Crusader (Katharine Hepburn in African Queen) meets Takes Charge (Humphrey Bogart in African Queen)

Today's letter is C, and were looking at how the Crusader personality (Katharine Hepburn in The African Queen) relates with the Takes Charge personality (Humphrey Bogart in same).

Crusaders (Katharine Hepburn) are as often male as female. They’re often missionaries or evangelists, Monks or Nuns, protesters and reformers, or people interested in social correctness, are convinced that what they believe about something is the only correct way to look at it. They feel they have the authority of tradition or scripture backing them. They’re courageous and determined to bring people around to their views. The fiery passion that simmers just below the surface is often channeled into politics, religion or worthy cause.

If this type were in a movie, the purpose would be to get them to let their hair down and focus their passion in a different direction, by breaking rules and having fun. Katharine Hepburn films (The African Queen) often use this theme, as well as The Sound of Music; My Fair Lady, and the King and I. The Crusader gets in touch with their feelings and with their playful side, enjoying their fiery sensuality instead of disapproving of it. (also Footloose; Dirty Dancing). Read more about the Crusader personality.

The Takes Charge personality (Humphrey Bogart) is more often male than female, and is often portrayed  in books and movies as Knights, Gods or Goddesses, Lawmen, Champions, Samurai, or gunslingers or pirates. Seeing life as a war between weak and strong, they’re the avengers of wrongs done to themselves, their loved ones or friends. They protect the weak, although they might secretly hope someone had their back. The Takes Charge personality needs to learn how to show his needs and weaknesses. Movie examples: The King & I; Gone With the Wind. Charismatic, he has a big appetite for sensual pleasures and he also has a fiery temperament. Read more about the Takes Charge personality.

  

What might a relationship between the personality types portrayed in The African Queen? 

It looks like fire and ice. 

Both often see themselves as protecting the weak, righting wrongs, and making the world better. Both are action-oriented and if interested in social causes (as many are), they can have a big impact in their community or more. Both are noble, practical, and persevering. Both willingly sacrifice of themselves to accomplish their goals. Fairness is important to them. Together, they can be very powerful, accomplishing things with unity of purpose. 

They are people on a mission. Both are decisive and direct, although her sense of propriety will restrain her from being too overtly assertive. It would be unseemly to her to be seen as aggressive. Her self-restraint carrying into other behaviors as well, she’ll secretly love his unabashed earthiness. But he’ll realize she’s as strong-willed and as determined as he is, and will admire that she’s not a pushover. He’ll also see the sensual passion that she tries so hard to hide.  

He’s the pirate; she’s the schoolmarm. He’s the child; she’s the parent. But they could learn a lot from each other, if willing to accept their different values, reactions, and ways of being.

If there were issues between them, it would be due to the things that attracted them to each other in the first place: their opposite qualities.

This is a rare romantic pairing; it would be easier for them to be friends or colleagues than to be married, but for what it's worth, my husband and I are of these types--He's a Takes Charge and I'm a Forges New Trails, which is closely related to Crusaders and Zealots--and we're in a lifetime commitment. Rough spots? Sure. But it's never dull.  

They are as opposite as it gets, although both are anger types, gut types (as opposed to head or heart types). Both are prone to black-or-white, all-or-nothing thinking. Both think they’re right. Both want to be in charge, and both want to accomplish something significant, but they go about getting what they want so differently. She might admire the easy, single-minded way he goes after what he wants, but if she thinks he’s becoming too self-centered, she’ll become resentful.

On the other hand, he might start to see her as critical, rigid, self-righteous, nitpicking, and unrealistic about the way things are. Her behavior might goad him to be more outrageous and self-seeking, just to make her mad. Neither wants to back down, and both will respond with anger before acknowledging their hurt. It would be good for her to express her anger. She’s always felt it would be wrong, but he doesn’t look at it that way. He demands all the cards be laid out on the table, and he will respect her for standing up for herself. She thinks she’s right because she’s good. He thinks he’s right because he’s bad. He loves being lawless and free, exciting, interesting. In his world, being bad doesn’t make you wrong. And if you’re not wrong, you’re right.

She can teach him about boundaries. He can teach her to after what she wants. Anger will get her off it, give her permission to be irreverent, and find her sense of humor. It’s always good for the Crusader to find her sense of humor. This couple sometimes just needs to fight—and it doesn’t mean the end of their relationship, although to the outside world, it might seem that way. She’ll give him discipline. He’ll give her juice. 

For a wonderful example of Crusader/Takes Charge couple watch Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart in The African Queen.  

Additional Information:

What is the Enneagram, and What are Enneagram Personality Types?  

What are Instinctual Subtypes?  

Traits of the 27 Individual Subtypes  

Sources from which I collected and synthesized information about the matches