WARRIORS, FARMERS, AND FATHERS: TRIBAL MASCULINITY IN ACHEBE’S THINGS FALL APART

This study examines the construction and transformation of masculinity in Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart through the interconnected roles of warriors, farmers, and fathers. These roles, deeply embedded in Igbo culture, define the expectations and responsibilities of men within the community. However, the advent of British colonial rule and the imposition of foreign ideologies challenge and ultimately dismantle these traditional structures of masculinity. Through the character of Okonkwo, Achebe illustrates the consequences of rigid adherence to traditional masculinity in the face of cultural change. Okonkwo’s struggle to uphold warrior values, maintain agricultural dominance, and assert patriarchal authority leads to his tragic downfall, symbolizing the broader erosion of Igbo masculinity under colonial rule. In contrast, characters like Obierika offer an alternative, more adaptable model of masculinity that balances strength with reflection and change. Achebe’s novel serves as both a critique and a commentary on the fragility of rigid gender roles and the necessity for cultural adaptation.