Things Fall Apart Hubris and the Suicide of Okonkwo in Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

This novel by Chinua Achebe was first published in 1958. Set on the continent of Africa this is the story of Okonkwo, a member of the Umuofia clan, one of nine villages of a tribe in Nigeria. Okonkwo is an esteemed tribesman who, despite the stigma of his cowardly father who died in disgrace leaving many unsettled debts behind, has achieved wealth and respect through hard work and self-reliance. Okonkwo worries that his son, Nwoye, will end up a failure like his father. His favorite daughter, Ezinma, is the only child of Ekwefi. She is more like her father in spirit and Okonkwo often wishes she had been born a boy.

The story centers on the events that surround Okonkwo during the course of his life and the self-realizations that lead him to take his own life. The process of overcoming the difficulties he faced while growing up has left Okonkwo with a very narrow and judgmental view of what is proper and masculine conduct. He views behavior which fails to live up to his standards of duty and honor as weak and feminine. It is this hubris that eventually leads to his downfall.

Discussion

During the week of peace held before the planting of the crops to honor the great goddess of the earth his wife fails to make dinner. Because of this Okonkwo beats her, thus disturbing the peace. The priest, Ezeani, tells him that though his wife was wrong, "The evil you have done can ruin...

The earth goddess you have insulted may refuse to give us her increase and we shall all perish" (p. 26). As punishment the priest demands that he sacrifice a nanny goat and a hen and pay a fine.
Okonkwo takes in a 15-year-old, Ikemefuna, from another tribe. Nwoye looks up to him as an older brother and begins to act in a way that lives up to Okonkwo's expectations. Ikemefuna stays with Okonkwo for three years and even begins to refer to him as father. The Oracle decrees that Ikemefuna must be killed, and that Okonkwo must not take part in this. Despite this Okonkwo walks with the other clansmen and when they attack, and Ikemefuna runs to Okonkwo for help, he cuts the boy down with his machete because he does not want to appear weak in front of the others. Okonkwo's self-image is such that he values what others think of him more than his relationships.

This theme of hubris is further explored when during the funeral of one of the tribe's elders Ogbuefi Ezeudu. Okonkwo accidently kills the man's sixteen-year-old son. This is a crime against the earth goddess and Okonkwo must take his family into exile for seven years in order to atone. He gathers his most valuable belongings and takes his family to his mother's natal village. The men burn Okonkwo's buildings and kill his animals to cleanse the village of his sin. Okonkwo is ungrateful to his mother's kinsman for taking him in. He resents his exile to a womanly place, is upset at his failure. He is unable to come to terms…