The film Seven Samurai is about a village of farmers who have repeatedly suffered yearly raids by a group of merciless bandits. These bandits steal from the farmers and kidnap the women. Unable to protect themselves, the farmers decide to hire a samurai to do the job for them. This changes the course of their lives in numerous ways.
Initially, not everyone in the village agrees with the idea of hiring a group of samurai to kill the bandits and protect them. They are indifferent about the situation and do not want to confront the truth that hiring the samurai is their only chance of survival. The villagers view the samurai as their enemy. They are infuriated by the way the samurais have acted towards them.
It is important to understand the time period, the Sengoku Age, in which this film is set. The Sengoku Age was an extremely bloody period of time. There was intense and rigorous fighting going on. It is “estimated that there was more fighting in Japan in terms of intensity, frequency, and duration than anywhere else in the world at this time.” The class system played a vital role during this period of time as well. The Japanese society was divided into a rigid four-class system which consisted of the warrior (aka samurai), farmer, artisan, and merchant. Samurai warriors “pledged their loyalty and used their swords in service of Japanese feudal warlord also known as Daimyo.” However, during the Segoku Age many of these Daimyo were killed and their castles were destroyed. This left the samurai with know one to serve. Eventually these Daimyo-less samurai became known as ronin. Ronin either followed the road of becoming bandits, such as those who raided the villages, or they sought to apply their skills to other honorable causes such as assisting innocent farmers. The entire situation left the villagers indifferent about samurais overall. It is interesting to examine how the relations ship between the samurais and the villagers develops.
At the beginning of the film there is an immense amount of tension between the samurai and the villagers. The farmers in the village are a very weak and terrified group. They lack self-confidence and belief in themselves. They trust no one. This is evident when Manzo, one of the villagers cuts his daughter, Shino’s hair and forces her to behave like a man. This would ensure him that previous acts done by bandits (samurai) before would not be repeated.
The merchant class in the Edo period of Japanese history became a wealthy class. In the short text entitled “The Story of Seijuro in Himeji” within the collection Five Women Who Loved Love, Seijuro is the son of a merchant. The family is rather wealthy, and many women are interested in Seijuro. One day, Seijuro decides to throw a wild party in which numerous women expose themselves. Seijuro’s merchant father witnesses some of the party and disinherits his son. Seijuro then decides to try to get his act together to be accepted back into his merchant family. He gets a job and falls in love with a young woman named Onatsu. The pair end up attempting to run away together, but their attempt fails. Seijuro ends up in jail, and Onatsu ends up locked up. Onatsu is then accused of stealing gold pieces from her father under Seijuro’s orders. Because of this rumor, Seijuro is put to death. Onatsu hears about his death and goes crazy.
i. Difficulties faced by soldiers due to the nature of fighting in the Vietnam War - Personnel had difficulties with transportation supplied with adapted vehicles back seat faced rear to provide additional fire power (Source A) – It appears as if the government didn't worry enough to supply men with safe and capable equipment - Threat of traps led to fear as vehicles had to be parked on street at night (Source A) o Check for traps each morning became a daily ritual particularly in fuel tanks (Source A) o A request for a locking fuel cap was denied because weren’t entitled to one” (Source A) • What circumstances would have needed to arise for them to be entitled to one? The Offensive full guard was set up (24hrs a day), personnel got no sleep and were constantly on alert (Source A) – How significant would this have been in the personnel’s mental frame of mind?
It is Chagnon’s conclusion that Yanomamo villages grow to a certain size, than split off to form new villages. The offshoots in turn also grow and eventually split off. These migrations can be the result of stress within the village. A village is under constant tension from conflicts within, as well as from outside. Inside tension can be brought on by personal conflicts between men in the village. The reasons for these conflicts can vary from unaddressed grievances from the past, conflicts over women, perceived insults or breeches of etiquette. Depending on kinship and lineage obligations this may cause different political alliances to form. At this point before things get too bad, the aggrieved party may decide to leave the village taking his kin with him to form his own settlement elsewhere. However if tensions finally boil over, a duel or fight may erupt sometimes fought with axes or clubs. These fights may result in death or serious injury. At the very least, a new grievance is born from the out come that eventually festers into a new conflict at a later time. Outside pressures can come from attacks from other villages; usually t...
Japan lasted from 1185-1603. During that time Japan had emperors, shoguns, daimyos, samurai, and peasants who were all apart of a social class, and all together it was called the Samurai Society. The emperor was just a figurehead for the shogun. The shogun was a powerful military leader that ruled in the emperor’s name. Daimyo were powerful landlords. The daimyo often led armies of samurai. These samurai were trained professional warriors who served daimyo and shoguns. The samurai had to follow a certain code of rules for samurai called Bushido. One of their rules included to always have self-discipline to become a good samurai. The samurai warriors wore light armor, helmets (usually shaped like an animal), and had two swords around their waist. Their armor had a lot of detail and color to it, like their unique helmets. After the samurai comes the peasants, which included farmers and fishermen. They usually always work, then pay takes to the shogun. They usually gave the shogun what they earned from working like food or crops. What made their jobs a bit difficult was their topography. Japan’s topography included many mountains, undersea volcanoes, and barely any flat land to farm on. The Japanese didn’t only work they also practiced their religion. For example, they practiced Confucianism, Buddhism (...
The caste system ideology is most clearly presented of all the ideologies named. The caste system is embedded in the Japanese culture as well as their way of life. Both the samurai and the farmers are bound by the roles that are imposed by the society. The samurai soldiers are proud protectors of the art of war, they accept their fate in battle as well as their duty to die for the causes they fight for. As the film comes to an end the samurai stand at the foot of the hill with the graves of the fallen soldiers, yet they do not mourn, rather accept the fate of the warriors and understand their place in the caste system. The farmers have a tough time gathering enough samurai to protect their village from the bandits. They are afraid of the warriors, yet they are giving up everything the village posses to employ the samurai to protect the village. After the village is safe, the farmers no longer want the samurai to stay imposing themselves in their village.
Musui’s Story is the exciting tale of a low class samurai’s life towards the end of the Tokugawa era. Although one would normally imagine a samurai to be a noble illustrious figure, Musui’s Story portrays the rather ignominious life of an unemployed samurai. Nonetheless, this primary account demonstrates the tenacity of samurai values and privileges present at the end of the Tokugawa shogunate. The social status of samurai had been elevated to such a state that even someone like Musui was easily able to gain influence in everyday affairs with his privileges. Not only that, but he had retained his values as a warrior and still kept great pride for his arts in weaponry.
The samurai were the hereditary warrior class of feudal Japan who trace their creation to the “Heian period in around 794 when the capital was moved to Heian-Kyo” . The warriors were hired by wealthy landow...
there is a deeper reason. One possibility is that the people of this village of
Akutagawa is famous for his use of symbolism and aspects of modernism in order to convey a hidden truth about human nature in society. To put it simply, his story, “In a Grove,” is a tale about a murder. However, underlying throughout the story are themes of deception and honor. The murder victim, a trained samurai is lured into a grove and killed, and the suspects are his wife, the robber, and himself. Rather than plead innocent, each suspect pleads guilty to preserve their honors. The blade is a recurring symbol in this story and shows the preservation of this honor. On page 25 the robber, Tajomaru, claims that he “didn't like to resort to unfair means to kill” the samurai, Takehiko. Instead, he claims that he offered to cross swords with him, and then killed him after twenty-three strokes. In this way the sword represents a means to accomplish an act of honor. To murder the samurai without a fight would be dishonorable, but by using the sword Tajomaru achieves honor. Furthermore, Takehiko goes on to claims, You, you don't use your swords. You kill people with your power, with your money,” (Akutagawa 20). Takehiko makes the accusation that the Ju...
Compare and contrast the United States’ war in Vietnam with the American Revolution. Both conflicts could be likened to Mao’s three phases of insurgency. Explain why and discuss all three phases as they apply to both conflicts. Also, were there any similarities to British problems in the Revolution and American problems in Vietnam as far as winning the hearts and minds of the mass base?
The tales communicate that a warrior’s duty was to protect the Buddhist Law which in turn meant to protect the imperial authority. Written letters between the Onjōji to the Kōfukuji Temples avow that the “great virtue of the Buddhist Law is that it guards the imperial authority; the imperial authority endures because of the Buddhist Law.” Furthermore, the letters articulate that whether one is “southern capital or northern, we are all disciples of the Buddha.” Middle Captain Shigehira’s plea to the Buddha, before his execution, exemplifies this. Shigehira declared “I was not acting of my own free will when I committed my grave sins; I was merely trying to do my duty. Who that lives can spurn an imperial command?” Regardless of what was commanded the warrior was obligated to obey. Director of the Military Stores Bureau Yorimasa confirms this decree when he is ordered to restrain an invisible monster. Yorimasa reported “from the old, the mission of warriors posted to the court has been to repulse rebels and destroy violators of imperial commands” then, prepared to die for his lord, struck the monster with an arrow. Inomata no Koheiroku Noritsuna reveals that warriors would announce their identity before battle in view of religious beliefs. He maintained that “a man who kills an enemy does not perform a great exploit unless he takes the head after identifying himself and requiri...
Men With Guns is not so much a film about economic processes as it is a film about the effects of a certain economic system - feudalism. It is more a film about cultural and political processes than anything else, a film that deals in depth with the grave consequences of a country in Central or South America whose Indians are subjects to the knights - the “men with guns” - who control and terrorize their existence.
It was the evening of Christmas, 1776. The voice of an army sergeant shouted, “Everybody, up this instant! We’ve got a battle to win!” George Washington’s order awoke us soldiers, and we prepared for a rough night, as General Washington knew it would be more than strenuous to get the Continental Army, made up of 2,400 men, across the Delaware River especially in such harsh weather conditions. The plan was to attack in the morning since the Hessians would be celebrating Christmas tonight, they will hopefully be too tired to put up a fight tomorrow morning. The cold, brisk air intruded into the tent, as the rest of the soldiers arose from their slumber, not knowing what the day would bring them, or should I say, night.
Directed by Edward Zwick, The Last Samurai illustrates the story of a former veteran of the American Civil War who finds inner peace at the center of Japan’s tumultuous struggle towards modernism. Nathan Algren, played by Tom Cruise, is plagued by his memories of his time on the American frontier, massacring Native Americans on the orders of his superiors. Having turned to drinking to alleviate his problems, Nathan is hired by his former commander, Colonel Bagley, and a Japanese businessman, Mr. Omura, to train Japanese recruits in use of modern firearms and army formations to combat the rebellious samurai holding out against the Emperor’s wishes. Katsumoto, a former loyal adviser to the Emperor, refuses to surrender to what he sees as the
There are many historical aspects of the Japanese, but the most interesting is the history of the Samurai. In Japans history war played a large role in the country. Controlling clans fought for parts of the land and overall control of the country. These clans were powerful families that resided in the country and who all wanted power and control of Japan for themselves. The families that would be in control were known as Shoguns. These shoguns would have warriors that fought for them if any of the other clan families would try to attack him in order to overthrow him and take his power from him. The Samurai followed a code that developed from Chinese beliefs when in battle. The Samurais code was known as the Bushido. This code was also known as “The Way of The Warrior” which was the main belief s...