Spring 2005

History 399 SAMURAI IN FILM

General

Japan’s warriors, the samurai, represent one of the distinct elements of pre-20 th Japanese society, culture, and government. They are still with us as a “ready-reference” in a number of contexts: anime samurai from outer space; samurai businessman; “Last Samurai;” samurai spirit that infuses the martial arts; practitioners of the samurai ethos of bushido (self-immolation, death before defeat, self-sacrifice etc); and exponents of hara-kiri (hari-kari in English use).

But the phenomenon of the samurai was far more nuanced. Strikingly, while a specific warrior class can be identified from at least the 900s and continuing through the late 1800s – that is, for a period of about 1000 years – for the vast bulk of this time Japan was at peace, and warriors only rarely died while fighting. There was also a shift in the political position of the warrior class: prominent in rural areas in the 900s, to monopolizing national government from the 1600s. The social composition of the “warrior class” also changed, from rural land-managers and administrators, to members of a “warrior government” in the 1180s, to major cultural patrons from the 1300s, from hereditary families through the 1400s to being drawn from any social background by the late 1500s, to hereditary bureaucrats from the 1600s. And at all times some were wandering swords for hire, ronin (a term applied to Robert de Niro and friends starring as guns for hire in France).

Samurai as they are recalled in film reflect not just the “historical samurai.” The choice of samurai type in films has also been influenced by concerns, social criticisms, valorizations, and the formation of historical memory. That is, when we see samurai, we sometimes see something of the shifting cultural and political currents of modern Japan (as well as entertainment!). Thus, the course will present different opportunities for learning about the samurai. As “they were,” as “we think about some of them,” as “how we find period dramas useful for raising contemporary issues.

One last comment: one thing we probably will not find is a glorification of war. And this, while being heavily influenced by the horrible experience of World War 2 perhaps, is perhaps a key point to remember about the historical samurai class – their task was to keep the peace in a society that they knew exploded violently when destabilized.

 Course Structure

The course will combine lectures and handouts, with assigned readings, in order to provide context and background for the films. Some films will be preceded by lectures, designed to supplement the readings.

 Evaluation.

   1/ Attendance is required (10% of course grade).

   2/ / Two film reports, each 5 pages (double spaced, 12-point font). One report must deal with a film in the WARFARE category, and the other report must deal with a film in the STRICTURES OF PEACE category. The first report (worth 15% of course grade) is due no later than May 2. The second report (worth 20% of course grade) is due no later than May 23.

   3/ A six-page exploration (double spaced, 12-point font) of Musui’s Story (25% of course grade). Due no later than May 16.

   4/ A final exam at the scheduled time during exam week June 6-10, worth 30% of course grade. It will be a combination of identifications, multiple choice, and mix and match. It will be based on all course material. A study guide will be distributed by May 23.

   5/ Failure to pass the final exam is an automatic fail for the course.

Assigned Text

Katsu Kokichi, Musui’s Story.

Students will be expected to be thoroughly familiar with this work by the end of the course.

Additional Readings (Provisional list)

 On-line, via the Knight Library Web-site and Catalog:

Bodart Bailey, Beatrice. “The Laws of Compassion.” Monumenta Nipponica, 40.2 (Summer 1985), 163-189.

Bolitho, Harold. “The Echigo War 1868.” Monumenta Nipponica, 34.3 (Autumn, 1979), 259-277.

 Conlan, Thomas. “The Nature of Warfare in Fourteenth Century Japan.” Journal of Japanese Studies, 25.1 (1999), 299-330.

Hesselink, Reinier. “The Assassination of Henry Heusken.” Monumenta Nipponica, 49.3 (Autumn 1994), 331-351.

Miyazaki Fumiko. “Religious Life of the Kamakura Bushi: Kumagai Naozane and His Descendents.” Monumenta Niponica, 47.4 (Winter 1992), 435-467.

Oguchi Yujiro. “The Reality Behind Musui Dokugen.” Journal of Japanese Studies, 16.2 (1990), 289-308.

Rogers, John M. “Arts of War in Times of Peace: Archery in Honcho Bugei Shoden.” Monumenta Nipponica, 45.3 (Autumn 1990), 253-260.

Hinatsu Shigetaka. “Honcho Bugei Shoden.” Monumenta Nipponica, 45.3 (1990), 261-284.

Rogers, John M. “Arts of War in Times of Peace: Swordsmanship in Honcho Bugei Shoden.” Chapter 5. Monumenta Nipponica, 45.4 (Winter 1990), 413-447.

Rogers, John M. “Arts of War in Times of Peace: Swordsmanship in Honcho Bugei Shoden.”Chapter 6. Monumenta Nipponica, 46.2 (Summer 1991), 147-171.

 Shiveley, Donald H. “Sumptuary Regulation and Status in Early Tokugawa Japan.” Harvard Journal of Asiatic Studies, Vol. 25 (1964-65), 123-164.

Vaporis, Constantine. “A Tour of Duty: Kurume Hanshi Edo Kinban Nagaya Emaki.” Monumenta Nipponica, 51.3 (Autumn 1996), 279-307.

 E-reserve

Goble, Andrew. The Development of Wound Medicine in Medieval Japan.

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    ANTICIPATED LECTURE AND FILM SCHEDULE.

PART I – WARFARE.

WEEK ONE 3/28.   Introduction.

     Dances With Samurai? The Last Samurai.

WEEK TWO 4/4.   Lecture. The MedievalAge of War.

     Shichinin no samurai (The Seven Samurai) [“The Magnificent Seven”] (Video DVD 00011), (203 minutes). OR VT 04073 v. 1 and VT 04073 v.2, (208 minutes).

WEEK THREE 4/11      continuing

     Shichinin no samurai (The Seven Samurai) [“The Magnificent Seven”] (Video DVD 00011), 203 minutes. OR VT 04073 v. 1 and VT 04073 v.2, 208 minutes.

WEEK FOUR 4/18   Lecture: The Takeda Family in an Age of War.

     Ten to chi to (Heaven and Earth). (VT 06716, 104 mins?).

WEEK FIVE4/25   Kagemusha (The Shadow Warrior). (Video Laserdisc 00132; 159 minutes).

PART II – STRICTURES OF PEACE.

WEEK SIX 5/2   Lecture: Ordering the Samurai.

     Harakiri (Ritual Suicide). [VT 06739; 134 minutes)

      Last day to submit first film report.

 WEEK SEVEN 5/9   Lecture: Trickle–down Morals.

     Tasogare Seibei (The Twilight Warrior) (Video DVD 00632, 129 minutes).

WEEK EIGHT 5/16. Lecture: The MercenaryWarrior

     Yojinbo (The Bodyguard) [“A Fistfull of Dollars”].( VT 03950, 108 minutes).

     Last day to submit exploration of Musui’s Story.

WEEK NINE 5/23  

     Kozure okami (Lone Wolf and Cub) - Sword of Vengeance. (89 minutes?)

     Kozure okami (Lone Wolf and Cub) - Baby Cart to Hades. (83 minutes?)

     Last day to submit second film report.

 WEEK TEN 5/30   MEMORIAL DAY HOLIDAY. NO CLASS.

 FINAL EXAM 6/6 Regular classroom, 1900 (7.00 PM).