Okonkwo's Character as a Hero

   Aristotle had a specific outline for the qualifications of a tragic hero. They must express emotions of pity and fear but be respected and noble my their peers for their greatness. Throughout this story, Okonkwo is viewed as a hero by many in his village. He is know to be a strong, powerful, and feared individual that is respected by most people. However, his life is not perfect by any means. There are many events and issues present throughout Okonkwo's life that make his heroism questionable. Okonkwo is a perfect example of a tragic hero in the eyes of literature.
   Okonkwo is well respected and viewed highly in his community. He is recognized for his greatness, power, and knowledge due to all that he has accomplished throughout his life growing up. Few people would ever question or stand up to him, however, this is mainly due to the fear he instills in everyone. Okonkwo is a noble individual, yet he is not too unlike anyone else. The readers of this story are able to relate to many emotions and ideas that are present within his character, making him a heroic yet understandable individual to read about.
   Also, Okonkwo has many downfalls in this story that make him seem more like a typical human rather than a great hero. He has small faults, such as how he treats his wives and children, but also greater faults that end up causing his power and nobility to come crashing down. He kills his son since the village decided it had to be done, however, the only reason he did it was to make sure the other village members knew he was masculine and powerful. It becomes clear that he feels the  need to maintain his reputation as the masculine and well-respected member of his village that he is known for. However, after killing another character, Okonkwo receives consequences. He is banished from the village. He consciously made the decision to kill this character, however, his banishment seems slightly extensive for his crime. Despite this, when Okonkwo returns he has an increased sense of awareness and that benefits him.
   This story ends with Okonkwo committing suicide, a great tragedy. Although this may seem like it would greatly upset readers, it fails to leave them in a state of depression. Yes, his death is sad, but it isn't wildly unexpected and does not seem that crazy of an event to occur after everything else that Okonkwo went through. He was an individual trying to make sense of his new situation after returning to the village, clearly struggling, and needed a way out of his situation.
   Okonkwo fits the classifications of a tragic hero very clearly. He was respected and viewed as a powerful individual, yet he had his faults and complications. He was not granted an easily life and Achebe makes this very visible to the reader.