Tragic Hero Archetype, Things Fall Apart

In many ways Things Fall Apart is considered a tragedy. Why would Achebe, taking into account the cultural context, choose to characterize Okonkwo using the tragic hero archetype?

In the novel Things Fall Apart, Achebe intentionally choses to adapt the conventions of the tragic hero archetype to the main character Okonkwo. Throughout the novel, we experience Okonkwo's high authority and influential position in Umuofia. The Igbo culture follows a hierarchical structure that divides tthe people according to their age, wealth, and gender. Okonkwo belongs to those with the highest title due to his courage and arrogance. His need for power and personal failures create a barrier between him and the opportunity for success. This leads to his ultimate downfall later on in the story. The audience is able to experience the destruction of the Igbo culture due to the threat of colonization. The negative impacts of colonization combined with Okonkwo's internal conflict create a sense of failure for the Igbo community. He is portrayed as the ultimate product of their society, and is characterized using the tragic hero archetype. Okonkwo consists of several bad/negative qualities that result in his ultimatum, which symbolizes the cultural loss of Umuofia. Okonkwo's failure and death can potentially reflect the division of the Umuofia and further symbolize the death of the Igbo culture.