Even his father’s death has brought shame to Okonkwo. So he strives to be a successful and affluent man and through his hard work and determination he becomes one. Achebe’s diction in this quote allows the reader to realize the seriousness of Oknonkwo’s fear of failure. For example,” It was deeper and more intimate than the fear of evil.” This alone shows that his fear of failure is ultimately going to lead to his downfall because failure is what makes him this man who is afraid to show any feelings that will be seen as “agbala” which means womanly. This fear throughout the novel causes him to make rash and impetuous decisions in order to achieve a high stature in the tribe.
In general terms, king is a male monarch who rules a kingdom and is considered most significant. Typically, king is courageous, true warrior and usually thinks high of him. However, character of Duncan breaks the stereotype of an archetypal king. King Duncan is a father-figure who is generous, insightful, and sensitive but has firm belief. However, he is full of irony as he is completely deceived by the intents of Macbeth.
While Falstaff’s ideals are pernicious, Henry’s condition is “to cold and temperate” and it is this very unsuitability to the throne that leads England to decay under his rule. He speaks contemptuously of “vulgar company,” “gibing boys” and “vile participation” in everyday life, illustrating his disdain for the common man. Simultaneously, he also idolizes Hotspur as “gallant,” “the theme of honours toungue,” and the “straightest plant…amongst a grove”. Yet in reality, Henry and Falstaff are both flawed role models, while Hotspur is also proven to be an inadequate leader. His ideas are deemed “dangerous,” “hare-brained,” and “uncertain” confirming that honour is not confined to valorous fighting.
No one wants to be seen as weak or a failure and be taken advantage of, that’s why people have their guards up. Things Fall Apart tells a story of a stubborn man (Okonkwo) responding to change. In Chinua Achebe’s book Things Fall Apart, he reveals Okonkwo’s fear of failure and of weakness. Okonkwo, with a deep insecurity of being like his father, known to be a poor, unsuccessful man and a failure in his society, gives his best to be successful and nothing else. Okonkwo passionately works hard to be at the top as a respected man (which he achieves) and the complete opposite of his disappointing father.
And this is precisely the morality of tragedy and its lesson. The discovery of the moral law, which is what the enlightenment of tragedy consists of, is not the discovery of some abstract or metaphysical quantity. (miller, common man) His problem is that he has so completely accepted the values of his society that he judges himself by standards rooted in social myths rather than human necessities. This lack of insight is strikingly similiar to traits of the tragic hero. As Aristotle’s writes, the tragic hero, “Lives for honor and fame”.
Some of the characteristics of a tragic hero include greatness, a weakness or a flaw, an undeserved fate, and a punishment exceeding the deed committed. Jay Gatsby encompasses all of these characteristics of a tragic hero. Although, the author tries to portray Gatsby as a perfect person, there are still some noticeable flaws. Gatsby’s great life unwinds with the death of the tragic hero. Gatsby was portrayed as esteemed by the way others spoke of him.
This shows disloyalty towards his people who are very loyal to him. Through these points, it is evident that Odysseus lacks the necessary traits of a true hero. Superficially, his victories and valor make him seem as though he is heroic. Yet, the underlying issue is that Odysseus tends to be selfish, disloyal and cowardly. By the end of his journey the many occurrences of his flaws outshine his perceived heroic qualities.
Meme Triiv Teachers Shitty Name Shitty Class Name 28 November 2010 An Analysis of the Cask of Amontillado By Edgar Allan Poe The definition of man is defined by many as someone who upholds the values of virtue, pride, and courage. It has been written that the fall of man is usually contributed to either greed or temptation. Both these statements are directly related to our story. Montresor by no means is a perfect human being. Though he has his many faults as our narrator/protagonist; we must wander into his story that reveals just enough reasoning for his actions.
More specifically, this investigation will discuss how these cultural traits are revealed in the interactions between the novel's main protagonist, Okonkwo, and his alter ego, Obierika. Achebe uses the dissimilarity between Okonkwo and Obierika to give the reader a more complete picture of Igbo-African society. Of the two, Okonkwo represents the main character, and Obierika is his foil. By doing so, he gives the reader insight on the Igbo concept of masculinity. Okonkwo is absolutely dedicated to the tribe's concept of manliness and when he was asked to aid in Ikemefuna's murder, he killed the boy himself because he did not want to appear “weak”.
The characters Okonkwo, Ekwefi, and the clan as a whole are developed in Things Fall Apart by the literary technique of characterization. The main character, Okonkwo, is portrayed throughout the novel as a round character. A round character is one who encounters conflict and is changed by it. To create this type of round character, Achebe first reveals Okonkwo as a strong, unemotional, wealth driven man. Okonkwo is characterized as being selfish because he only strives to be the opposite of his father, who was weak.