Abstract
Okonkwo is a man of fame, wildly acclaimed in Umuofia as a man of valour. He at the same time has a notoriety for violence. With a nagging fear of failure, he overreaches himself most often to counter the notion of his not being a woman. This inner desire for manliness plunges him into avoidable acts of shame and wrong decisions. Okonkwo lives in two worlds of fame and shame. He is caught in the crossroad of valour and overzealousness. On the contrary, Okonkwo is reputed for violence. His anger and shot temperedness portray his ugly side which is very well known among Umuofia. His superfluous show of power forces him into exile after he accidentally shoots Ezeudu’s son during Ezeudu’s funeral rites and consequently he embarks on a forced exile. His killing of the white man’s messenger saw his final disgrace and eventual death. Using the concepts of fame and shame, this paper examines the two worlds of the protagonist, the world of gallantry and fame and the world of shame and eventual suicide. The essay specifically observes the distinct features of the two worlds Okonkwo lived in. However, his inability to embrace the change as brought by the white missionary, and his inability to reconcile the old and trending dispensation become his undoing. Okonkwo is therefore propelled by his character which makes him to exist in the two worlds.
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