Okonkwo- Tragic Hero

In many ways Things Fall Apart is considered a tragedy. Why would Achebe, taking into account the cultural context, choose to characterize Okonkwo using the tragic hero archetype?

In the novel 'Things Fall Apart', Okonkwo is believed to be the protagonist of the novel, however we can also describe him to be a 'tragic hero'. A tragic hero is a character who highly honoured, however they have a tragic flaw, which eventually leads to their own downfall. Okonkwo's tragic flaw is the fear of becoming like his father, Unoka, and the fear of failure and weakness. It is argued that this particular fear Okonkwo had, was what drove him towards a horrible downfall. Moreover, Okonkwo tragic flaw helped him succeed and earn respect from the people- "Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond. His fame rested on solid personal achievements"; this is an advantage, however his tragic flaw came with many other disadvantages and issues- Okonkwo's fear resulted in him acting violent and aggressive throughout the novel; one of the most significant moments is when he distraught by Nwoye's conversion to Christianity; essentially, violence is his answer to everything.It is possible that Achebe wanted to characterise Okonkwo in a way that all Igbo people could possibly relate to and perhaps even identify with. Okonkwo, like many other Igbo people, is independent and self-sufficient at the beginning of the novel, however towards the end of the novel (when the british send their first missionaries), the Igbo people are less patient and lash out on the simplest matters.