The Absurdity of Aristocracy
Berserk promotes hierarchies of competence over those of pretense.
The King of Midland: “I am always proud when you so capably lead the Hawks to victory”
Julius: “Your Majesty, you should not talk to a mere unit commander; it isn’t done.”
…
The King of Midland: “I do not mind talking with him. The truth be told some of the senior statesmen in the royal court are rather displeased by your presence. They are concerned that your common birth might affect the prestige of the Midland army. However, neither prestige nor status brings us triumph on the battlefield, much less welfare for my people. We live in a turbulent age. I am, hence, greatly depending upon exceptional people like yourself rather than the generals who belong to the aristocratic class and are tied up in old traditions. ”
The preceding scene from Episode 7 of Berserk (1997) lampoons the shams of aristocracy and glorifies “exceptional people” without repect to class, parentage, or status. Ironically, the advocate of meritocracy is the king himself, the apex of nobility. Rather than weakening his argument, the pride of place the king affords demonstrated ability over aristocratic birth emphasizes the absurdity of privileging inhereted status over competence.