Essay | Tragedy Strikes

"Things Fall Apart", by Chinua Achebe, is a modern version of a classic Greek tragedy set in the late 19th to early 20th centuries. The story takes place in a tribe in Nigeria. Okonkwo, the focus of this work of fiction, possesses characteristics like those of a tragic Greek hero. Chinua Achebe has written a classic tragedy put in modern times. There are many components involved in a tragedy. Okonkwo's own tragedy involves three of them: high social standing, error in judgment, and unmerited misfortune.

Okonkwo possesses the significant trait of high social status. Okonkwo's high status within his tribe helps create a climactic plot in which he eventually from his tribal stature. Often, in the beginning of the story, the narrator illustrates for the reader the significance of Okonkwo's status...
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