A Tragic Hero: By Alex Hall

A tragic hero: by Alex Hall

A tragic hero must consist of few trademarks. He must be a man, have great prestige, and have a tremendous downfall. If you read the book, then you know Okonkwo possesses these traits. He was the definition of a warrior, and upheld his beliefs under huge diversity. In the following paragraph I will discuss my reasons for Okonkwo being a tragic hero.

First, he was a man... As a young man he showed amazing potential to rise to the occasion. He was destroying grown men in wrestling competitions from his tribe, and others. Not only did he show that manliness in wrestling, but also in war. He was a true umofian war hero. Any man who drinks out of the head of his enemies is pretty manly to me. He was a true definition of a man. In chapter one we learned of the many trials he overcame, and records he set as a true umofian man in his village.

Secondary, his prestige was insurmountable in yams, and other agricultural necessities. In chapters 2-4 we learn how he built his farm and prestige from scratch. Okonkwo came from nothing and his father left him no farm. Every bit of prestige he earned was from absolute hard work. His prime motivation was to be completely different from his father (unoka.) His prestige was not just measured in his valuables, but also in reputation. Being one of the highest ranked members of your land is ecstatic. Not to mention he was one rank away from being a master of umofia.

Finally is the huge downfall. Everything began to culminate in the final chapter. After being banished from his homeland you would think he would never mess up again. Apparently it wasn't enough. Okonkwo truly fought with himself and others to keep umofian traditions alive, but it was to no avail. After losing his ranking, his son, and his people he became distraught. This of course led to his abrasive suicide.

In conclusion, Okonkwo is the true definition of a tragic hero. His