In what ways is Okonkwo a tragic hero?
Okonkwo is a tragic hero in the classical sense: although he is a superior character, his tragic flaw—the equation of manliness with rashness, anger, and violence—brings about his own destruction.
Why is Okonkwo a bad person?
He is a respected member of the community, and he embraces his leadership roles. Okonkwo also recognizes traits in his own father that he doesn’t like, and he works at not emulating those behaviors. He is driven by fear, and that leads to destructive behavior, like killing Ikemefuna and disowning his oldest son.
Why did Okonkwo kill his son?
Okonkwo kills Ikemefuna because he doesn’t want to appear weak in front of his fellow clansmen. Ogbuefi Ezeudu, a village elder, informs Okonkwo that the Oracle has decreed that Ikemefuna must be killed but that Okonkwo should not be the one to kill him, since Ikemefuna regards Okonkwo as a father.
Is things fall apart a tragedy?
Things Fall Apart fits the definition of tragedy because it documents both the personal downfall of Okonkwo and the broader erosion of the Igbo cultural world that Okonkwo wishes to defend. Things Fall Apart even has a tragic-sounding title.
Who is to blame for Okonkwo’s death?
Okonkwo is responsible for his death because he has remained stagnant while his village and family are changing. His entire life was measured against his father so he never established his own sense of identity — he just wanted to be opposite of his father.
Does Okonkwo die a hero or a victim?
Okonkwo’s suicide is an unspeakable act that strips him of all honor and denies him the right to an honorable burial. Okonkwo dies an outcast, banished from the very society he fought to protect.
Is Okonkwo justified in murdering the head messenger?
Okonkwo has taken five human heads in warfare, which is justified by his culture. His killing of the court messenger is not justified by Igbo culture. Okonkwo takes revenge for his treatment in jail. He knows the clan will not fight back, so he acts alone.
What happens to Okonkwo after he kills ikemefuna?
When the village elders decide the time has come to kill Ikemefuna and finally settle the dispute with the neighboring village, Okonkwo insists on taking part in the execution, despite the fact that the boy calls him “father.” Okonkwo ends up killing Ikemefuna himself out of fear that his failure to take responsibility …
How does Okonkwo Act Two days after ikemefuna’s death?
Terms in this set (12) How does Okonkwo act for two days after Ikemefuna’s death? He doesn’t eat and breaks out in shivers. The eldest couple in the village had died, one right after the other, the husband then wife right after.
What are ikemefuna’s last words?
Ikemefuna’s last words are, “My father, they have killed me!” He looks to his father for help but is only killed in a terrible way at his hands. There is no justice, compassion or mercy for Ikemefuna: the boy never had a chance.
What does Okonkwo mean when he says a bowl?
What does Okonkwo mean when he says a bowl of pounded yams can throw Nwoye in a wrestling match? He doesn’t show enough promise like his other brothers; he’s weak.
What food stood for manliness and was a sign of prosperity?
Yams
How does Okonkwo increase his shame after he breaks the peace?
How does Okonkwo increase his shame after he breaks the peace? a. He beats his third wife and by doing so he breaks the law of the Peace Week. Okonkwo’s neighbors heard his wife crying and sent their voices over the compound walls to ask what was the matter.
What was Okonkwo’s punishment for breaking the peace?
He beats her for her negligence, shamefully breaking the peace of the sacred week in a transgression known as nso-ani. The priest demands that Okonkwo sacrifice a nanny goat and a hen and pay a fine of one length of cloth and one hundred cowries (shells used as currency).
Who killed the sacred python?
Kiaga’s steadfast conviction persuades most of the other converts not to reject their new faith simply because the outcasts have joined them. The osu soon become the most zealous members of the church. To the clan’s disbelief, one boasts that he killed the sacred royal python.
What things does uchendu pray for as he breaks the kola nut?
At the feast, Uchendu is honored as the oldest man at the feast; he breaks the kola nut and prays for health and children.
Why does Okonkwo regret his exile?
Okonkwo regrets his exile even though he prospers in his motherland because he feels he would have prospered even more in Umuofia.
What was the evil forest used for?
As a place, the Evil Forest is where cursed people and things are abandoned to rot or die. The Evil Forest is also given to the missionaries as a sort of trick. It is the name given to one of the elders who represented Umueru village. These elders sometimes dressed up with masks to represent powers and spirits.
What advice does uchendu give Okonkwo?
Uchendu advises Okonkwo to receive the comfort of the motherland gratefully. He reminds Okonkwo that many have been worse off—Uchendu himself has lost all but one of his six wives and buried twenty-two children. Even so, Uchendu tells Okonkwo, “I did not hang myself, and I am still alive.”