Igbo Women In Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart

In the novel, Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe, women take a passive position in society. Women’s function is primarily to bear children and support their husbands. However, the protagonist Okonkwo’s downfall shows the need for a balance between masculinity and femininity. Individualism is not respected or valued; men and women each have their place in the community, and all major decisions for the Igbo people are made for the good of the clan as a whole. Women in America are categorized the same way as Igbo women and are very similar. Women in American society and Igbo society are belittled and demeaned; however, American women have more opportunities to become more than a submissive wife.

There are specific standards that are assigned to both male and female. According to science based behavior, Planned Parenthood, “Gender roles in society means how

Being a submissive wife is simply about serving your husband in a way that benefits you and the entire marital relationship. According to Planned Parenthood “Some people expect that women will take care of children, cook, and clean the home” (What are Gender Role and Stereotypes). Some people think if you are a housewife, you will get financial protection and be able to stay home, away from the hostilities of the career. These people also think being a submissive wife will keep peace in the house and decreased fighting or arguing. There were also submissive women in Umuofia. “His mother and sister’s worked hard enough, but they grew womens crops, like coco yams, beans and cassava. Yam, the king of crops, was a man’s crop” (Achebe 28). The mother and sister are considered submissive because they were serving their clan. Nearly every aspect of Igbo society is gendered, even crops. Yam, is considered a man’s crop. This allows men to maintain the position as the primary providers for their