Leadership Ethics and the Power of Communication: A Comparative Analysis of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar and Achebe’s Things Fall Apart
Year: 2026
Type: article
Abstract: Leadership ethics and communication have received increasing scholarly attention across leadership studies; however, their integrated examination in comparative literary studies remains limited. This study investigates how leadership ethics and the power of communication are represented in William Shakespeare's Julius Caesar and Chinua Achebe's Things Fall Apart. This study uses a qualitative comparative research design and employs close reading, interpretive textual analysis, and thematic analysis to examine how ethical leadership, persuasive communication, moral decision-making, and rhetorical strategies shape authority and influence societal outcomes in the two texts. The analysis reveals that both Shakespeare and Achebe portray leadership as a moral and communicative practice rather than merely the exercise of authority. In Julius Caesar, Brutus's ethical idealism and Antony's rhetorical mastery demonstrate how persuasive discourse constructs political legitimacy and transforms public opinion. In Things Fall Apart, Okonkwo's failure to balance moral responsibility with dialogue, empathy, and adaptability contributes to both his personal downfall and the fragmentation of his community. Despite their distinct historical and cultural settings, both works demonstrate that ethical judgment and effective communication are fundamental to sustaining legitimate leadership and social cohesion. By comparatively examining Renaissance political tragedy and African postcolonial fiction, this study contributes to comparative literary criticism by integrating leadership ethics and communication as complementary analytical perspectives. The findings further suggest that literature offers enduring insights into leadership ethics and the communicative practices that shape authority, collective identity, and social stability across cultures.
Authors: Monir Hossen, Nasrin Tamanna, Khairul Mehedy
Language: English
Subfield: Literature and Literary Theory
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W7222952089