Comparative Literature between Things Fall Apart and Play King Lear (Essay Sample)

Name
Instructor
Course
Date
Comparative Literature between Things Fall Apart and the Play King Lear
Things Fall Apart by Chinua Achebe
The book explores a culture on the verge of change. It deals with how the reality and prospect of change influences various characters. The contrast about whether change should be considered over traditional cultural values in most parts involved questions directed to personal status. Okonkwo, for instance, resisted emergence of new religious and political orders since he believed that they are not manly and conforming or developing tolerance to the demands of such orders would only insult his masculinity (Achebe 31). To some degree, his resistance to cultural change would harm his status in the society. He has faith in his cultural structure and believes that his position and self-worth is judged by the standards of his society.
The societal structure of evaluating selves has on the other side inspired other villagers, especially the outcasts, to embrace Christianity. They consider the Christian values as a refuge system as compared to those of the traditional Igbo cultural values that has reduced their self-worth by placing them below anyone else in the society. The change Christianity has brought, at least according to the outcasts, elevates their social and personal status. Therefore, the villagers are caught between the embracing and resisting the changes the westerners has brought that they find themselves in a cultural dilemma of determining the validity of adapting to the reality of change. In as much as there are some traditional values the villagers held with high regard, they still enjoyed and were excited by the new opportunities and techniques the missionaries had brought. Some of the worries members of the society had were concerned with the Europeans changing the traditional ways and methods of cooking, farming building and harvesting. They argued on whether to let their traditional methods that were initially crucial for survival, dispensable. Additionally, the Igbo society were adamant to welcome full change as it would change their Igbo language for English, a move that would eradicate their tradition and culture at large (Achebe 67 – 68).