Write a 4-5 page essay that develops your own argument based on the materials from this
course. Be sure to present a clear thesis in the introduction and develop it using mini-arguments
presented through clear topic sentences. Use proper footnoting format when citing your sources.
- Examine the various roles of women in Tokugawa society. In what ways did women uphold
and challenge the notion of patriarchal society? - Examine the role of the “ie” or clan/household in Japan’s premodern history. How did the
institution of “ie” shape warrior society? - In Japanese literature, plays, and films about warrior society, a common theme explored is
the conflict between formal obligation/public duty and personal feeling/private concerns.
Compare and contrast two or three tales or incidences or figures and the different ways in
which the conflict is resolved. - Examine the role of the peasant in Tokugawa society. In what ways did the peasant both
uphold and challenge traditional notions of the “way of the peasant”? - Consider the role of death in warrior society and the ideological, cultural, and religious ideas
shaping it.
Sample Solution