Last class, we discussed the contrasting qualities of Theoden and Denethor. One rode out heroically with his armies while the other stayed far away, hidden from the people's eyes and out of harm's way. I hope to expand upon these differences by discussing loyalty and also broaden the scope to consider Aragorn and Faramir as well. If The Return of the King expounds upon anything, it seems to be the qualities of leadership of which loyalty is undoubtedly a piece.
The people of Rohan were loyal to Theoden, their king, even if he was at one time under the poisonous influence of Saruman and Grima. Once he had regained his strength and courage, the Rohirrim rallied around him to march off to war against Isengard, and then, with little respite, rally to the aid of Gondor. Yet, even before Theoden recovered from Saruman's spell, his people still had the utmost loyalty for their king. When Theoden listened to Grima's advice and thus isolated himself--as another Blog post so interestingly discusses--the people of Rohan remained loyal. Theoden, ill or well, was their king, and his decisions they would follow. With such loyalty, it is no wonder that Rohan would follow its king to certain doom on the fields before Minas Tirith.
The same is not true for Denethor, Steward of Gondor. Locked away in his proverbial (and seemingly literal) ivory tower, Denethor did not actively engage with his people nor inspire confidence in his armies. If any man in Gondor filled this vacancy, it was Faramir, Denethor's son. While the men of Gondor, and particularly the Citadel Guard, were commanded to remain at their posts unless relieved by the Steward, one of these guards, Beregond, abandoned his post to confront his own lord in the protection of Faramir. Denethor inspired fear and distrust; Faramir received allegiance and the people's loyalty more than his father could know.
Finally, Aragorn, the returned king of Gondor received the highest degree of loyalty. Unknown by many and with wonder circulating as to whether he was truly the descendent of Elendil and Isildur, Aragorn did not demand the loyalties of his people. Rather, his actions earned him the people's respect, including the rulers of both Rohan and Gondor. Faramir recognized the position Aragorn was claiming, and he relinquished his command of Gondor without hesitation as did Prince Imrahil and the other lords of Gondor. Unlike Denethor, Aragorn was among his people and demonstrated the admirable qualities of a leader.
The Lord of the Rings introduces many leadership figures throughout its pages. From Elrond in Rivendell to Galadriel in Lothlorien, Theoden in Rohan to Denethor in Gondor, and even evil leaders like Saruman and the Witch-king, Tolkien fleshes out distinctions among all of them to illustrate what he viewed as the characteristics of a good leader. Just a close examination of the qualities of Theoden, Faramir, and Aragorn shows us how good leadership is often rewarded by true loyalty, not coerced but inspired, that would lead someone to leave his home and family to follow his king to the edge of defeat and into the shadows of doom.
This post is a terrific explanation of the different kinds of leadership we see in The Return of the King! One of the most admirable parts of Aragorn's character is his strength and endurance as a leader in the Fellowship, with his friends and later on with the Army of the Dead. When he comes back to Gondor and claims his inheritance, the people willingly swear loyalty to him because he didn't just speak of his right to rule, he showed it through his kingly actions and abilities. Although we do see a tendency of Tolkien to favor the leaders who participate in the action beside their men, it's definitely interesting to analyze how he uses the response of the people to reflect the quality of the leaders in the story.
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