Okonkwo is a strong powerful man, but his fatal flaw is his hubris. Hubris is excessive pride or self-confidence, and is shown to the reader quickly early-on in the book. I think that Okonkwo is aware that he is a prideful man in the sense that he would rather fight with his fists than try to talk something out, because he knows he can win with his fists. “.. whenever he was angry and could not get his words out quickly enough, he would use his fists. ” (Achebe 4) | also think that Okonkwo is more aware of his own fear and failure within him rather than dwell on his own self-confidence.
This fear stems from him not wanting to be like his father so he tries his hardest to become to opposite of him, and accomplishes that. However, in Igbo culture, it is normal for a man to be full of himself because it is a male dominant culture where the more masculine a man is the greater he is respected. This masculinity can be interpreted to pride or self-confidence because if a man is self confident then he will be a greater warrior and man altogether. Okonkwo developed this hubris through his childhood and into adulthood because everyone told him he was destined for considerable things; that he was a manly man.
The book begins with the tellings of Okonkwo’s greatness, “And so although Okonkwo was still young, he was already one of the greatest men of his time”(Achebe 8). With all of the great men surrounding Okonkwo and telling him how he is destined to become one of them, it is not strange that his fatal flaw is his hubris. Okonkwo lets his pride get in the way because he does not want to be seen weak by any member of the clan like his father was. Because of this, his life starts to spiral downward.
It begins during the week of peace when he hits his wife. “In his anger he had forgotten that it was the Week of Peace. His first two wives ran out in great alarm pleading with him that it was the sacred week. But Okonkwo was not the man to stop beating somebody half-way through, not even for fear of a goddess”(Achebe 29-30). Here, it is clear to the reader that Okonkwo’s sense of pride does not get in the way of anything, not even the religious beliefs of the culture. After this event, occurs another one but this time he loses something great.
Finally it was time for the boy that Umuofia had been taken from another clan and was living with Okonkwo to be killed; it was the Oracle’s word. During this time, the oldest man in Umuofia, Ogbuefi Ezedu says to Okonkwo, “That boys calls you father. Do not bear a hand in his death… But I want you to have nothing to do with it. He calls you father” (Achebe 57). Even though Okonkwo was told not to have a hand in his death he goes with the clan members who are going to have a role in the killing of Ikemefuna.
However, even though Okonkwo looked away and did not welcome the killing of Ike, when Ike runs toward him Okonkwo kills him. “Dazed with fear, Okonkwo drew his machete and cut him down. He was afraid of being thought weak” (Achebe 61). Okonkwo’s fatal flaw is his hubris caused by his fear of not wanting to be seen as weak. In his mind, if he had not killed Ike when he ran towards him for safety, Okonkwo would be looked at as weak by his peers. Nwoye, Okonkwo’s son is aware of his father’s hubris but does not know that it stems from fear because he himself fears his father.
Nwoye is used to being beaten by his father for not doing the manly thing, but the night that Ike was killed was the night that Nwoye had killed any emotional ties toward his father. Okonkwo’s best friend, Obierika is also aware of his friend’s fatal flaw. As a result of Okonkwo killing Ike, Obierika tells Okonkwo that he did not want to be part of the killing nor should have Okonkwo because Ike was his son even not by blood. In turn, Okonkwo looks at Obierika as weak, and Obierika tells Okonkwo that his actions will wipe out his whole family. IfI were you, I would have stayed home. What you have done will not please the Earth.
It is the kind of action for which the goddess wipes out whole families” (Achebe 67). Okonkwo is a fearful man, yet masks these emotions with pride and anger to show his fellow clansmen that he is 100% man like they all think he is. His hubris leads to his downfall that destroys his life and hopes of claiming all four titles of the clan. This hubris is accepted in Igbo culture, however, could be avoided if Okonkwo hadn’t tried so hard to be the opposite of his father.
