Macbeth and Things Fall Apart

Through the first act of Shakespeare's Macbeth, the character of Macbeth is portrayed as an honorable and courageous war hero. Having slain the enemy, he is promoted to the Thane of Glamis. In Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe creates the character named Okonkwo, who is famous in his clan. Okonkwo is also a war hero, who is notorious for working hard and being a man who "deserved his success" (27). Both authors create respectable and admirable characters whose personal flaws are later revealed. It is their actions and decisions in regard to these flaws that lead to their ultimate downfall. Macbeth and Okonkwo are both tragic heroes who dictate their own failure.

When the Weird Sisters confront Macbeth at first and hail him Thane of Cawdor, Thane of Glamis, and soon to be King, Macbeth is unaffected. It seems insignificant to him; the witches are crazy and do not know what they are talking about as far as Macbeth is concerned. After being given the first two titles predicted by the witches, Macbeth begins to wonder if in fact the witches were right, and whether or not he will become King. When his best friend Banquo talks to him about it, Macbeth simply answers "If chance will have me king, why, chance may / crown me / without my stir" (1.4.157-159). By being so modest and innocent, the audience trusts Macbeth.

Okonkwo comes from a very difficult childhood. His father, Unoka, was a poor man who had no titles to his name, was always in debt and could barely provide for his family. For these reasons, Okonkwo does not even consider his father a man. Due to Okonkwo's reaction to his father, readers can see that Okonkwo highly values strength and prosperity. He has an incredible work ethic and will do whatever it takes to achieve success. Knowing that he has started from the bottom and worked his way up to the top makes the reader feel pity for Okonkwo and wish him the best of luck.

Macbeth has many personal flaws. He is never content, and always afraid of being overpowered. Many of the decisions made in the play are not even Macbeth's choices. He is greatly influenced by his wife, Lady Macbeth. When first he writes to her with news of his promotions and of the Weird Sisters' predictions, she is very anxious for her husband to become king. Lady Macbeth creates a plan and convinces Macbeth to carry it out. When the king is slain, Macbeth realizes his great mistake. Duncan was a great man who Macbeth admired, and murdering him was a selfish and obvious mistake. Macbeth goes on to say "I am afraid to think what I have done" (2.2.66). He regrets it, and does not want to have to blood on his hands. Lady Macbeth stresses that water will wash his hands clean, but Macbeth says:

Will all great Neptune's ocean wash this blood

Clean from my hand? No, this my hand will rather

The multitudinous