings and even dresses as one of the nine spirits during festivals. But Okonkwo was not born into wealth and prestige; rather he had to slave on his farm in-order to achieve his status. This helps to characterize Okonkwo as not only elite, but also as a great man. Unfortunately for Okonkwo, his spirit, strong enough to bring him to the top, also contained a flaw, which would bring him down.
Ironically, the fatal flaw in Okonkwo’s character was...
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