Aristotle defines a tragic hero as a character held in high esteem who is dealt greater suffering than that which he deserves, among other things. In Chinua Achebe's book Things Fall Apart, the main character, Okonkwo, is such a character. The Aristotelian definition of a tragedy, "a dramatic narrative in which serious actions turn out disastrously for the protagonist", also coincides with the plot of Things Fall Apart.
A character needs to be high in the social caste of his society in order to have some place to fall from. Okonkwo has one of the highest titles in his village, and is held in high regard by all of his tribesmen. He has three wives, multiple children, and a plentiful storage of yams, all of which are signs of status in the Ibo tribe. The state of his tribe fluctuates with changes in his life. While he flourishes, the tribe is strong; when he is exiled, the tribe slowly degenerates; and by the time he hangs himself, the tribe is on its way to being completely taken over by Europeans. Neither absolutely good nor completely evil, Okonkwo meets the description of a mixed character. During the story, Okonkwo commits many terrible acts, from trying to kill one of his wives, to striking the final blow to Ikemefuna. But the narrator gives the reader insight into Okonkwo's feelings, which Okonkwo has become very adept at hiding from the other members of the tribe. It is revealed that Okonkwo has a strong liking for Ikemefuna and for Ezinma. It is due to his tragic flaw that Okonkwo never reveals his caring feelings for anyone. He is terrified of being thought of as being like his father, a weak, lazy man, and a failure in the eyes of Okonkwo. Due to this tragic flaw, he appears to be extremely harsh and unforgiving. It might be that his fall is punishment by the gods for having so much pride. Okonkwo is exiled from his tribe because his gun accidentally went of and killed a boy.
