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Tragic Hero In Achebe's Things Fall Apart

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“A tragedy is that moment where the hero comes face to face with his true identity”
Aristotle
According to Aristotle’s theory of a tragic hero, a tragic hero begins his/her journey with a rise to fame, has a tragic flaw, and that tragic flaw leads to the downfall. As Achebe’s historical drama novel, Things Fall Apart, unfolds it becomes evident that the novel’s protagonist, Okonkwo is a tragic hero through three typical traits: Okonkwo’s high stature, his tragic flaw of having the fear of being a failure, and a resulting downfall
Okonkwo accords with Aristotle’s theory of tragic hero because of having a high stature. Even though Okonkwo was not of noble birth, he makes way through the ranks by acquiring multiple titles through his hard work. He starts his journey by achieving fame as a strong wrestler, as, at the age of 18 “he had brought honor to his village by throwing Amalinze the Cat”, a great wrestler who unbeatable for seven years. “He [Okonkwo] did not have the start in life which many young men usually had. He did not inherit a barn from his father. There was no barn to inherit,” but through his hard work, he eventually makes prominence and is known as a wealthy and respected man in Umuofia. He “had two …show more content…

Throughout his whole life he was trying to be the man which was opposite his father; not weak, and poor. When he comes face to face with his true identity, he commits suicide, which portrays him as a tragic hero. Achebe’s Things Fall Apart is relevant in today’s world because it questions the voice of native African’s identity. Achebe’s visionary regarding Things Fall Apart helps uncover the tragedy today of the effects of dehumanising of cultural arrogance and absolutism. They are manifested as the moral arms of cynical campaigns still at work today in Iraq and

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