"The only course open to Okonkwo was to flee from the clan. It was a crime against the earth goddess to kill a clansman, and a man who committed it must flee from the land. The crime was of two kinds, male and female. Okonkwo had committed the female, because it had been inadvertent. He could return to the clan after seven years" (Achebe 124).
Customs and Rules
In Umuofia, the people abide by certain rules and beliefs that their ancestors have set for them and which they have used for generations. After Okonkwo accidentally kills Ezedu's (the dead man for whom they are having a funeral) son, he is banished from the clan for seven years. This has a horrific toll on Okonkwo because he has to give up everything he has worked so hard for since his youth. His belongings were burned and he took nothing with him except his wives and children. His friend Obierika questions why Okonkwo would be banished for something he committed accidentally but never figures out a real answer to his question. Despite Obierika's close friendship with Okonkwo, he helps the large crowd of men set fire to Okonkwo's houses and demolish his walls, kill his animals, and destroy his barn which he had worked hard to maintain. This demolition is considered a cleansing process which needed to be done because Okonkwo had polluted with the blood of a clansman. In conclusion, although Okonkwo accidentally killed Ezeudu's son, he was still banished for seven years on a "female" offense (considered a smaller offense than a male) because of the customs and rules set by the ancestors of the clan.
No comments:
Post a Comment