hayabusaboston
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Essay Question: Leaders have often taken the time to manage key relationships, while still getting on with the job. Describe how this idea is explored in your class text as one other text of your choosing (Lord of the Rings)
Leadership, in essence, is a conceptual framework of understanding ascribed to the underlying notion of successful guidance of a group by one or more individuals. Socially speaking, the whole idea relies on and is fundamentally intertwined with successful relationships between a leader and his people. Thus derived is a suitable thesis, successful leadership comes down to an ability to maintain social aptness, avoid hegemony, and have determination to fulfil tasks for the benefit of the group. This framework of ideas is explored in varying intricacies in Shakespeare’s “King Lear” as well as J. R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy.
A starting point of analysis one may consider is given in the character of Edmund, the bastard son of the Earl of Gloucester in “King Lear”. Edmund is outlined to us as a character of bitter soul, who holds a high antipathy for society, for renouncing him over his brother Edgar, who stands to inherit the wealth of their father Gloucester, All due to Edmund’s bastard status. As he describes, “Thou nature art my goddess; to thy law my services are bound…Now gods, stand up for bastards!”, one is given the implication of a starting campaign of Edmund’s, in his quest for recognition against his censure by society.
He possesses an adamant approach to fulfilment of tasks, getting on with the job. After his harangue describing his feelings, he prepares to start collecting a portfolio of situations and social networks which serve to assist his own personal needs. Eventually, Edmund “receives” a letter from Edgar. His father eventually reads the letter, and is shocked by the contents. Edmund craftily created a scenario for the first follower to fall into his trap of sweet talk. As he then describes, “A credulous father and a brother noble, whose nature is so far from doing harms. That he suspects none …” one can see an almost virile tone of authority expressed in his speech.
Edmund’s meeting with Edgar, after Gloucester has read the letter, is another thematically driven situation. He tells Edgar with urgency that their father is angry with him, and instructs him to remain armed at all times, for if he is ever to run into their raging father, he shall meet trouble. “Bethink yourself, wherein you may have offended him… at this instant so rageth in him that the mischief of your person would scarcely allay” is told to Edgar, Edmund then says that Edgar must also go to his lodging and hide, “Pray ye, go, there’s my key. If you do stir abroad, go armed”. So one can observe another masterful trickery, Edgar is lead on by Edmund in a false string of assumptions.
On a similar tone yet radically different angle, Frodo from The Lord Of the Rings, employs a variety of techniques to acquire efficient leadership. He is described as a jovial little fellow, a hobbit who comes to be in possession of the one ring, the ruling ring of Middle Earth. His mission is to deliver the ring to Mount Doom and destroy it. To effectively do so, Frodo, as a small hobbit, takes on adverse conditions and sometimes intense cupidity, and go through many psychological, physical and emotional barriers, often with the caustic admonition of others tearing at his willpower, because of the ring he carries.
On the second postulate of the thesis, the tale elapses with a progressive dwindling of Company members, this is symbolic in its representation of the greater independence required of the leader, in the changing situations his group faces.
Frodo says to Sam, after escaping Boromir’s accost in the forest, “Go back, Sam, Im going to Mordor Alone.”, while Sam replies “I know, and I’m coming with you.” Frodo accepts this decision on Sam’s part, this leads to greater confidence for Frodo, and with this relationship solidified for the greatest part of the Journey, Frodo continues his quest.
After the acquaintance with Gollum, during one point of the Journey, Frodo asks why Sam keeps insulting Gollum. An altercation ensues. “You have no idea what it did to him, what it’s still doing to him. I want to help him, Sam.” Allows the reader to sympathise with Gollum, and suggests to us the caring nature of Frodo is imminent in his desire to help Gollum. After a brief aspersion to Sam’s comments on assisting him with the Ring, he also says “It’s my task! My own!” Thus he accomplishes the two conditions of the derived thesis, and in a very short period of time as well. He shows an ability to cope with the exigency of his task, and still manages to form a sympathetic relationship with Gollum, as well as a mostly sympathetic, but fluctuating one with Sam. This is an interesting case, where a small character by stature is shown to have the greatest power and influence, a unique countering to the common notion perceived by society, that a large stature and reputation is required to successfully lead a group of individuals.
In summation, the texts “King Lear” and “The Lord of the Rings” give not only a practical application of the leadership framework but a thematically new branch to explore and analyse. Overall, in Edmund’s context, the calumnious twist on the leadership framework in Edmund’s quests describes to us a unique take on what the real intentions of a leader can be. On the same note, Frodo, in the Lord of the Rings, endures a whole series of obstacles with the overarching kindness and sympathy of a great leader, yet firm in his desire to fulfil tasks.
Leadership, in essence, is a conceptual framework of understanding ascribed to the underlying notion of successful guidance of a group by one or more individuals. Socially speaking, the whole idea relies on and is fundamentally intertwined with successful relationships between a leader and his people. Thus derived is a suitable thesis, successful leadership comes down to an ability to maintain social aptness, avoid hegemony, and have determination to fulfil tasks for the benefit of the group. This framework of ideas is explored in varying intricacies in Shakespeare’s “King Lear” as well as J. R. Tolkien’s “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy.
A starting point of analysis one may consider is given in the character of Edmund, the bastard son of the Earl of Gloucester in “King Lear”. Edmund is outlined to us as a character of bitter soul, who holds a high antipathy for society, for renouncing him over his brother Edgar, who stands to inherit the wealth of their father Gloucester, All due to Edmund’s bastard status. As he describes, “Thou nature art my goddess; to thy law my services are bound…Now gods, stand up for bastards!”, one is given the implication of a starting campaign of Edmund’s, in his quest for recognition against his censure by society.
He possesses an adamant approach to fulfilment of tasks, getting on with the job. After his harangue describing his feelings, he prepares to start collecting a portfolio of situations and social networks which serve to assist his own personal needs. Eventually, Edmund “receives” a letter from Edgar. His father eventually reads the letter, and is shocked by the contents. Edmund craftily created a scenario for the first follower to fall into his trap of sweet talk. As he then describes, “A credulous father and a brother noble, whose nature is so far from doing harms. That he suspects none …” one can see an almost virile tone of authority expressed in his speech.
Edmund’s meeting with Edgar, after Gloucester has read the letter, is another thematically driven situation. He tells Edgar with urgency that their father is angry with him, and instructs him to remain armed at all times, for if he is ever to run into their raging father, he shall meet trouble. “Bethink yourself, wherein you may have offended him… at this instant so rageth in him that the mischief of your person would scarcely allay” is told to Edgar, Edmund then says that Edgar must also go to his lodging and hide, “Pray ye, go, there’s my key. If you do stir abroad, go armed”. So one can observe another masterful trickery, Edgar is lead on by Edmund in a false string of assumptions.
On a similar tone yet radically different angle, Frodo from The Lord Of the Rings, employs a variety of techniques to acquire efficient leadership. He is described as a jovial little fellow, a hobbit who comes to be in possession of the one ring, the ruling ring of Middle Earth. His mission is to deliver the ring to Mount Doom and destroy it. To effectively do so, Frodo, as a small hobbit, takes on adverse conditions and sometimes intense cupidity, and go through many psychological, physical and emotional barriers, often with the caustic admonition of others tearing at his willpower, because of the ring he carries.
On the second postulate of the thesis, the tale elapses with a progressive dwindling of Company members, this is symbolic in its representation of the greater independence required of the leader, in the changing situations his group faces.
Frodo says to Sam, after escaping Boromir’s accost in the forest, “Go back, Sam, Im going to Mordor Alone.”, while Sam replies “I know, and I’m coming with you.” Frodo accepts this decision on Sam’s part, this leads to greater confidence for Frodo, and with this relationship solidified for the greatest part of the Journey, Frodo continues his quest.
After the acquaintance with Gollum, during one point of the Journey, Frodo asks why Sam keeps insulting Gollum. An altercation ensues. “You have no idea what it did to him, what it’s still doing to him. I want to help him, Sam.” Allows the reader to sympathise with Gollum, and suggests to us the caring nature of Frodo is imminent in his desire to help Gollum. After a brief aspersion to Sam’s comments on assisting him with the Ring, he also says “It’s my task! My own!” Thus he accomplishes the two conditions of the derived thesis, and in a very short period of time as well. He shows an ability to cope with the exigency of his task, and still manages to form a sympathetic relationship with Gollum, as well as a mostly sympathetic, but fluctuating one with Sam. This is an interesting case, where a small character by stature is shown to have the greatest power and influence, a unique countering to the common notion perceived by society, that a large stature and reputation is required to successfully lead a group of individuals.
In summation, the texts “King Lear” and “The Lord of the Rings” give not only a practical application of the leadership framework but a thematically new branch to explore and analyse. Overall, in Edmund’s context, the calumnious twist on the leadership framework in Edmund’s quests describes to us a unique take on what the real intentions of a leader can be. On the same note, Frodo, in the Lord of the Rings, endures a whole series of obstacles with the overarching kindness and sympathy of a great leader, yet firm in his desire to fulfil tasks.
