Okonkwo and Gilgamesh: Tragic vs. Epic Hero Compared

Introduction: Defining the Hero

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a hero is defined as a mythological or legendary figure, often of divine descent, endowed with great strength or ability. Keeping this definition in mind, Gilgamesh is reflected as a hero since he was two-thirds god and one-third man, possessing supernatural strength. Furthermore, he was destined to die and spent his entire life in quest for immortality. The epic narrates how the character evolved throughout the twelve tablets, ending as a completely different person from who he was initially.

Okonkwo, the protagonist of Things Fall Apart, is described as a person admired in his village for his bravery and strength. He was respected throughout the nine villages, and everybody spoke of his gallantry with great awe. Unlike Gilgamesh, Okonkwo's fame rested on personal achievement. He became a great man through his own efforts, not because he was entitled to greatness by birth.

Character Portraits: Strength and Arrogance

Okonkwo was one of the strongest men in Umuofia. He was intensely masculine and considered emotions a sign of weakness. He detested his father's attitude toward life and struggled personally to be as different from him as possible. He considered his father a failure and strived relentlessly for power. Okonkwo's manliness is reflected in many ways — his constant winning streak at wrestling and his performance in tribal wars. He was a struggler and a survivor. Due to these successes, he was filled with pride and a sense of superiority. "He was not afraid of war. He was a man of action, a man of war" (Achebe 2).

His arrogance was reflected in every action. He believed in getting things done by force and held a condescending attitude toward the less accomplished members of his tribe. His attitude toward women was equally patronizing. He had several wives, all of whom obeyed him out of fear and dread of his fiery temper. "Okonkwo ruled his household with a heavy hand. His wives, especially the youngest, lived in perpetual fear of his fiery temper, and so did his little children" (Achebe 2).

Gilgamesh also demonstrated great strength through his successes in several trials. As a result, he too was forceful and expected everyone to yield to his authority. People feared his power, as depicted by the helplessness shown in the initial tablets. "There was no withstanding the aura or power of the Wild Ox Gilgamesh. Neither the father's son nor the wife of the noble; neither the mother's daughter nor the warrior's bride was safe" (Carnahan 4).

Gilgamesh was created by the gods with special attention, and he therefore possessed exceptional looks and strength. Both Gilgamesh and Okonkwo are portrayed as overbearing and arrogant. Gilgamesh kept his city in a constant state of commotion, driven by an unrelenting need to assert power over the people — even asserting his right to sleep with virgins before their husbands could touch them. The character is thus immature and arrogant, much like Okonkwo with his inflexible outlook on life. The stubborn intolerance depicted by both characters causes each of them to face different challenges later in their stories: Okonkwo confronting the invasion of white men into African tribal life, and Gilgamesh battling for immortality and the companionship of Enkidu.

Motivations and Goals

Both characters were driven by different sets of motivations. Okonkwo's dream was to become a well-known and respected member of his tribe. He considered his father a failure because he was poor, and he never wanted to share that fate. In order to accomplish this goal, he strived throughout his life and earned the respect he sought. Gilgamesh's prime quest was to become immortal, particularly after the death of his friend Enkidu. Gilgamesh encountered a series of challenges during his quest and faced them bravely.

References

Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart. Anchor, 1996.

Carnahan, Wolf. The Epic of Gilgamesh. Trans. Maureen Gallery, 1998.