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Mythology And Realities Of The Samurai
Mythology And Realities Of The Samurai
Outline:
Samurai Origins
The history of the Samurai
Samurai Culture
Modern Cultural Perception of the Samurai
Conclusion
Samurai Origins
The Samurai were a military group in ancient Japan whose history can be traced back to the 646 A.D. The Samurai consisted of highly skilled warriors whose main work was to guard the community. This class of skilled warriors emerged in Japan during the Taika reforms that saw the introduction of land redistribution and imposition of heavy taxes. The reforms made small scale farmers to put their land up for sale which made them become tenant farmers in the estates of the wealthy landowners. The growth of power and wealth among the few landowners eventually led to a feudal system like in the medieval Europe. Just like the situation was in Europe these feudal lords required protection of their property. This led to the emergence of a warrior class in most parts of Japan that was called the Bushi or the samurai.
During the Heian era which lasted from 794 to 1185 BC, these warriors went by the Chinese name “bushi” and were mainly assigned protective duties. The name samurai rose from their duty of guarding the emperor and were initially referred to as saburo which translates to “one who waits on” or “serves” (Collcut, 1996). The name saburo was later to become saburai. All through the eighteenth century the hereditary warrior class served emperors, court ministers, and other officials. The name saburai was eventually changed to samurai for easy pronunciation. This class of warriors achieved official recognition after the establishment of Minamoto Yoritomo government in 1185.
The samurai class was further strengthened by the land battles among the Minamoto, Fujiwara, and the Taira clans (Weinberg, 2001). By the 9th through the 12th centuries, the samurai had become a class unto themselves and wielded great influence by instilling fear on anyone who dared to oppose them. In some cases the samurai were kinsmen of the ruling class but there were others who were hired men. In all cases they owed total loyalty and allegiance to the feudal landowner called ‘Daimyo’ and was given land and high position as payment (Ansart, 2007). The Daimyo in return employed the fighting expertise of the samurai to protect his property, wield more power, and in acquiring more land.
The warrior families eventually became stronger and more powerful than the feudal lords they served. For example most members of the warrior class established by Yoritomo who were called shugo descended from the noble families of Kyoto. The shugo lived by a code based on Confucian principles (Daisetz, 1971). The code, referred to as bushido, described the way of the warrior and controlled every aspect of a samurai’s life. It had a great influence in the Japanese culture and continues to do so up to today.
The decline of the samurai warrior class began with the restoration of the Meiji system of constitutional monarchy (Mitford, Algernon, & Redesdale, 1871). This new system introduced democratic reforms with practices like balloting for public office positions as well as defined term limits. It gained popularity among the people and significantly reduced the powers wielded by the Daimyo land lords.
The Meiji Emperor went a step further and abolished the samurai warrior class at the same time that he moved his capital from Kyoto to Tokyo. This new government, while doing away with the samurai warriors, established a conscripted army from former members of the samurai in 1873. The move was not easily accepted by the samurai who revolted against the Meiji in 1877. The revolt was called the Satsuma rebellion which ended with the defeat of the samurai in the battle of Shiroyama (Farris, 1992).
The Samurai Culture
Samurai’s culture was based on the concept of bushido, meaning the way of a warrior. The doctrine of bushido was centralized around fearless of death through honour and freedom. This made a samurai to be fully honoured in the community and to kill anyone who dishonoured him. A samurai warrior was to die honourable through fighting fearlessly than to give up in defeat. Defeat was to be unheard thing because defeated warriors were disregarded and expected to commit suicide by disembowelling themselves with a sword (Fromm, Richard, & Suzuki, 1972).
The samurai had sophisticated weapons that were used in war. Every weapon was well designed as samurais were known to be good in weaponry. In early times they used mainly long bows and only used swords to kill wounded enemies. It was after the Mongol invasion that samurai warriors began to use the sword more frequently. They always carried daisho which were two swords, one long and the other short. The other weapons they used were spears, katana; a 24 inch long curved blade, and wakizashi; a 12 inch long curved blade (Sugawara, 1986). They wore a full body armor and a horned helmet while in battle.
Modern Cultural Perception of the Samurai
Different modern cultures have different way that they perceive the ancient Samurai culture. In Japan, the Samurai are their ways of life are highly regarded. The culture and activities that the Samurai people used to practice are in cooperated in their modern culture. This includes the codes of the Samurai, the art of writing and martial art. This is evidently seen in all the Japanese schools and homes. The only difference is that the Samurai codes had a strict place to be implemented and this was at the battlefields. This is otherwise to the modern culture where the codes can be found in offices and comfortable zones.
The Samurai 47 Ronin myth has been the sole pride that the Japanese hold towards the Samurai (Allyn, 1981). The story of the 47 Ronin has been adopted in movies and it is still taught in schools. The Japanese has preserved the culture and they still honour the 47 Ronin by offering incense at their graves. This is the evidence that the modern Japanese culture has been well embraced the ancient culture of the Samurai.
Another aspect that has been misunderstood by the modern culture pertaining the Samurai way of life is the dignity they held towards their leaders or the lords (Sansom, 1987). According to the Samurai if a lord died his warrior would kill himself too. This was a loyalty that is seen as out of this world. To the Samurai this was a privilege as they were able to portray their loyalty and honour to their leaders. Despite of the misunderstandings by the Western culture, the martial arts commonly practiced by the Samurai is well adopted by majority of the Western modern culture.
Generally modern culture has held the Samurai in high esteem. Many western cultures have misunderstood the Bushido as a way of life full of cruelty and torture. They have been perceived as supernatural human beings due to the way they carried themselves and the way they imposed pain to their own bodies This is very incorrect as the Samurai’s way of life was one of sacrifice. Their willingness to be sacrificed for the sake of their community was inhuman. This concept is not very well embraced by the modern culture. It is perceived as an inhuman way of life with little regard to the humanity.
References
Allyn, J. (1981). The Forty-Seven Ronin Story. New York: Prentice Hall.
Ansart, O. (2007). “Loyalty in Seventeenth and Eighteenth Century SamuraiDiscourse,”Japanese Studies, 27(2), 139-154.
Collcutt, M. (1996). “The ‘Emergence of the Samurai’ and The Military History ofEarlyJapan,” Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, 56(1), 151-164.
Daisetz,T. (1971). Suzuki, Zen and Japanese Culture. New Jersey: Princeton UniversityPress.
Farris, W. (1992). Heavenly Warriors, the Evolution of Japan’s Military. Cambridge,MA: Harvard University Press.
Fromm, E., Richard, M. & Suzuki, D. T. (1974) Zen Buddhism and Psychoanalysis.London: Souvenir Press.
Mitford, A., Algernon, B. & Redesdale, T. (1871). Tales of Old Japan. London: SouvenirPress.
Sansom, G. B. (1987). Japan. A Short Cultural History., Stanford, CA: StanfordUniversity Press.
Sugawara. (1986). The Ancient Samurai. Tokyo, Japan: The East PublicationsInc.
Weinberg, D. (2001). Kuniyoshi:The Faithful Samurai. London: Souvenir Press.
Mythbuster Analysis
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Mythbuster Analysis
The video Mythbuster’s has unique characteristics that have prompted various scholars to consider it a scientific research. However, based on the real features of the scientific research the video’s analysis does not meet the threshold to be considered as one. The following reasons explain why the study is not scientific: One of the main qualities of scientific research is that it should meet the intended sample of the population. “Mythbuster” analysis does not meet this quality of because among the drunkard considered in the study there was no definite sampling method used. For example, one of the known sampling methods used is stratified.
The study being a qualitative one, the sampling method ought to be stratified method, but the research did not meet this standard. Secondly, for research to be considered scientific, it has to define a specific hypothesis that must be tested in the courses of the research. “Mythbuster” cannot be considered as scientific since it only has a study objective, but lacks a hypothesis hence the finding of the research cannot be tested and conclusion reached. Thirdly, scientific study findings must be manipulated under various conditions in order to reach to an ideal conclusion. “Mythbuster” analysis does not meet such conditions, therefore, manipulation of data collected from research was not evident. In such a case, the results of the analysis lack consistency.
What needs explanation in the study is that the researcher generalized the finding and come up with a conclusion without data testing and verification. In order to improve the study the research should introduce and hypothesis and define the variable used in the study. The improvement offers results manipulation. The conclusion reached by the researcher was based on the perception of the drunkard individuals hence the study lacked accuracy of the information. The rigor of the study was also not attained in the video.
HBO True Blood TV series vs. Twilight Saga Movie Series
HBO True Blood TV series vs. Twilight Saga Movie Series
Movies and TV series are some of the most powerful forms of media entertainment for many people around the world. The two forms of entertainment use similar elements, which include: sets, scripts, production, costumes, directors, actors, and a story. These elements are used to capture the audience’s imagination. Stark differences, however, exist between the two forms of entertainment, especially in terms of their avenues. These differences can be seen in the quality of the production techniques used as well as the length of the two forms of media entertainment. While movies and movie series depict a one-time creation of concepts that offer audiences the chance of watching some of the most popular film stars, most TV series lack similar properties that include the use high quality production techniques. This is because their general purpose is to sell ads. The popularity of the TV series has, however, risen in the recent past as the quality of techniques used to produce TV series has continued to improve significantly. The observation can be seen when making between HBO’s True Blood series and the Twilight Saga movie series. This paper compares and contrasts the “Twilight Saga” movies (Summit Entertainment) and HBO’s True Blood series. The “Twilight Saga” entails a series of movies that have been produced by the Summit Entertainment Company while the HBO’s True Blood is an American television series.
Both the movie and the TV series can be analyzed in terms of the techniques used for their production, their storyline, features as well as other aspects. Basically, the Twilight Saga movie involves a series of five movies that are based on fantasies that are meant to be romantic. The five movies are based on four novels that were written by Stephenie Meyer, who is an American author. The actors of the movie series include Robert Pattinson, Taylor Lautner, and Kristen Stewart (Hasty). However, HBO’s True Blood series is a contrast of the Twilight Saga Series in several ways. True Blood is an American TV drama series, which was written and produced Ball A productions. The movie is based on a series of novels known as “The Southern vampire Mysteries,” that were authored by Charlaine Harris. The TV series, like the novel series, details the challenges that encountered in a fictional small town within the northwestern side of Louisiana where vampires lived secretly among human beings. The TV series is centered on the Sookie Stackhouse’s adventure. Sookie Stackhouse plays the role of a telepathic waitress who has some worldly qualities. While the two movies differ significantly in terms of their producers, production type context and some other aspects, they are both fictional. Their stories are also based on the interactions and conflicts between humans and vampires (Shadaliza). These aspects form some of the similarities and contrasting elements between the two film series.
One similarity between the True Blood TV series and the Twilight saga series is that they are based on a book series. The entire first season of the HBO show was based on a single volume of the book series titled ‘Dead Until Dark’ (The Southern Vampire Mysteries, Book 1). The volume was authored by Charlaine Harris. The first season of the True Blood developed a devoted fan-based after a lot of viewers continued to develop a lot of interest in the series. The HBO TV series revolves around the story of Sookie Stackhouse who was a young and intelligent girl who had an extra-sensory perception (Schneider). The use of this character is very much similar to Bella Swan, who is a character in the Twilight Saga series. In the movie series, Bella ended up falling in love with a vampire. She she even confesses to Edward as they dance, “I dream about being with you forever” (Sutton and Benshoff, pg.227). The two characters are humans but forces of nature drove their love emotions into intimate relationships with vampires. In the True Blood TV series, Sookie rejected all advances of the men she had known during her lifetime. However, she was unable to resist the advances of a charming and romantic vampire. The two film series are also similar in that they filled with a lot of suspense and anxiety that is generated by the fact that their two main characters interact closely with vampires (Shadaliza).
However, there are some significant differences in both programs. For example, in the case of the True Blood TV series, vampires are known to exist within the community. The vampires try to very hard to integrate into the society of human beings and this phenomenon is seen in a significant part of the TV series (Schneider). The title, “True Blood,” is a clever name for the bottled blood which vampires are forced to use as their main source of food. However, in the Twilight Saga, the people living with the vampires in the movie are hardly aware that vampires exist among them as seen when Bella has to learn about Edward’s identity (Sutton and Benshoff, 230). The two groups of vampires in the movie i.e. the Denali clan and the Cullen clan can hardly resist their thirst for blood. This results in a conflict between the two groups of vampires especially after the intrusion of Bella (Sperling).
Moreover, in the HBO TV True Blood series, Sookie is eager to be turned into a vampire. This drive is at first free from the forces of love until she meets Bill. However, in the in the Twilight series, Bella does not have any interest to be turned into a vampire. After meeting Bill, Sookie she is completely captivated by him. “Unlike Bella, Sookie could allow Bill to bite her without turning her into a vampire as the procedure for “the change” is quite different in the two programs (Sperling). The character of Bill is played by Stephen Moyer while Edward Cullen is played by Robert Pattinson. The two actors are of a British origin and they play similar roles in the two different stories. Both Bill and Cullen seem frustrated by the circumstances surrounding them and by the fact that they are vampires. Both wish they could be like other normal human beings (Shadaliza).
The major difference in the story lines of both programs can be seen in the detailed structure of their stories and their length. Cullen’s roles are hardly as detailed as those of Bill in the TV series. This difference is brought about by the nature of each type of film series. Typically, a TV series is longer than a movie series thus making them sometimes boring. Movies and movie series are usually summarized to show the most important clips and aspects of their story, with each movie lasting for about three hours. This aspect has the effect of arousing the interest of most of viewers especially those who have very little time to watch programs that have a long storyline. The two characters are, therefore, similar in many aspects, especially in the roles played by their main characters. A major similarity between the Twilight Saga and the True Blood series is the case of shape-shifting. These cases are depicted through the human actors e.g. Sam in the True Blood and Jacob Black, in the Twilight Saga. In the two film series, the protagonists are women (Shadaliza). The protagonists in each case carry some unique voices as well as virtues that attract the audience. The characters of protagonists in both programs are greatly admired by the respective audience.
In both stories, the protagonists have relationships with vampires. However, in terms of their context, the protagonist in each case finds love and becomes comfortable around vampires. Romance seems to generate the powerful connection between normal human beings and the vampires in the two stories. The “girl” in each of the two stories, shows qualities that portray her as being attractive, generous and kind. These are virtues that portray the character of a good human being (Schneider). This type of girl ends up meeting an attractive, generous, kind, and gentle male vampire, who is ready to treat her with a lot of care and protection, in both stories. These vampires develop a strong urge to protect their “girl”. In the case of the actors, Anna Paquin ends up delivering in the True Blood TV series. In this case, Anna is in a position to portray sweet belle’s charm in a great way, but she maintains the consistent edge, which Sookie Stackhouse shows. She is generally sweet, but she has a low tolerance for stupidity (Schneider). This phenomenon can also be seen Bill’s character.
In the Twilight Saga, Cullen presents the audience with Bella Swan, a character who can be recognized from the book version of the series. Bella Swan is a very thoughtful and highly intelligent in many ways that are almost similar to those of Sookie in the True Blood TV series. Throughout the movie, she is fascinated by Cullen who is the leading man and a vampire in the movie series. This is similar to Bill’s case in the HBO True Blood TV series. In the case of HBO’s True Blood, Stephen Moyer presents the theme of inner struggle in an effective way, a way that portrays a unique TV cult to its audience (Cherry, pg.319). When playing his character, Bill, he is seen to have a consuming desire to protect Sookie. He is ready to face any form of danger that threatens the safety of his love. The same aspect is depicted in the movie series of the Twilight Saga. The directors of the two films wanted the audience to feel the pains of both Bill and Cullen as they struggled to protect the woman they loved (Shadaliza). In the True Blood TV series, the Audience could feel the Bill’s pain as he waited for his love during daytime (in the TV series, vampires are hardly able to come out during daytime especially when there was a lot of sun). This example brings out some strong feelings among viewers especially when Bill waits eagerly for a chance to rescue Sookie. The same thing also happens to Cullen in the Twilight Saga.
Typically, the two series have many similarities, but some differences exist as well. From aspects like their settings, to their characters, and their plotlines, both the Twilight Saga movie series and the HBO True Blood TV series have very close resemblance in many instances. Their themes and ideas are almost similar (Shadaliza). Their major differences are seen in the role of their various characters, the structure of both programs and the time taken to view the entire story. The HBO True Blood is much longer and detailed. This makes the series very popular including its aspect of receiving various nominations throughout the US (Cherry, Pg.319). It is created in a way that each season ends with some form of suspense, such that the audience are left eager to see the next season or episode (StepByStep.com). Moreover, one can hardly watch the entire story in one sitting unlike the Twilight Saga, which is shorter, clearer, and gives the audience with a chance to have the whole story within a short but interesting moment.
Works Cited
Cherry, Brigid. “Before the Night is Through True Blood as Cult TV.” n.d. 317-316. Print.
Hasty, Katie. ‘Twilight’ Bumps AC/DC From Atop Billboard 200. 12 Nov 2008. Web. 2 Dec 2013.
Schneider, Michael. “HBO rolls with Ball’s ‘True Blood'”. Daily Variety. 9 Aug 2007. Web. 2 Dec 2013.
Shadaliza. Twilight Series vs. True Blood. 11 Apr 2009. Web. 2 Dec 2013.
Sperling, Nicole. It’s official: Bill Condon will direct Breaking Dawn. 28 Apr 2010. Web. 2 Dec 2013.
StepByStep.com. Difference Between TV Series and Movies. 2013. Web. 2 Dec 2013.
Sutton, Travis and Harry M. Benshoff. “”Forever Family” Values: Twilight and the Modern Mormon Vampire.” Briefil, Avira and Sam J. Miller. Horror After 9/11 World of Fear Cinema of Terror. Texas: University of Texas Press, 2011. 227-235. Print.