Comparing Okonkwo And Oedipus The King

The tales of Okonkwo and Oedipus may seem as if they are two completely separate and distinct stories. Okonkwo is a member of the Ibo clan, struggling to gain titles and power through acts of strength. Oedipus is a king, the reigning hero of Thebes, who single handedly took down the tormentor of the city with only his wits. On a surface level, it may appear as though they are completely different: one a king, the other a commoner. They even existed in separate cultures: Okonkwo from Umuofia in Africa and Oedipus from the Greek city of Thebes. However, upon closer investigation, one can see that Okonkwo and Oedipus are two sides of the same coin. At their cores, they share a desire to be the hero. A hero is a person or character who exhibits

At the end of the play, Oedipus realizes that he is a disgraced man and the true evil in the city. He gouges out his eyes and begs to be lead out of the city. He says to Creon, “never let my father’s city be condemned to have me living here while I still live” (Sophocles 70). This shows that he truly does care for his city and does not want his people to suffer for his crimes. He consoles them by saying, “this disease infects no one but me” (Sophocles 69). Okonkwo did not show this care for his village in the novel. When the missionaries came to his village, he criticizes his people because they “had so unaccountably become soft like women” (Achebe 183). Oedipus does something else that Okonkwo would never do: he apologizes. After the truth had been revealed and he had blinded himself, Oedipus apologizes to Creon for calling him a traitor, and he gives him his blessing as leader of Thebes. Okonkwo would never have apologized to anyone on his own accord. He never apologizes to his wives after beating them or his children for killing the boy they considered a brother. The only time he apologizes is when the old man of the village orders him to at a meeting (Achebe 26). This reveals that Okonkwo does not feel remorse for any of his actions and only cares about furthering himself. In my opinion, this exposes Okonkwo’s true character to be self-centered and arrogant. Oedipus, although he is arrogant at the beginning of the play, feels remorse for his actions and is willing to humble himself. In my opinion, this places him closer to the title of a true