Okonkwo's Three Wives

855 Words2 Pages

In Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe women in Igbo culture seem to have a complicated life. In the story Okonkwo has three wives which in their culture is normal to have. Women are marginalized and silenced by being poorly treated, being possessions of men, and being treated as objects.
In the book women are being treated poorly. Okonkwo has three wives in which he expects for them to follow his orders or there would be consequences. Women do not get enough credit in the Igbo culture, they do so much stuff but yet receive so little credit for their work. They cook, clean the house and take care of their kids. They get disrespected by their own husbands. For example, when Okonkwo hit his youngest wife because she left the hut without making …show more content…

” Without looking at the man Okonkwo had said “This meeting is for men.” The man who had contradicted him had no titles. That is why he had called him a woman. Okonkwo knew how to kill a man’s spirit”, by Okonkwo saying this he is basically indicating that women are seen as weak and are not highly valued in Umuofia. Where the author says Okonkwo knew how to kill a man’s spirit, that can be a reason as to why he thinks women are weak. One more example on how women get treated poorly or not highly valued is “It was clear from the way the crowd stood or sat that the ceremony …show more content…

“As a matter of fact the tree was very much alive. Okonkwo’s second wife had merely cut a few leaves off it to wrap some food, and she said so. Without further argument, Okonkwo gave her a sound beating and left her and her daughter weeping”, women were expected to be there for their husband to get beaten when things were not going well for them, even though it was not the woman's fault.He was so mad at the fact that a woman stood up to him and he did not respect her enough to let her explain so he just beat her. In Igbo culture men get more than one wife, for them having many wives means more power or have control. Women could also be considered as slaves,that is why men feel to have more power when they have a many wives. In chapter two Okonkwo treats his wife like a worker telling her that she has to do whatever he commands with her not asking any questions.”Is he staying long with us?” “Do what you are told, women” Okonkwo thundered and stammered” women were taught to be silent and obedient. Sometimes they were not called by their given names but as to what their men want to call

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