What is the role of women in Things Fall Apart How does Achebe present Essay

What is the role of women in Things Fall Apart How does Achebe present them As subservient As dynamic members of the society - Essay Example managed to get the novel to depict women in a subservient condition as they, along with certain lbo castaway members, readily submit themselves to new religion. Women particularly give in to male orders without question. Such act implies anxiety towards the possible consequence or fate of disobedience instead of a gradual process in which a woman in this case may otherwise find confidence and time to think through better alternatives. Considering the dynamic part which women play in this type of society, diversity in role is spread throughout the novel. As priestesses, of the lbo village, women perform a traditional duty of spiritual leadership. With this role, women like Chika are largely feared (17), having the status believed to have attained the power of her god while the Agbala priestess would never hold back her firm command to Okonkwo. Being able to threaten the tribal chieftain indicates the woman’s portrayal of a figure who has constantly been revered by her subjects. Earth goddess Ani further shows the aspect of power in a significant role of woman as a supreme authority set to rule with judgment of conduct and morality of human deeds. Her power is even magnified through the attitude of the inhabitants who pay tribute by observing the Week of Peace before harvesting their crops believing that the goddess is able to prosper the farms with abundance and good growth (30). Moreover, the sense of connection to nature signifies the woman’s continuous communication of her responsibility such as the mother’s attachment to her child. This role strength is made emphatic when Okonkwo seeks refuge to his mother’s village in the time of great distress during exile (134). Here, the faith is established in the value that women can be much relied upon when desperate or unfortunate situations come. â€Å"The women [who] weeded the farm three times at definite periods in the life of the yam, neither early or late (33).† The line suggests that women may be found