Chinua Achebe’s View on a Patriarchal Society
Chinua Achebe's novel, Things Fall Apart shows feminism from the male perspective. In the Igbo society, women typically take on the role of a housewife, which involves, cooking, cleaning, and anything that will benefit the man in the house. This was the standard way of life for a while in many places throughout the world, including in America. While Chinua Achebe illustrates the secondary role for women in a patriarchal society, nevertheless he departs from that traditional view, by giving Ezinma’s favored status along with creating several strong female characters, and describing Ezinma’s father, Okonkwo's eventual fall from power.
Ezinma is Ekwefi’s only surviving child as her mother suffered through nine …show more content…
Ekwefi was never dependant on anyone or anything, and would stand up for herself in times need. For example, when Chielo captured her only child, Ezinma and went off to go to the Oracle of Hills and Caves, Ekwefi denies all rules that Okonkwo sets for her and his other wives. Ekwefi states, “I shall wait too. It’s almost dawn” (108), after Okonkwo tells her to go back to the village to get some sleep. Achebe shows how women, even back then, could take a stand to a superior figure, and hopefully there would be no consequences. Ekwefi was trying to step away from a patriarchal society for taking a stand about what she truly believed. Another way Achebe shows emphasis on a non patriarchal society is how he made the Earth Goddess a main person in the Igbo religion. She is essentially the ruler of the religion, and if one were to break a rule, there would be serious consequences as Okonkwo experienced. By putting that much emphasis on the Earth Goddess, Achebe shows that women also have a role in society. Achebe often shows how he believes in equality, no matter the person’s
Chinua Achebe's novel, Things Fall Apart shows feminism from the male perspective. In the Igbo society, women typically take on the role of a housewife, which involves, cooking, cleaning, and anything that will benefit the man in the house. This was the standard way of life for a while in many places throughout the world, including in America. While Chinua Achebe illustrates the secondary role for women in a patriarchal society, nevertheless he departs from that traditional view, by giving Ezinma’s favored status along with creating several strong female characters, and describing Ezinma’s father, Okonkwo's eventual fall from power.
Ezinma is Ekwefi’s only surviving child as her mother suffered through nine …show more content…
Ekwefi was never dependant on anyone or anything, and would stand up for herself in times need. For example, when Chielo captured her only child, Ezinma and went off to go to the Oracle of Hills and Caves, Ekwefi denies all rules that Okonkwo sets for her and his other wives. Ekwefi states, “I shall wait too. It’s almost dawn” (108), after Okonkwo tells her to go back to the village to get some sleep. Achebe shows how women, even back then, could take a stand to a superior figure, and hopefully there would be no consequences. Ekwefi was trying to step away from a patriarchal society for taking a stand about what she truly believed. Another way Achebe shows emphasis on a non patriarchal society is how he made the Earth Goddess a main person in the Igbo religion. She is essentially the ruler of the religion, and if one were to break a rule, there would be serious consequences as Okonkwo experienced. By putting that much emphasis on the Earth Goddess, Achebe shows that women also have a role in society. Achebe often shows how he believes in equality, no matter the person’s