Mythic leadership and the reality of conflict: Shakespeare’s Henry V and Coriolanus
Chris Poulson and Dallas Hanson, University of Tasmania
Using Shakespeare’s Henry V as an exemplar of mythic, ideal leadership has become increasingly popular in management education. (Corrigan, 1999; Egan, 200; Ford, 2005; Lean Briefing and Factory Science, 2007; MIT Newsroom, 2006; Mercer Delta Consulting, 2006; Olivier, 2001; Shafritz, 1999; Whitney and Packer, 2000.) We will examine Henry V and compare his leadership to that of Shakespeare’s Coriolanus (an exemplar of poor leadership?) Both engage the polity but in highly contrasting ways. We will argue that neither is ideal as both are rooted in power, glorifying war and conflict, and both suggest that great victories can be gained at little cost; war is used as a super-ordinate goal in an effort to deflect attention to the condition of the people and to shape cultural meaning. In addition the king twice issues orders in Shakespeare’s Henry V to “kill all the prisoners”, actions not included in the Branagh (1989) and Olivier (1944) film versions of the play that are those popularly used in management training at MIT, the University of Virginia and the popular workshops run by Lord Olivier’s son Richard. Henry is more virtuous in Shakespearean myth than he was in reality.
Caius Martius gains the laurels (and the surname Coriolanus) for his battle with the Volces but must gain the “voices” of the tribunes, who now count plebeians in their number. He arrogantly refuses to show his wounds gained in the “service” of Rome and is rejected by the tribunes who, incensed by his unwillingness to seek their approval, exile him instead of approving him. We will examine much of the extant literature on Coriolanus – one of Shakespeare’s less well-known and less frequently performed works -- from critical as well as psychological perspectives.
The conflict in Henry’s England is partly based in class. While Henry is considerate of his troops, Coriolanus berates and degrades his. Each, driven by different internal forces, wreaks catastrophe in his own way. The quote from Benjamin (1940) in the call for papers: ‘one single catastrophe which keeps piling wreckage upon wreckage’ is an apt description of Coriolanus. Henry communicates a vision of regaining what is rightfully England’s – the Throne of France and puts his troops at great risk in pursuit of what is a very personal outcome.
We explore these and other issues oft overlooked in using mythic warriors as exemplars for contemporary managers (Edwards, 2002; Merritt and DeGraff, 1996; Westley and Mintzberg, 1989). While both of Shakespeare’s characters are based on the lives of actual men (Coriolanus is based on Plutarch’s biography of the Roman warrior and it has been asserted that Henry V reflects Plutarch’s Alexander more than the real Henry (Mossman, 1994)) both have been shaped by Shakespeare to provide not only entertainment but also lessons in human behaviour-- particularly narcissists with contrasting behaviour but narcissistic none the less. The tragedy of both is that Shakespeare uses war and killing as the base of individual glory and national ascendance. Bloom (1998, p. 320) asserts that in Henry V, Shakespeare has given us “an amiable monster.”[Emphasis added.]
We will argue that if we are to educate managers in the “art of leadership” through Henry V then balance must be brought by including Coriolanus for contrast lest we suggest that narcissistic leaders held out as mythic archetypes will lead us to other than catastrophic ends.
References
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Branagh, K. (Director) Henry V. MGM Home Entertainment DVD (1989)
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Lean Briefing and Factory Science. “Henry V and Charismatic Leadership” [http://www.strategosinc.com/band_of_brothers.htm] part of training series: “Leadership for Lean Manufacturing” http://www.strategosinc.com/henry_v_synopsis.htm [accessed 15 January 2007]
MIT Newsroom “To Be or Not to Be ... a Leader -- MBA students learn leadership through Shakespeare.” (not dated) http://mitsloan.mit.edu/newsroom/2004-leadership-acting.php accessed 12/26/2006
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