How does the destiny of the tragic hero Okonkwo from Things Fall Apart echo the destiny of the tribal Igbo in Nigeria?

In many ways, Chinua Achebe treats Okonkwo as a representative of the traditional values and beliefs of the Igbo people in Nigeria. Therefore, his tragic fate is symbolic of the fall of Igbo customs and values in the face of European colonialism. Okonkwo is presented as a violent man who perfectly embodies all of the traits that are deemed valuable in the tribal community in Umuofia:

“Okonkwo was clearly cut out for great things. He...

In many ways, Chinua Achebe treats Okonkwo as a representative of the traditional values and beliefs of the Igbo people in Nigeria. Therefore, his tragic fate is symbolic of the fall of Igbo customs and values in the face of European colonialism. Okonkwo is presented as a violent man who perfectly embodies all of the traits that are deemed valuable in the tribal community in Umuofia:

“Okonkwo was clearly cut out for great things. He was still young but he had won fame as the greatest wrestler in the nine villages. He was a wealthy farmer and had two barns full of yams, and had just married his third wife. To crown it all he had taken two titles and had shown incredible prowess in two inter-tribal wars. And so although Okonkwo was still young, he was already one of the greatest men of his time” (8).

The fact that he is described as one of the greatest men in the region renders him a symbol of traditional Igbo beliefs. Thus, Achebe shows how Okonkwo's inflexible attitude is impractical in the face of such drastic changes to Umuofia. Okonkwo is unwilling to alter his ways, and he eventually takes his own life because he is unable to adjust to a Nigeria forever changed by European influence. Obierika blames the District Commissioner and others like him for Okonkwo’s death:

“That man was one of the greatest men in Umuofia. You drove him to kill himself; and now he will be buried like a dog” (208).

Okonkwo’s fate is intertwined with the traditional values of the Igbo in Nigeria, and Achebe symbolically illustrates the death of strictly traditional Igbo culture through the tragic death of Okonkwo.