What Drives A Man

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in separately in the various parts of the work; in a dramatic,
not in a narrative form; with incidents arousing pity and fear, wherewith to
accomplish it catharsis of such emotions"
Aristotle, Poetics

Okonkwo is a tragic hero because he is superior to the regular people of the
tribe, "Okonkwo was well known throughout the nine villages and even beyond"
he's an extremist, ".whenever he was angry and could not get his words out
quickly enough, he would use his fists" (Achebe 3), he imposes his own reality
on people, "His wives, especially the youngest, lived in perpetual fear of his
fiery temper" (Achebe 9), demands more of life than life can give, "When did you
(Okonkwo) become an old woman?" (Achebe 45), and finally moves from a position
of happiness to that of misery, "It is an abomination for a man to take his own
life..." (Achebe 147). It is important to establish these facts because it
exemplifies Okonkwo's journey, and ultimately that of the Ibo people (as ...

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beat The Cat who, up to that time, had never been beaten.

"(Okonkwo) was tall and huge, and his bushy eyebrows and wide nose gave
him a very severe look... When he walked, his heels hardly touched the
ground and he seemed to walk on springs, as if he was going to pounce
on somebody." (Achebe 3)

Okonkwo also possessed great wealth, including two barns of yams and
three wives. It was looked upon favorably if you took on more than one wife.
This meant that you were rich enough to support them. It can be said that
Okonkwo became a successful man because he diligently cultivated the energetic
and aggressive qualities which were most admired in Umuofia. (Ravenscroft 9)
Since Okonkwo ...

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