Many critics have described Okonkwo as a tragic hero(in the traditional of Oedipus Rex, Hamlet, Othelio, etc) an exceptional man who because of circumstances beyond his control and because of his own fatal flaw, is destined for destruction. Though defeated, the hero is a strong person who had dared to aspire greatness. Analyze the trajectory of Okonkwo’s life and his final tragic end. Use Database sources, and the book. A lot of citation. Speak of his psychological fear of weakness and his relationship with his father.

In the novel ‘Thing Fall Apart’ by Chinua Achebe Okonkwo is a protagonist. Critics also refer to him as a tragic hero. A tragic hero can be defined as a person who holds a position of power and he chooses his own way of doing things, has a tragic flaw and knows the reasons as to why they go through what they are going through. Okonkwo as depicted in this novel made a lot of decisions, very full aware of the consequences of his actions.  Okonkwo was a well respected man of the Umuofia clan (Bloom 4). He is afraid that he will end up becoming like lazy father Unoka and therefore ends up making a lot of decisions that later lead to his tragic suicide.