In the village of Umoufia, the public has been gathered at the market place to break the news that the wife of one of their village fellow has been murdered by some boys of the neighbour village called Mbaino. Okonkwo, recognized for his valour amongst all the allied villages, is sent to Mbaino to propose an alternative of war. It is that if they give a virgin girl and a boy to Umoufia, the war shall not take place. The opponents being afraid of Umoufia’s strength fulfill the demand. The girl
gets married to the widower and Ikemefuna, the boy, is sent to Okonkwo''s dwelling for a temporary phase of time. Okonkwo has three wives and eleven children. His favourite wife is Ekwefi and amongst children are Ezinma and Nwoye. Ikemefuna soon gets closer to the family and is considered one of them. Nwoye, the boy, develops special integration with him but, suddenly after three years, the Oracle demands the sacrifice of Ikemefuna which leaves deep impressions upon
Nwoye and it biulds up a gap between the father and the son. Ezinma, the daughter, gets extremely sick as she catches fever (iba). After recovery, Agbala, the priestess of Cave and Hills, takes her to her god and give her back to the parents after one night.
Ezendu, the titled warrior,
dies and all the
community starts mourning on his death as soon after his beloved wife also dies of sheer agony. On the funeral, Okonkwo inadvertently shoots a son of the deceased. So according to their cosmic law, he goes in exile with his family for seven years and shifts to Mbanta. Obierika, his friend from Umoufia, remains integrated. He tells Okonkwo about a whiteman visiting Abame. He is seen as a cruel oppressor. Chritianity comes to
Umoufia by the missionaries but only the worthless embrace it. Nwoye also becomes a convert and denounces his father. In his old age, this shock affects him deeply.
The missionaries reach Mbanta and found a
church with the management of Kiaga. He admits two outcasts in his church. It creates a huge uproar among the villagers. Some converts, who have not fully tuned to Christianity, divert back. Seven years of exile come to an end. The whole family gathers to bid farewell to Okonkwo and his family. He and his cousin, Uchenu, make brief speeches about the disintegration within the Igbo community and the families because of the white man.
In Umoufia, he realizes that his reputation has fallen down and the Igbo culture has also fallen apart into frictions. He decides to get back the past glory. It seems quite impossible to attack the Christians because for others it was not easy. Mr. Brown becomes the dominant figure. He lays stress on education for protection from foreign influence. Okonkwo remains stubborn while Isaac Nwoye gets education from Teacher’s Training College by the Christian church.
After Mr. Brown, Reverend James Smith comes and causes destruction to the village. A convert, Enoch, unmasks an egwugwu which creates uproar amongst the Igbos. Okonkwo and his fellows destroy the church. Later, he is arrested by the District Commissioner. He commits suicide. His own Igbo community, for which he dies, doesn’t even touch him as is the custom. This brings an end to the
tragedy of Okonkwo.
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