Leaders in Literature.British Lit.

In my British Lit. classes, we have been talking about good/bad leaders.  In particular, we have been discussing Beowulf, the man, and King Arthur.  In one of my two British Lit. classes, we even watched the movie 300, so King Leonidas was included in the discussion of good/bad leaders, as well.  I think we've had some great discussions on what makes each of these men good, even great, leaders, but also what their "tragic flaws" are.  (Of course, most of us feel that Beowulf doesn't't really have the qualities of a good leader because he was just TOO boastful/proud, full of himself.)

In talking about these men and their leadership qualities, I can't help thinking about some other "great" leaders in literature and what connects them to the men we've already discussed.  One of the things that stands out to me is the fact that some of these leaders became leaders not because they were born leaders or born into the position of leadership, but because of their accomplishments and/or attributes that made them [great] leaders.  In the older Arthurian myths, Arthur was seen as a [great] leader from childhood on, but in many stories that a lot of us are very familiar with, Arthur was a scrawny, wimpy kid who somehow or another pulls the sword, Excalibur, from the stone when men 10 times his size, weight, and strength are unable to.  Over the years following his pulling the sword from the stone, Arthur proves himself and ultimately becomes one of the greatest kings England has ever had--according to myth, of course.

In the newer stories that we watched/talked about in class, Arthur has all the qualities of a great leader even from childhood.  People naturally listen to him and are naturally drawn to him.  He is very charismatic and is willing to put himself in any and every situation that his own knights put themselves in.  He is even angry at the end of the new King Arthur movie when 2 of his knights die, yet he somehow survives a battle that should have ended in all their deaths. 

As someone looking in and watching, I would love to have someone in charge like the Arthur myths, whether we're talking about the old Arthurian myths or the newer stories that many of us are just becoming aware of because of recent movies/stories that are becoming more prominent in literature. 

I honestly love/respect a man (or woman!) who doesn't run from a battle just because he/she is the leader and is supposed to be protected at all costs.  Everyone knows that when the leader goes down, the battle is won--by the other side.  What's that line in the movie Sahara where Matthew McConaughey's character says something about how they need to kill the snake....?  So when a leader willingly goes in to battle with his/her troops, it's a dangerous thing to do because if he/she is killed, then the battle is won....by the other side.

But over and over and over again throughout literature, we see/hear stories of great leaders who are in the throes of battle:  King Leonidas (300), Harrison Ford's character as the president of the US in Air Force One (I LOVE that movie and his character in that story!), Bill Pullman's character as the president of the US in the movie Independence Day (another GREAT movie with a great president I would have voted for!), and, I know you're getting sick and tired of my references to it, but Harry in Harry Potter. 

Of course, as I mentioned before, Harry, as a Christ-like figure, willingly lays down his life for the sake of his friends, family, and fellow wizards/witches.  He is not in the throes of the fight during the last book, but he is working behind the scenes so that when he does face his enemy, Tom Riddle (see my previous blogs as to why I'm calling him that rather than by the name you might be familiar with), he has everything he needs in order to truly defeat Riddle.  If he hadn't looked for and destroyed some of the horcruxes, he would not have been able to defeat Tom even in this story and the story would have gone on.  As long as there was a possibility of Tom's soul still surviving, there was no way to effectively kill him and defeat him completely. 

So once Harry has everything he needs, he meets Tom Riddle face-to-face.  As the last horcrux, Riddle's soul in Harry has to die so that when Harry deals the final death blow, Riddle truly dies.  What a very scary thing for a boy not even 17 years old to have to face.  Sure, in the previous 6 books, Harry faces terrors that no child of any age should have to face, so what's this new one after all the others?  But still....to know that he has to die in order to defeat the enemy and to walk straight up to the one who would kill him, knowing that he would not walk away is one of the bravest things I've ever seen.

Leaders who are willing to give their lives for the sake of others are leaders I can respect.....leaders I want to follow.....the type of leader I hope to be if it would ever come to that........

(I honestly could go on and on and on about this particular subject, but I do believe that this is getting too long and that you've gotten my point with what is here.....!)