Heroism and Culture in Stories of Kings
Of Oedipus the King, Segal states, "The stories of kings are themselves exemplary of the extreme limits of human criminality and human grandeur; and this play shows a great and passionate king confronting unspeakable horrors," (p. 3). The same can be said for Okonkwo. Although Okonkwo is less known in the canon of world literature, he too represents absolute heroism in the classical Greek sense. Like Oedipus the King of Thebes, Okonkwo of the Umuofia confronts "unspeakable horrors," and like Oedipus he too, participates blindly in them. As warriors, both Oedipus and Okonkwo earn and maintain the respect of their people and both are generally deemed worthy as leaders. Pride gets the better of both men and causes calamity to their community, their loved ones and themselves, but in the end, Oedipus and Okonkwo both exemplify heroism. The stories of Oedipus and Okonkwo show that the concept of heroism is portrayed similarly in the literature of disparate cultures. On the one hand, Oedipus the King is a primogenitor of Greek epic drama, a play with a plot that predates Sophocles himself. On the other hand, Things Fall Apart represents themes in post-colonial Africa, many centuries and miles away. In both cases, though, the theme of her
The stories of Oedipus and of Okonkwo demonstrate that being a hero does not mean a man must be perfect. Quite the contrary, Oedipus and Okonkwo both show that classical heroes live with continual struggles and usually fail and falter before they learn. Things Fall Apart and Oedipus the King both present epic tales with classical hero protagonists. Oedipus and Okonkwo bear the mark of the tragic flaw: hubris. Without pride they would not be community leaders, warriors, kings, and strong father-figures. Beyond just a sense of pride, though, a warrior also experiences significant social role conflict. On the one hand, the warrior is a king: his people look up to him for strength, protection from enemies, and guidance in times of trouble. In this role, Oedipus and Okonkwo served well until faced with a personal challenge. Both men had issues with their fathers, their wives, and their families. Unsure of their role as family men, neither Okonkwo nor Oedipus could humble himself long enough to listen to the truth, to see their selves for who they really were. All Oedipus had to do to save Thebes was to acknowledge his past and to face the facts about himself: not easy for anyone, even a King. Okonkwo was called upon differently: to serve as a new world warrior. By the end of Things Fall Apart Okonkwo cannot comprehend the meaning of manhood or of heroism and like Oedipus, he turns his anger upon himself. Both men remain heroes not because they were happy or successful, but because they were proud. Similarly, in Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo's hubris is played out largely in the arena of his family affairs. Central to the novel's plot is Okonkwo's relationship with Ikemefuna. Like Oedipus, Ikemefuna is raised by a man other than his father and both relationships are torn apart through murder and through pride. In both stories, the hero-father causes the death of several family members. In both cases, too, the warrior-hero has a deep-rooted father-son conflict. Whereas Oedipus unwittingly killed his father, Okonkwo kills his son, yet in bo
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Approximate Word count = 1378
Approximate Pages = 6 (250 words per page double spaced)
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