Friendships and close relationships are something that influences people to the extent that it leaves an impact in their lives. It is something that can influence a person in both negative and positive ways. Things like friendship, relationships, love has no barrier, all it needs is a nurturing and a valued perspective. It can work wonders in people’s life or partner’s life or someone who you are nurturing it with. As quoted by Epicurus, the famous ancient Greek philosopher, “You don’t develop courage by being happy in your relationships every day. You develop it by surviving difficult times and challenging adversity.” This quote completely throws light on the King’s struggle in order to gain that courage and then overcoming his lifelong huddle.
“The King’s speech,” is an Oscar-winning film, which truly touches the deepest part of our hearts. It was released in 2010, rated R and directed by Tom Hooper. It is a biopic story about Britain’s king George VI Albert (played by Colin Firth) and his lifelong struggle to overcome his Speech impediment or if to be precise his stammering. He was suffering from the stammer since the age of 4 or 5. The movie opens with Prince Albert, known as “Bertie” to his wife and family, who was later known as king George VI, the second son of King George V, speaking at the close of the 1925 British Empire Exhibition with his wife Elizabeth (played by Helena Bonham Carter) next to him. His speech unsettles the thousands of listeners present. The Prince tried several treatments, but they were all unsuccessful eventually. Tired of all the failed attempts Bertie gives up. But it was his wife that convinces him to see Lionel Logue (played by Geoffrey Rush), an Australian speech therapist. King George V, the king explains the importance of the throne and why his older brother isn’t capable of handling the throne and asks him to train himself. Bertie under the guidance of Logue starts this task, but in the back of his mind he had given up all the hopes. Logue during the initial stage of training gives Bertie the task of reading Hamlet’s “to be or not to be” out loud. Logue puts on music so that Bertie cannot hear himself and goes on to record his reading. During the training of Bertie, Lionel and Bertie’s relationship goes through a lot of ups and down. Their relationship is an antagonistic one. After Bertie and Lionel’s rift, Bertie soon realizes that he needs Lionel’s help. Bertie and Elizabeth decide to visit Lionel and convince him to come once again and help him. Bertie asks Lionel to be seated in the King’s box. In September 1939, shortly after the United Kingdom’s declaration of war with Germany, Bertie calls Lionel to Buckingham palace to prepare him for his radio address to the country. As the king George VI and Lionel move towards the palace’s tiny studio, Winston Churchill (played by Timothy Spall) reveals that he too once had speech impediment but then he found a way to use it to his advantage. Then the king delivers the speech as if he was delivering it to Lionel alone who coaches him through every moment of it. After this day, the king delivered many famous speeches during the World War II and Lionel was present for all of them. They remained exquisite friends throughout Bertie’s span.
The nature of the relationship evident through the film is that it reminds us that in close relationships, mutual affection and respect are far more important than other social protocols and social roles. It is an excellent example of Supportive and defensive climate acts. The King was very defensive as he called his problem “hopeless” and had given up on rectifying it. Whereas, Lionel was an exceptional example of the supportive environment that the King needed in order to overcome his speech impediment. The factors I think that led to choosing of a partner in this case was King’s wife who insisted that he should go and see Lionel, developing a positive spiral which lead to more confirming atmosphere. I also think that Lionel’s attitude was one of the major factors. He removed that difference between them, and instead insisted on calling by his name Bertie rather than calling him “your highness” that made Bertie/ King George VI feel disrespected initially. But that way Lionel could treat him more like a friend than a Monarch.
The movie, “The King’s speech,” depicts few stages of Knapp’s relational model in Lionel and Bertie’s friendship. Their friendship initially is very professional and then it starts coming apart and we can notices the stages of Differentiating and then stagnating to Avoiding. This is relevant when the King comes to his usual session with Lionel, but he was upset on the argument he had earlier with his elder brother at the party where David (Bertie’s elder brother) mocks him and citing that Bertie’s speech lessons as an attempt to groom himself. Bertie is tongue tied at the accusation and then David takes advantage of the situation and gives the childhood taunt of “B-B-B-Bertie.” Still mad at David, Bertie explains the whole situation to Lionel and the extent of it but Lionel still believes and tells him that he could be the next king. Furious Bertie accuses Lionel of Treason and mocks Lionel’s failed acting career.
The dialectical tensions I think that are evident would be Connection vs. Autonomy. It is evident that Bertie wouldn’t sacrifice his identity when Lionel told him that he would call him by his Christian name then to address him. Bertie felt disrespected. Here the dialectical tension is managed by Disorientation- This is evident when Bertie still think that’s he cant get over his problem of stammering and rather uses the word “hopeless.” The other one, which is evident, is Denial.
Strategies that can be used here would be keeping his big monarch ego aside and avoid the social rules in which Bertie was tied. He should have been more perspective, thinking about the long term good the little things could do rather than be arrogant and giving it back to someone who believes in him more than Bertie did himself.
Metacommunication can play an important part here. Metacommunication is defined as the communication within a communication. As it brings the root problems in more elaborative manner. Metacommunication could have been handier as Bertie could have used to describe his problems and let Lionel know what he was going through and why it was so tough for him.
Character of Lionel somewhat reminds me of my communication behavior. What Lionel did was something I would have done too. I would have kept believing in the person when it is someone really close to you and be supportive whenever the person tends to lose its way or is doubtful.