Comparison between Michael Henchard and Okonkwo

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Julia Cloke

Comparison between Michael Henchard and Okonkwo

        This will be a direct comparison between the two leading characters in the books ‘Things Fall Apart’, written by Chinua Achebe and ‘The Major of Casterbridge’, written by Thomas Hardy. I will compare and contrast both the differences and similarities in the personalities of the Nineteenth Century major and the more contemporary trial leader. Okonkwo is more contemporary because the book is set in a very traditional African village, and has basic, moral issues associated with it.

        At the beginning of Chapter Five in ‘The Major of Casterbridge’ we meet a man of distinct wealth and power, shown through the highly prestigious title that he has earned. It is of course Michael Henchard, newly elected Major of the corn-merchant town, Casterbridge. He is at the height of his success through his profiting business, and has earned the respect of fellow colleges through his perseverance of power.

        Okonkwo, a tribal elder, also earned his respect through his own successes. From the very first page we hear about his youthful triumph in the wrestling ring by, ‘throwing Amalinze the Cat.’ ‘His fame rested on solid personal achievements,’ and from that moment on he built up his possessions and power through the Obi that he owned. The Obi, in war and in farming was among the trappings of success.

In both books we also learn about the men’s shaded history, especially the events of Michael Henchard. From one profound mistake would base the beginning of his oath, an oath that would drive him to success. After more than just one dose of rum in his fermity, Henchard stood up before a crowded tent and proceeded to sell his wife. Only on the final bid of five Guineas, did the transaction conclude and his wife and newly born child disappear to a new life.  

        His oath was made in some hope of repenting his terrible actions, and so before the altar, in God’s ver home, did Henchard swear never to touch another drop of alcohol for as many years as he had been alive.

His idle and improvident father, Unoka, heavily influences Okonkwo’s history. ‘Unoka was, of course, a debtor,’ and throughout his manhood had made no attempt to make a name foe himself or even provide the basic food and money (cowries) that his family needed to survive. He owed many men money, promising it was only a temporary solution and that he would soon pay them back. Unoka knew this was not true, he had no intention of paying off his debts and so just lived off other men’s money.

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        In turn it was left to Okonkwo, who became the leading man in the family, to graft hard and scrape together enough cowries to feed both himself and his mother. He started this process by collective farming yams, where by borrowing yam seeds from another farmer and planting them. In return a fixed amount of his crop would be theirs as a repayment. Slow and laborious it may have been, Okonkwo even failing to produce a crop in his very first year, yet Nwakibie, the farmer, could see the strengths in Okonkwo that the young man would go far, ‘I ...

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