History of Japan ~ CHŪSHINGURA 忠臣蔵
The Significance of the 47 Rōnin
Unlike in the cinema version that you watched, the actual story of the 47 rōnin when stripped of its mythological elements seems a much shadier affair: run largely by one man; supported by a few others who may have dragged their subordinate relatives into it. Motives were probably mixed: economic, family, peer pressure, despair, adventure, love, and perhaps even personal commitment to one’s lord. It was financed by unethical withholding of the return of a dowry, killed many innocent people, including arguably Kira (after all Asano had been the aggressor), who in any event seems to have been a competent and humane daimyō.
Answer the following questions about the
film (Links to an external site.)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KiCWrDMZZFk&feature=youtu.be
- In what ways does this depiction glorify or romanticize the actions of the rōnin?
- What do the incident and the drama tell us about the values of Tokugawa society?
- What role do those not of the samurai class (not the rōnin, but servants, etc.) play in the drama?
- What role do women play in the drama?
- What is to be learned from the depiction of the actions of the rōnin and their punishment?
Sample Solution