Ok so since no one commented i think i will! The catharsis is defenitly less apparent than in Oedipus but for me it is present. Okonkwo may be disliked by many but i've always found that he is full of principles and morals. That is why he hangs himself. He punishes himself for the mistakes he admits to be able to "purge his sins" in a way. He did not need to be exiled another time or sent to jail by the colonists because he knew that it was the end of his chapter in Umofia. We can say whatever we want about the ending, like that's is deceiving or it sucks but the right thing happened. If Okonkwo had not hanged himself he would have commited another great crime and then the tribe would have had to make a decision that none of them wants to make. In the end, people will talk about Okonkwo as having been a great man and that is what will make his soul live again.
Haha Natasha. Guess i'll comment too :P Throughout the book, the reader is overwhelmed with many emotions. We feel anger, confusion (for exmaple when Ikemefuna is killed), and sorrow at the end when we see that the clan has truly "fallen appart". If we were to look at this from a a "typical tragedy" view, catharsis is felt when the tragic hero (in this case Okonkwo) is punished, or pays for his wrong decisions and actions. At the end of the book, I believe Okonkwo suffers the ultimate punishment. Okonkwo's only reason to live in a way was his clan. He had with his clansmen a kinship that he was willing to fight and die for. At the end of the book, when he realizes that his clan, his brothers, are not supporting him in his effort, he not only feels incredibly betrayed, but also useless. The clan that he loved so much, and the cause that he was fighting for no longer needed him. In a way he belonged to a different time. So his death is the ultimate punishment for his faults. He dies alone (in the clan aspect) and also brings dishonor to himself, something that he was trying so hard to avoid when he was alive. Yet, in a non-tragedy way, I believe that Okonko's death is very cruel, and a little extreme. Okonkwo who was at times evil and violent, in my eyes, was actually deep down a good person... He cared for his children, and respected his clansmen and his clan. For me, he didn't need to suffer such a humiliating death or punishment.
Ok so since no one commented i think i will!
ReplyDeleteThe catharsis is defenitly less apparent than in Oedipus but for me it is present. Okonkwo may be disliked by many but i've always found that he is full of principles and morals. That is why he hangs himself. He punishes himself for the mistakes he admits to be able to "purge his sins" in a way. He did not need to be exiled another time or sent to jail by the colonists because he knew that it was the end of his chapter in Umofia. We can say whatever we want about the ending, like that's is deceiving or it sucks but the right thing happened. If Okonkwo had not hanged himself he would have commited another great crime and then the tribe would have had to make a decision that none of them wants to make. In the end, people will talk about Okonkwo as having been a great man and that is what will make his soul live again.
Haha Natasha. Guess i'll comment too :P
ReplyDeleteThroughout the book, the reader is overwhelmed with many emotions. We feel anger, confusion (for exmaple when Ikemefuna is killed), and sorrow at the end when we see that the clan has truly "fallen appart".
If we were to look at this from a a "typical tragedy" view, catharsis is felt when the tragic hero (in this case Okonkwo) is punished, or pays for his wrong decisions and actions. At the end of the book, I believe Okonkwo suffers the ultimate punishment. Okonkwo's only reason to live in a way was his clan. He had with his clansmen a kinship that he was willing to fight and die for. At the end of the book, when he realizes that his clan, his brothers, are not supporting him in his effort, he not only feels incredibly betrayed, but also useless. The clan that he loved so much, and the cause that he was fighting for no longer needed him. In a way he belonged to a different time. So his death is the ultimate punishment for his faults. He dies alone (in the clan aspect) and also brings dishonor to himself, something that he was trying so hard to avoid when he was alive.
Yet, in a non-tragedy way, I believe that Okonko's death is very cruel, and a little extreme. Okonkwo who was at times evil and violent, in my eyes, was actually deep down a good person... He cared for his children, and respected his clansmen and his clan. For me, he didn't need to suffer such a humiliating death or punishment.
Then you agree with King Lear, Olivia, and are in good company: "I am a man more sinned against than sinning."
ReplyDelete