COMPARISON AND CONTRAST IN OKONKWO AND MACBETH

IN THE NAME OF ALLAH, THE MOST MERCIFUL AND BENEFICENT

BASED ON:
Things Fall Apart By Chinua Achebe
AND
Macbeth By Shakespeare

ARTICLE ON:

COMPARISON OF OKONKWO AND MACBETH APPLYING
PSYCHOANALYTICAL THEORY
PREPARED BY:

Abida Parveen

Section B

M.Phil English

(Literature)

NCBA & E Multan


COMPARISON AND CONTRAST IN OKONKWO AND MACBETH







SYNOPSIS
*-------------- Introduction of theory
*-------------- Introducing Okonkwo
*-------------- Introductory lines of Macbeth
*-------------- Age of protagonist
*-------------- Manliness challenged
*-------------- Greatest sin committed
*-------------- ID and superego effects
*-------------- Conflicts and reasons
*-------------- Success becomes disaster
*-------------- Oedipus Complex in Okonkwo and Macbeth.
*-------------- Fear most dominant factor
*-------------- Sleep disorder
*-------------- Same like stories, Macbeth and Things Fall Apart
*-------------- Tragic Ending

COMPARISON AND CONTRAST IN OKONKWO AND MACBETH









Comparison and Contrast in Okonkwo and Macbeth in context of
Psychoanalysis

Psychoanalytical criticism is a form of literary criticism which uses some of the
techniques of Psychoanalysis in the interpretation of literature.
(Bray : 96)

Psychoanalytic theory partly consists of Freudian theories relating to mind, our
instincts and sexuality and is based on the premises that human behavior is driven
by unconscious process. Defence theory of Freud, later refined by Anna Freud his
daughter, includes repression, regression displacement, projection, integration
and sublimation. So the theory of Sigmoid Freud is very much applicable and
related to both characters of Shakespeares tragedy Macbeth named after
protagonist and Okonkwo protagonist of Chinua Achebe in Things Fall Apart.

Okonkwo
He is young, physically strong and confident man. He is famous as great warrior,
received loan of 800 yams, is successful in drought and devastating effects of
nature and receives loan as he has confident to return the loan.
Fame rested on solid personal achievements.(Achebe:3)
COMPARISON AND CONTRAST IN OKONKWO AND MACBETH


He is physically prowess in ring, villagers speak of Okonkwos legendary wrestling
attainments. He is awarded as head of Umufians during war to neighboring
villages Mbano. As head of emesseries Okonkwo is treated with respect and
honor.


Macbeth
He is brave and fearless soldier, a cousin of king Duncan of Scotland, brave
warrior and experienced General, and suppressed the revolt of treacherous
Macdonald, the theme of Cawdor and alley of king of Norway. He is referred to as
Valour s minion and Bellonas bridegroom. The king calls him fearless
kinsman, and other characters call him Noble and honorable.

Age of Protagonist
Macbeth and Okonkwo are in the time period of age which is mostly fit for ego,
the only region of the mind in contact with reality
(Feist: 29)
In this age under influence of ego the rationale part of mind works. At the
opening both of them are considered as respectable and socially acceptable
members of society. Both of them act upon norms, rules, laws and customs of
society wholly and solely.



COMPARISON AND CONTRAST IN OKONKWO AND MACBETH

Manliness Challenged
Why Okonkwo fears his fathers reflection of unmanly and Okonkwo wants to
be everything that his father Unoka was not. Father is musician and lover of
others while Okonwo was clansman, wrestler and warrior. Anxiety an important
factor in personality caused by his father Unoka and
He had not patient with unsuccessful man He had no patience with his father.

At visit of Duncan, during plot of killing when Macbeth returns to castle and said

First I am his kinsman, and his subject
Strong both against the deed, as his host.

But Lady Macbeth challenged his manliness as in Okonkwos case while he was
murdering Ikemefunia. Inwards conflict and outward circumstances lead them to
commit a sinful act, that destroy their peace of mind. Lady Macbeth desires
Macbeth as
It is too full of the milk of human kindness
The challenge to bravely of warrior in both cases proves fatal and ruining
afterwards.

Greatest Sin Committed
Under the influence of ID and overwhelming of emotions that resembles to
bravely for the time being leads protagonists of thing fall apart toward disaster.
He kills son of Mbano in disguise and in the shape of trust. Trust deficit leads him
towards conflict and anxiety. Ikemefuina is his ideal, willing and obedient son. But
COMPARISON AND CONTRAST IN OKONKWO AND MACBETH

no emotional bond is possible to create because of Okonkwos insensitive nature.
Because repression of true emotions in unconscious mind. Biggest sin is
committed while he sacrifices his beloved son for his egocentric nature is survival.
All this explains his fathers unmanly nature but proves him gentle and restive to
nature is beauty and kind, sympathetic in nature.

ID and Superego Works

He stretched himself and scratched his thigh where a mosquito had bitten him as
he slept. (Achebe: 53)
It shows that murder of Ikemefunia caused great anxiety in him. It is a painful
anguish where Egos inability to control the in futile demands of unconscious
mind. He can neither eat nor sleep where he resembles Macbeth who is unable to
control unconscious after Murder. Okonkwo remains physically and also
economically disturbed for two whole days. In planning murder Ego is not
working. Rather ID and Superego of irrational impulses synonymous that caught
great warrior. Mosquito bite shows that great warriors superego is working as it
awaken him from sleep so he is between conscious and coconscious mind. It also
depicts ideas and morals of Ibo Society. (Smith, Hoeskma, Fredrickson: 460)
Macbeth, in words of Edwards Dowden, has aptitude for goodness and
aptitude for crime. When Macbeth intends Banquo and murders him by another
person. He sees a dagger and utters.
Is this a dagger
It is unconscious and superego of Macbeth that haunts him for the dirges of evil
deeds. But acting upon the words of witches
COMPARISON AND CONTRAST IN OKONKWO AND MACBETH

Fair is foul, and foul is fair
All hail Macbeth, Hail to thee, thane of Glamis
All Hail, Macbeth, that shalt be king hereafter
All these are words spoken by witches apparently but the ID of Macbeth
indirectly. His inner desire is to be king or hidden wish to be so.

Conflict
Power struggle between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth serve as food for conflict ad
focal point. Conflict is that Macbeth and his followers against Macbeth because. It
shows force of Lady Macbeth who has control over Macbeth. While listening
prophecies of witches, he writes letter to Lady Macbeth.

That cracks the fatal entrance of Duncan my bafflements (Act 1: Scene 5)

In the same lines, Okonkwos conflict starts when he has feelings of seclusion and
distract from his father. Unmanliness and cowardice in his fathers personality
creates some sort of complex in him while he cannot bear even a neglect of his
father. He goes against his grandson. Same like Macbeth at the time of Tussle and
Turmoil, he returns to his mothers land. It is some sort of feudal return in terms
of Freud is theory, Repressed primitive impulses of unconscious are shown:

Later in the day, he called Ikemefunia and told him that he was to taken home,
the next day, Nowye overheard it and burst into tears, whereupon his father beat
him hardly.
COMPARISON AND CONTRAST IN OKONKWO AND MACBETH

In the same lines, Macbeth commits murder of king under influence of ID and first
to avoid title of coward. Murder of Duncan, in hands of Macbeth but according
Justin Payne, Lady Macbeth kills Duncan at the failure of Macbeth in doing so.
Here will dominated by Lady Macbeth who edges Macbeth on as the treachery
continues. It first has no effects on lives of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth but later
on consumes her and leads to her demise by Macbeth. She becomes sick when
Macbeth ignores her as wife.
She should have died here after, there would have been time for such a word.
(Act 5, Scene 5)

Success Becomes Disaster
Killing of innocent Ikemefunia, apparent success of Okonkwo, becomes a success
that lead to ultimate desire. Bravely and warrior like wrestler ability and talent
become a rope for his neck afterwards. Macbeth for the lost of crown and to fulfill
the desire of witches that was his own unconscious mind or ID become a prey of
his own net. All next events like beauty of Ojiugo, his youngest wife, during week
of peace. Killing of innocent boy by Okonkwo and reaction to Korwye s
conversion to Whitemans religion, at the end killing Christian leader with
machete and hanging himself are aftereffects of first decision. All these events
and incidents are present in life of Macbeth with much more intensity and
cruelty.

So he kills reflecting images of fathers future. It also comes under impulses where
hostile feelings towards parents exist. This does not remain only in mind rather
effect actions.
COMPARISON AND CONTRAST IN OKONKWO AND MACBETH


Oedipus Complex in Okonkwo
Do not despair. I know you will not despair. You have a manly and a proud heart.
A proud heart can survive a general failure become a such a failure does not pick
its pride (Achebe 19)
Not a resentful father, nor adversary, rather a parent despite his sons revengeful
attitude offers him loving, guiding and supporting hand. Although his word try
Okonkowos patience beyond words (Achebe: 19)
Okonkwos resent to his father and attraction to mother who is little described
show compulsive, repetitive and neurotic behavior, which ultimately leads to his
downfall. Okonwos fear, his resentment, for despite his failing Unoka is a
sensitive man and proud heart loving father. Rather his reaction to stories told by
mother is egocentric
But it was as silly as all womens stories (Achebe15)

It is hidden in repressed sexual material, destined to overcome fathers legacy and
cannot bear even his reflection at any lost. It here tells Okonkwo expressed to
unwanted anxiety, interjection of father and attracted towards mother. In
contrast Macbeth has no such example to give. But application of Oedipus
complex is slightly present in killing of Banquo in jealousy. Macbeth himself is
issueless, so he cannot bear off springs of a father under his kingship. In words of
heater Tiberman, dreamlike, situation is present in Macbeth and it is impossible
to come to any decision.


COMPARISON AND CONTRAST IN OKONKWO AND MACBETH

Fear Most Dominant Phase
Fear and anxiety deep in unconscious mind, irrational impulses synonymous,
forgotten, childhood trauma, Oedipal overtone effecting the intergenerational
conflicts between father and son are different psychoanalytical terms associated
to Okonkwo but most fitting is story of fear. The fear that is injected in him in
childhood, use all his adult age for escaping of fear but at the end commits suicide
out of fear. In the same manner, while acting upon prophecy of three witches and
killing of king till last fight with Macduff, all is done out fear to lose kingdom and
kingship. From emotional to unemotional, but more ambitious about power,
Macbeth commits regicide under influence of Lady Macbeth that bestow fear
only.

Sleep Disorder

Ere we will eat our meal in fear and sleep
In the affliction of these terrible dreams
That stakes us nightly (ACT III Scene II Macbeth)

Moreover
Glamis hath murdered sleep, and, therefore, cawador
Shall sleep no more, Macbeth shall sleep no more.
(Macbeth)
Sleep disorder is present in Okonkwo in chapter Nine:-
For the first time in three nights, Okonkwo slept. He wake up once in the middle
of night and his mind went back to the past three days without making him feel
uneasy. It was just like a man wondering in broad daylight why a dream has
appeared so terrible to him at night.(Achebe)




COMPARISON AND CONTRAST IN OKONKWO AND MACBETH

Same Story: From Aggressive Towards Unemotional:-

Okonkwo starts from humble beginning, exile from village of Umuofia and returns
to Umuoafia showing entrust of a passion as great warrior. At his tragic death, in
many hearts, words and feeling of sympathy exit for him.
But in Macbeth from the very first step of indulgence in crime till end phase,
hatred and bad feelings are increased for that tyrant. Pity may be felt for a
person who is ignorant and credulous fool in the hands of Lady Macbeth who uses
him just like a puppet. But no sympathy is there to be felt for Macbeth. The
reason is that Okonkwo sacrifices his life for survival of culture divided by gender,
race and religion but Macbeth done all just for lust and greed.

Tragic Ending

Okonkwo commits suicide as he becomes unable to come to terms with his
predicament, unable to satisfy the high moral demands of his superego, feeling of
weakness and inferiority prevails. (Feist: Feist 30)

Clearly his personal good or Chi was not made for great things.
(Achebe 90)
Unable to turn to others, his self confidence swallowed by his pride, Okonkwo
quickly slips away into the eternal shadows of death.

Life is like a walking shadow.

Macbeth realizes that from first murder till his own tragic end, he covers a
journey from gentleman to tyrant, cursed head, and every step taken by him
was towards downfall.










COMPARISON AND CONTRAST IN OKONKWO AND MACBETH


Works Cited

1. Achebe, Chinua. Things Fall Apart, Penguine Books. 2001

2. Barray, Peter, Beginning Theory, An Introduction to Literacy and cultural
theory, Manchester: Manchester University Press 2002.

3. Feist. Jess Och Gregory J Feist. Theories of Personality New York: MC Grow Hills
Inch 2006

4. Frued, Anna. The Ego and The Mechanism of Defence London International
1966.

5. Smith, Edward, Susan Nolen Heoksema, and Barbara, Fredrockson, Actickson
and Hillgards Introduction to Psychology.
Belmount. California: Wordsworth / Thomson learning 2003.

6. Dr. Reghukal Tilak. Macbeth, Study Guide Notes 2004.

7. Brandon Payne K. Shimabukuro AP Literature A Psychoanalysis of Macbeth
2014.

8. Justin cowlin, why do things fall apart? A psychological study of Okonkwos
personality and his ultimate Demise in Chinua achebes novel Things Fall Apart,
2011.