Little Shop of Horrors

Little Shop of Horrors is a play that seeks to display the folly of unchecked ambition as well as the attraction of individuals to the promise of wealth and power. These are themes that are seen throughout the play where the character of Seymour is attracted to the promises made to him by the plant Audrey II concerning attaining all that his heart desires, and this, in the end, proves to be the cause of his downfall. In this play, the themes of unchecked ambition and the false promises of wealth and power are highly prominent and dominate its entire plot.

The theme of unchecked ambition is extremely prominent in Little Shop of Horrors and this is mainly as a result of the desires that the characters of Seymour and Mushnik have. Seymour is an individual who desires to achieve success in his life and it is as a result of this desire that he is shown to constantly want to get out of the Skid Row neighborhood. Additionally, he has a major crash on his fellow employee at the flower shop, Audrey, in whose honor he names the strange plant that he finds. Therefore, when he realizes that Audrey II has the potential of saving the flower shop, after Mushnik decides to close it, he convinces Mushnik to give Audrey II the chance to bring in more customers. The result is that Seymour ends up becoming indispensable to Mushkin, who, on realizing that his business is completely dependent on Seymour, takes advantage of his innocence and decides of adopt him in order to keep him tied to the shop.

The theme of false promises of wealth and power is explored in this play and this is in relation to Seymour. Seymour, after coming to the realization that Audrey II needs blood in order to survive decides to give it his own blood. However, when he cannot do it anymore, Audrey II asks him to kill people in order to provide it with blood, promising him that if he does so, it will make all his dreams come true. While he has doubts concerning this course of action, he succumbs to his baser instincts and ends up killing people, beginning with Orin, Audrey’s boyfriend, in order to ensure that Audrey II has a constant supply of blood. The result is that Audrey II keeps on asking for more as it grows and this leads to a situation where it ends up killing Audrey, the woman that Seymour loves. This is when Seymour realizes his folly, but by then, it is too late because Audrey II has become too powerful and cannot be killed.

Therefore, the plot of this play is dominated by the themes of unchecked ambition and the false promises of wealth and power. These are shown through the actions of the characters as they seek to ensure that they make use of an unusual plant in order to make their fortunes. However, all of these attempts end up being for nothing because the plant is actually manipulating the whole situation in order to fulfill its desire of achieving world domination.

Gender and Power in the Renaissance Period

The Renaissance period is one which saw significant advancement in the arts and culture of Europe as a result of the coming to an end of the Middle Ages and the rise of the modern period. It was a period that brought with it great changes in society although the latter essentially remained a patriarchal society. The submission of women towards men was considered to be the ideal in society and even those women who had considerable power, such as Queen Elizabeth I were required to be seen to submit to the ‘wisdom’ of their male advisors rather than taking their own counsel in matters concerning the governance of the state. Women, considered to be lesser creatures than men, were denied real power because of the feeling by society that they were not equipped to wield it.

The reign of Queen Elizabeth I can be considered to be among the best in English history because she presided over great achievements. It was under her that England was able to first exercise incredible ability as a naval power that would rival other great maritime powers such as Spain and Portugal. Furthermore, for the first time in history, the country was led by a strong woman who, unlike her sister Mary before her, took an active part in government and did what she had to do to ensure the security of her kingdom. However, despite these achievements, Queen Elizabeth, as a woman, was expected to receive counsel from her male advisors; meaning that society was not ready to admit that women had the ability to lead. In a world which was dominated by religious beliefs, women were believed to be inferior to men to such an extent that they needed a constant male presence in order to make major decisions. Women were relegated to taking care of their households and were expected to constantly submit either to their fathers, husbands, or to other male members of their families. Such a situation proved to be serious especially in a situation where women, especially in English society, were for the first time taking the throne in their own right. The ability of women to lead was constantly disregarded by the patriarchal society which sought to make sure that the role of women was kept in the background rather than given prominence in the rest of society.

Additionally, despite England being ruled for over half a century by women during the Renaissance, there were really few changes in society when it came to the achievement of political power by women. This is especially the case considering that women had almost no legal rights and could therefore not participate in public life. Even Queens Mary and Elizabeth had to a large extent to submit to the will of their male advisors when it came to matters on governance; essentially continuing to propagate the male-dominated society within which they lived. It was also through the development of the norm of female dependency before and during the Renaissance that women were almost completely excluded from public life. The belief that women had to be completely dependent on the men in their lives meant that the freedoms that they had previously enjoyed were brought to an end (Deats, 2003, p.189). Women had to submit themselves to their fathers, and after marriage, to their husbands. Women who did not submit to a male authority more often than not earned themselves a bad reputation in society and ended up being marginalized. Therefore, women were expected to remain in the background of public life and were not to be heard while their male counterparts took an active role in it in addition to having almost complete authority over the women. All real political power in society remained in the hands of men and very few women were able to achieve any significant role in the governance of their society.

Moreover, it is important to note that during the Renaissance period, the major vocation of women was marriage; expected of women of all classes. One of the most significant aspects of marriage during this period was that it led to a situation where women ended up losing all their rights and freedom of action. They could not own property and had to be completely submissive to their husbands because once married, their husbands had full rights over their persons. It is most likely as a result of such circumstances that Queen Elizabeth chose not to get married because marriage would have restricted the exercise of her power. Instead, she remained unmarried for the whole of her reign since marriage would have almost automatically led to a situation where her husband became king and the main decision-maker in the running of affairs in England. Elizabeth’s decision not to get married may have been wholly political since it was a means of not only securing her reign, but also making sure that her position remained intact through denying any potential husband her birthright. In addition, she chose to use the potential of marriage as a political tool to secure the interests of England because of the significant number of suitors from powerful European countries. However, while the promise of marriage ensured the security of the interests of England, it never came to fruition because Elizabeth was able to skillfully maneuver her way out of such arrangements. Therefore, despite the expectation that she would end up getting married and submit to her husband, Queen Elizabeth was able to transcend such social expectations by choosing not to get married; retaining her political power in a male-dominated society.

Furthermore, there was a failure by men in Renaissance society to recognize the value of women in their lives. Among the values that were often ignored by men was that their societies could not continue to function without the women in them. Even though they were not allowed to take part in the social and political life of their societies, women played an active role in making sure that they projected a positive image on behalf of the men in their lives. However, despite this, women continued to be relegated to the background with those who dared to speak their minds being considered an anomaly and discriminated against by the rest of society. Women themselves may have also helped to prop up the patriarchal system which was meant to make sure that they were kept out of power because they allowed themselves to be almost completely dominated by the men in their lives. Even the perceptions they had of themselves were often shaped by the views that the men in their lives had of them (Levy, 2001, p.83). The refusal to submit to the opinions of the men in their lives meant that women had to endure isolation as well as fear from both men and women because being outspoken was considered to be against the natural order of society and deserved to be broken off the women involved. Thus, men were justified in using whatever means necessary, including violence, as a way of making sure that the women in their lives remained submissive and in the background; conforming to societal norms.

Also, the religious nature of Renaissance society played a significant role in making sure that women were kept away from power. This was especially the case where religious teachings emphasized that women had to submit to their husbands and fathers as a means of making sure that they did the will of God. However, there was often a failure to note that women were given equality to their male counterparts in the New Testament and that they took part in similar activities as the men. Despite this argument, women in the Renaissance period were not allowed to take an active part in the administration of their own property as long as either their fathers or husbands were still alive. The only way for women, especially from the upper class, to attain a degree of freedom as well as to exercise their rights was through making sure that they did not get married at all (Enterline, 1999, p.25). As seen in the case of Queen Elizabeth above, women were able to achieve a level of independence by not having men in their lives because under such circumstances, they did not have to cede their rights. While this may have been the case, Elizabeth was still required, to an extent, to be seen to submit to the counsel of her male advisors because of the common belief at the time that women had no political sense and that only men could be able to take part in it without the involvement of emotion. It is as a result of such perceptions that it became possible for a great number of women to be kept out of public life with those who spoke their minds being described in derogatory terms.

 However, while it was uncommon for women in the Renaissance to participate in public life, there were instances where some of them were able to privately influence the opinions of their sons and husbands. Women were able to exercise their influence through pushing the men in their lives to adopt their views; leading to a situation where these women, through their husbands, were able to push their own agenda in society forward. Therefore, while not having any real political power, women were able to bring about diverse changes in their societies either through the men in their lives or their actions which can be considered to have been acts of protest. In Shakespeare’s The Rape of Lucrese, Lucrere, the main character, ends up committing suicide as a result of being raped by Tarquin and it is as a consequence of this suicide that the populace of Rome overthrows the Tarquin dynasty and becomes a republic (Kirkland, 1999, p.660). The depiction of the actions of women having an influence on the course of society in this play shows that despite the discrimination that they faced when it came to public life in the Renaissance period, there were instances where they had a profound impact (Shakespeare, 1997, 2.3.259-60). Renaissance writers, however, seem not to consider the actions of these women to have been conscious actions and instead, their consequences were indirect and not intended. The recognition of the role of women in public life remained limited in the Renaissance and these continued to be relegated to the background in the belief that women had no constructive place in male-dominated society and had to submit to men.

In addition, Renaissance literature shows a majority of women as being completely dedicated to domestic chores while the men got involved in public life. In Lucrere, the title character is shown to be an individual who is highly proficient in domestic tasks as well as being able to make sure that she undertakes tasks that are essentially feminine. However, there is the propagation of the idea that women are weak individuals and need constant male protection in order to be safe. In this case, Lucrere is shown to be an individual who, despite her proficiency in domestic tasks, is neither able to protect herself or the home from an invasion by the stronger Tarquin (Shakespeare, 1997, lines 232 - 238). The violation of her body by Tarquin and her devastation afterwards is a sign of the fragility of women and the need for them to have male protection. Lucrere’s lack of male protection at the time of her rape shows her vulnerability because there was no one to stop Tarquin from doing such a vile act (Kelemen, 2005, p.151). Lucrere’s rape can also be considered to be a means of showing the power of men over women in all social matters because it is women who have to submit to the will of men. It is also a sign of the unwillingness of the patriarchal system to recognize that women are the equals of men and that they have a right to have a place in public matters. The subjugation of women to the will of men in society is a means of the latter exercising their power and dominance over women in such a way that it propagates the status quo.

Also, upper class women were often used for the purpose of advancing the interests of their families. These women were married off to more powerful and affluent families in order to form alliances with them. This is especially the case in Renaissance European countries where fathers were the ones who made decisions concerning who their daughters could marry in a bid to secure useful alliances for their families. A famous example is that of Pope Alexander VI who made use of his daughter Lucrecia as a means of solidifying alliances with powerful Italian dynasties when it was convenient for him. The various marriages that Lucrecia got in and were annulled were for political purposes because they ensured that the wealth and power of the Borgia family were maintained. Therefore, while such women as Lucrecia got more opportunities for mobility that other women of their time, they still had to submit to the will of their fathers for the sake of their families. Furthermore, they were not able to gain significant power despite their mobility because they had to submit to the will of their husbands so that they had to conform to the ideal of being the caretakers of the household. As a result, a major theme of Renaissance literature was the subjugation of women because they were not often prominently featured in the said literature, and if they were, their role was supplementary. Thus, women were depicted as fragile individuals whose role in society was in the periphery and that their involvement in public affairs would lead to chaos.

Likewise, women were denied a voice in society because of the belief that they were inferior and that they were emotional individuals who did not have the capacity to think rationally (Carrera, 2005, p.63). Women who would have been rulers in their own right, such as Maria-Therese of Austria could not achieve real power because they were expected to submit to their husbands. Maria-Therese’s husband, Joseph, is the one who took over control of the Austrian Empire when her father died while she took on a more subordinate role. The result of such circumstances was that women ended up being denied their inheritance and property rights by their husbands; making it more difficult for them to advance in society than their male counterparts. Even in those situations where women found themselves to be unmarried, they were expected to seek a close male relative to not only protect them, but also to manage any wealth that they might have. Women in the Renaissance period, as reflected in its literature, were considered to be essentially weak individuals who could not be trusted to govern their own affairs and instead had to make sure that they placed themselves under the protection of the men in their lives in order to achieve a level of security. The enforcement of the masculine dominance of society came about as a result because women ended up being largely accepted as the lesser of the members of society while at the same time having to endure being denied all the rights that were accorded to men. Female monarchs such as Queen Elizabeth did not seek to change the status quo and instead sought to propagate it; making it possible for the patriarchal system to perpetuate itself.

In conclusion, women were denied real power because of the belief in society that they were not equipped to wield it. Despite this perception, as shown in the discussion above, the reign of Queen Elizabeth I can be considered to be among the best in English history because she presided over great achievements. Additionally, during her reign, there were really few changes in society when it came to the achievement of political power by women since the major vocation of women was marriage. Furthermore, there was a failure by men in Renaissance society to recognize the value of women in their lives. This is also the case where the religious nature of Renaissance society played a significant role in making sure that women were kept away from power. However, there were instances where some of them were able to privately influence the opinions of their sons and husbands. Also, upper class women were often used for the purpose of advancing the interests of their families; hence greater mobility for them through marriage. Finally, women were denied a voice in society because of the belief that they were inferior and that they were emotional individuals who did not have the capacity to think rationally.

References

Carrera, E. 2005, “The Spiritual Role of the Emotions in Mechthild of Magdeburg, Angela of Foligno, and Teresa of Avila.” The Representation of Women’s Emotions in Medieval and Early Modern Culture. Ed. L. Perfetti. Gainesville, FL: UP of Florida.

Deats, S. 2003, "The 'Erring Barbarian' and the 'Maiden Never Bold': Racist and Sexist Representations in Othello." Women, Violence, and English Renaissance Literature: Essays Honoring Paul Jorgensen. Eds. L. Woodbridge and S. Beehler. Tempe, AZ: Arizona Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies.

Enterline, L. 1999, "What 'Womanhood Denies' the Power of 'Tongues to Tell'." Shakespeare Studies, vol. 27, pp. 25-36.

Kelemen, C. 2005, “Images of Passion, Rape, and Grief: A Comparative Analysis of Shakespeare's Rape of Lucrere and Titus Andronicus.” Hungarian Journal of English and American Studies, vol. 11, no. 1, pp. 151-73.

Kirkland, L.R. 1999, “To End Itself by Death: Suicide in Shakespeare’s Tragedies.” Southern Medical Journal, vol. 92, pp. 660-66.

Levy, E. 2001, “The Problematic Relation between Reason and Emotion in Hamlet.” Renascence: Essays on Values in Literature, vol. 53, no. 2, pp. 83-95.

Shakespeare, W. 1997. Othello (Arden Shakespeare: Third Series). New York: Routledge.

Shakespeare, W. 1997. The Rape of Lucrere (Arden Shakespeare: Third Series). New York: Routledge.

Literary Devices in Hamlet

In Hamlet, Shakespeare uses various literary devices to enhance the different characteristics in the play. Among the most significant devices that he uses include metaphors, tone, style and motifs. The use of these devices is extremely significant in the play since it builds the characters within it as well as the various themes which are revealed.

Metaphors

In the play Hamlet, there are plenty of instances where metaphors can be found and they are used to reveal the feelings of the main character concerning those who are around him. Among the metaphors which are used in the play is when Hamlet states, "My father's brother, but no more like my father than I to Hercules”(Act 1 scene 2). Later on, he further states, "My fate cries out, and makes each petty artery in this body as hardy as the Nemean lion's nerve." The metaphors which are mentioned above are used by the author of the play to reveal that despite the fact that Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle, had killed his brother to attain the throne, they were extremely alike to each other. It shows Hamlet’s belief that both his uncle and father were men who valued their own power more than those people who were around them. It is because of this that eventually, the both came to their downfall because had they valued their people, then the tragic events which took place in the play would not have happened. Another important metaphor that is used in the play is that related to the cannon fire which accompanies the king’s toasts and this helps to show that Claudius, the king, is united with the land that he rules. In reference to the cannon fire, Hamlet states, "…or that the Everlasting had not fix'd his canon 'gainst self-slaughter!" (Act 1 scene 2). This is used to express Hamlet’s wish that his uncle Claudius would turn into a cloud (a play with the name Claudius) so that when the cannons shot into that cloud, it would be able to kill him. This would in essence freed Hamlet from his promise to his father’s ghost that he would kill Claudius to avenge his death.

Tone

When one considers the tone of this play, one would say that it is extremely dark. This is especially because of the fact that almost all the characters within it are either thinking dark thoughts or are plotting to commit evil things. From the very beginning of the play, we see that there is plenty of anxiety and uncertainty concerning the events that are taking place or are likely to take place. The mood in which Hamlet is put after talking to his father’s ghost is extremely dark, and those who know him come to believe that he is going mad. This dark mood is also transmitted to those who are around him and their actions, either directly or indirectly, reflect the darkness which is in the play. The soliloquies which Hamlet has concerning the dark aspects of life such as betrayal and mortality are some of the things which contribute to the tone of the play. However, from the first line of the play when the guard, Bernardo yells, “Who’s there!” (Act 1 scene 1) the dark tone of the play is set. It is later revealed that this may have been an expression of the anxiety which the guards felt after seeing the ghost of their former king several times during the nights.

Style

One of the aspects of style that is revealed when one reads Hamlet is the use of verse among the main characters when they speak. These characters often use words which have an unaccented syllable followed by an accented one. This creates a rhythmic pattern in their speech and it can be said that Shakespeare used this style of writing in order to keep the attention of the audience on the play and the characters within it. An example of the use of verse in the play is in Act 1 scene 2 when Hamlet states, “O, that this too too solid flesh would melt, Thaw and resolve itself into a dew!” When one considers Hamlet’s soliloquies, one will find that he often speaks in a formal tone, and this is used to reveal that he comes from the nobility. The fact that verse is used in the play is a way for Shakespeare to separate the nobility from the commoners, who often speak in prose, not seeming to use the formal ways of the former. When Hamlet communicates with the commoners who are his friends, he also speaks in prose. For example, when he speaks to Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, he says “….how noble in reason! how infinite in faculty! in form and moving how express and admirable! in action how like an angel!” (Act 2 scene 2). This can also be used to reveal Hamlet’s character as being a humble man despite the fact that he is the prince of his country. 

Motif

Throughout the play, the motif of incest is alluded to especially when there are conversations concerning the relationship between Claudius and Gertrude. These allusions stem from the way these two are referred to in conversations between Hamlet and his father’s ghost. One gets the sense that the marriage between Claudius and Gertrude is forbidden and that their being united is an act of incest. These two were previously brother- and sister-in-laws and despite this, with the death of Gertrude’s husband, she chooses to be with her husband’s brother. In addition, the way Laertes speaks of his sister Ophelia, especially after her death has overtones of incestuous desire within it. This desire is seen in sexually suggestive terms and in action when as Ophelia is being buried, Laertes jumps into her grave and holds her. One of the most revealing suggestion of incest in the play is the obsession which Hamlet has with the sex life of his mother and his uncle. Another motif that can be seen in the play is that of misogyny and this is seen through Hamlet’s reaction to his mother’s marriage to his uncle. The disappointment and abandonment which he feels leads him to come to look down upon women as mere weaklings. This acts as an inhibitor to the relationships which Hamlet has with the women in his life since he considers them to be frail creatures that cannot be trusted. The hatred towards women that Hamlet feels is what brings him to tell his mother, “Frailty, thy name is woman” (Act 1 scene 2).

Significance

The play is highly significant because it is a revelation of the true nature of human beings in the world. One of the most noteworthy themes in the play is that of ambition and this is seen when Claudius takes steps to eliminate his own brother so that he can not only take his throne but also his wife. In addition, once it is revealed to Hamlet that it is his uncle, who killed his father; his main ambition in life is to ensure that he takes revenge on Claudius on behalf of his father. The dark tone which is dominant in the play is also highly significant because it is a revelation of the dark nature of human beings. Human beings are often blinded by their own needs and they cease to care about the needs of those with whom they share their lives. This can be seen through Gertrude’s reaction to her son’s dark mood when she ends up believing that he is going mad. If only she had thought to dig deeper into her son’s thoughts, perhaps the real reason for his dark mood would have been revealed and as a result, the tragic events at the end of the play would have been avoided. It can, therefore, be said that the play is significant since it reveals the true nature of the life which human beings have to live.

 References

Shakespeare, William. Hamlet. Farnham, United Kingdom: Scolar Press, 1969.

Masculinity in Things Fall Apart

The theme of masculinity in Things Fall Apart can be seen extensively, and it can be said that the male characters involved in it are defined according to this theme. The most prominent of these characters is Okonkwo, whose personality can be said to be thoroughly masculine and who is used as an example from which all the other men in Umuofia are defined. There are instances throughout the novel where Okonkwo is described to do things which one would associate with masculinity, as opposed to femininity. Okonkwo himself is extremely hardworking and ambitious, whose aim is to build his reputation to the highest level that can be attained in his society. His ambition is because of the way his father, Unoka acted his whole life. Unoka can be described as a man who totally lacked ambition and was content to live his life as it was without any worry concerning the future. He is described as having been lazy and owed quite a number of people and extensive amount of debt, which he never bothered to pay. Okonkwo disliked the lifestyle which his father led, believing that Unoka was a lazy man who did not have the capability of developing himself to greatness. Okonkwo, therefore, chose to become as different to Unoka as he could and he did this by doing things which the society considered to be highly masculine such as the attainment of wealth and status as well as a large family. In this paper, we shall consider masculinity in the novel by analyzing the different characters within it, especially Okonkwo, and how Achebe has brought this theme to life in his work.

In the novel, the traditional Igbo society can be described as one which is unquestionably male dominated, with the men being seen as the most influential people within it. Because of the male dominance of society, masculinity in every form is highly emphasized to the extent of making femininity look inferior. Masculinity in the society of Umuofia is tied to the physical characteristics of the people involved, and it can be said that to be born a man in the society is an immense privilege indeed. That is the reason why in the novel, the instances where boys are born are greeted with greater joy than when girls are born. Furthermore, to be a male in this society has certain requirements that have to be met in order to prove ones masculinity. A man has to display in all the characteristics associated with being male not only physically but also in personality. People such as Okonkwo are tremendously respected in the society because of their achievements in the acquisition of wealth and status. Okonkwo, for example, is respected because of the great wealth in yams which he has managed to amass for himself and also because of his prowess in war and other physical activities which are associated with masculinity in the Igbo society. This is in stark contrast to his father Unoka who was looked down upon by everyone in society due to his laziness and easygoing nature that many considered to be feminine characteristics.

Okonkwo goes out of his way to be as different to his father as possible so that he can avoid the shame of being associated with femininity. It can be said that, in Igbo society, femininity is considered to be a characteristic to be ashamed of and which should not be encouraged especially among men in the society. Masculinity in this society is highly priced, and all men are supposed to behave in a way which enhances this characteristic. This is the reason why Okonkwo shows disappointment in his oldest son Nwoye, whom he considers not to display the characteristics which he considers to be masculine. Instead, Okonkwo sees a lot of his own father in the boy, and he believes that Nwoye may have inherited these characteristics from Unoka. What Okonkwo does not seem to realize is the fact that because of his success, he has come to develop extremely high expectations from his sons and if the boys do not achieve what he  has achieved, then he considers them to be failures. He believes that he has to be the embodiment of strength in all ways because if he displays any form of weakness towards anyone, then he would lose the respect of those around him as Unoka did. This is the reason why despite his not being a cruel man by nature, he treats his family with a heavy hand often displaying harshness towards them that he would otherwise not have displayed.

Masculinity is dominant in the society, and this makes every aspect associated with femininity to be looked upon as inferior. This is the reason why women in this society are inferior to the men and their role is tied to the service of their husbands and the bearing of children for them. Women in this society only gain respect through their production of children, with those who have more children being accorded more respect than those with fewer children. This is the reason why the childlessness of Ekwefi, Okonkwo’s second wife, due to from stillbirths and death at infancy, was a source of immense sadness for her. It can, therefore, be said that it was a source of immense joy for her when her daughter, Ezinma grew up past her infancy. Ezinma is throughout the novel, seen to be the favorite child of Okonkwo, and this is mainly due to her strength of character. One will note that Okonkwo tends to wish that she was a boy, and this displays the fact that the society of Umuofia puts more value on boys more than girls. Girls are considered to be more of property than as equals to boys, and they are seen to be only good for childbearing and as a source of wealth to their families. This belief ensures that the men continue to dominate the society and that masculinity continues to be the superior.

In the society of Umuofia, masculinity tends to be associated with violence and men gain the respect of society through their displays of violence. Wrestling is a sport in which there is often some violence as each of the contenders strives to defeat their opponent. The victor ends up being respected by society for their prowess in the ring in throwing their opponents. This was one of the displays of masculinity made by Okonkwo which ensured that he gained the respect of Umuofia. He did this by managing to throw the previously undefeated wrestler known as Amalinze the Cat, because of the fact that his back had never touched the ground during a match. Violence in the name of masculinity is also displayed when the men of Umuofia go to war. Okonkwo receives a terrific deal of praise from his society because when he went to war, he returned with five heads of the enemy, and in this way, it can be said that he established his manhood to the society. In addition, when the Oracle declares that Ikemefuna, a boy who was living in Okonkwo’s household be put to death, Okonkwo is the one who gives the deathblow despite the fact that he had grown extremely fond of the boy. He kills Ikemefuna not because he  had to, but because of the fact that he did not want to be seen as weak among his peers (Korang 15 para.70). Okwonkwo feels that it is his obligation not to show any kind of weakness because, in his society, weakness is associated with femininity. Despite his being a kindhearted man, Okonkwo displays his masculinity by ruling his household with a heavy hand, often beating his wives whenever they do anything to offend him. He is also seen to have a particularly bad temper as seen when he almost shoots Ekwefi after she insults his pride. In this society where masculinity is considered to be dominant, the worst insult to a man is to be called a woman because the latter is associated with femininity and, therefore, weakness. It becomes necessary for men to constantly display their dominance through displays of violence especially against the members of their own households.

In conclusion, it can be said that masculinity is what defines the lives of the men in the male dominated society of Umuofia. These men are obliged to display those characteristics which are considered masculine because to do otherwise is considered to be a sign of weakness. Despite the fact that some men, such as Unoka, are easy going and are often happy with their lives, their lack of display of such attributes that are considered masculine ends up making them to be seen as being weak. Moreover, a display of violence is one of those attributes associate with masculinity, and this is the reason why the men of Umuofia believe that a man is weak if he does not display some form of violence. It can, therefore, be said that masculinity in this society is regarded as a way through which men can retain their dominance.