Essay - Empowerment Through Creation and Protection: the Role of Women in...

Empowerment through Creation and Protection: The Role of Women in Th*****gs Fall Apart Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe is a depiction ***** the tragic life of Okonkwo, the main character. Many elements combine to result in the tragic end of ***** book, as well ***** the ***** of the traditional ways of ********** Ibo tribe. The major contributing factor to th***** demise is ***** arrival of Western missionaries. The foreign beliefs ***** customs imposed upon the tribe change them forever, effectively destroying the social structure they have built up. This traditional social structure involves specific roles assigned to men and women respectively. Men are to be involved in politics and hunting, while women are creatively ***** in the household environment and childbirth. While to the western eye *****n it would appear that ***** are ********** abused in the Ibo culture, these women do use their ***** roles to wield subtle power in ***** Achebe's Things Fall Apart. Online articles by June Chun ***** Annie Wh*****e are also considered for ***** interpretation of women's roles in Achebe's work.

It is undeniable that the attitude of the men, represented by Okonkwo, towards women ***** the Ibo tribe leaves much to be desired. ***** for example views any kind of weakness or failure as a feminine quality, even if ***** ***** occur in men. Conversely, if a woman shows herself to ***** strong and capable, she ***** likened to a man. In Okonkwo's family, the first view is represented by h***** father, Unoka, who has made a failure ***** his ***** (Chun). Similarly, his son by his ***** w*****e, Nwoye, reminds Okonkwo of his father's weakness, ***** is theref*****e described as "effeminate" (Achebe 143). In contrast to th***** his favorite child is a daughter, Ezinma, who would have ***** ***** happier had ***** been a boy (Achebe 63).

In addition to *****e psychological abuse of their cultural values, wo***** are also physically abused in the *****, with few repercussions for the abuser. Indeed, wife beating is used as a punishment ***** women who overstep the limits of ***** assigned roles. Okonkwo's second wife for ***** is a frequent transgressor, and Achebe describes two occasions during which she is severely beaten in the novel. ***** first offence ***** not coming home to make Okonkwo's meal, while ***** second occurs when she hints disrespectfully at Okonkwo's lack of male prowess. Okonkwo is puni*****d ***** beating her only because h***** rage over*****s his respect for the tribal tradition ***** the Week of Peace. Ot*****wise wife beating is hailed as one of the tools for "keeping women in line" (Chun).

Despite t***** apparen***** insurmountable subordination and what White refers to as the inv*****ibility of women in ***** tribe, women can and do nonetheless ***** their power ***** more subtle ways than the men. Okonkwo's second wife is shown ***** directly oppose her husband. The consequences show that this fails to empower her in any way. Instead, women who respect the tribal boundaries do use the very