Tokugawa shogunate, following the warring period of Japan, became the last era of samurai’s ruling and the final feudal military government. During this period, the statues of different class and groups began to slightly change, and also, the roles of samurais were different from the earlier periods including late Heian period, Kamaruka and Muromachi eras. In the Tale of Heike, the samurais emphasized the bravery and loyalty of samurais, showing us that samurais played important roles at that times, and how honorable being a samurai; on the contrary, Musui’s Story, the autobiography of a lower-ranking samurai in Tokugawa era named Katsu Kokichi, revealed that samurais did not really share high positions, and compared to the early samurais, they cared more about material things, being more aggressive which made them frequently got into fights. But Kokichi also exposed virtues that samurais still had, for example, being brave, warm-hearted, and reliable. I will show that the samurais and their values, such as honor, family-cherished, courage and appreciation of the culture, described in the literature like Tale of Heike could not be definitely true, and the samurais that were revealed by Kokichi in the autobiography, Musui’s Story, somehow reflected the real life of samurais during the…
During the Middle Ages in England, there was a heavy emphasis on knights and chivalry in much of the works of the time. While there are elements of each of these aspects in Marie de France’s works, many of her lais have a strong focus on the desires of her female characters and differ slightly from the works of romance written by her contemporaries. The male writers of her time were largely interested in chivalry and courtly responsibilities of knights, however, Marie went in a different direction and focused more her female characters. The fact that Marie de France is a female writer in a patriarchal society and her emphasis on the female characters in her lais is evidence that her works show features of modern feminism.…
In preparation for my and Father Garrpe’s arrival in Japan we have decided to research information that may be useful to understanding the culture there. As a way of helping myself remember this information, I have decided to write it here in this journal. The first thing to learn is the recent history of Japan. One event in particular that has led to the current hostilities toward Christians is the Shimabara rebellion.…
“The Tale of Genji” and “The Account of my Ten Foot Square Hut” are classical sources of Japanese art. Both of these pieces date a long way back and contain valuable information about olden days Japanese history and religion. “The Tale of Genji” and “The Account of my Ten Foot Square Hut” are written in completely different styles, tell completely contrasting stories, and were written at different times. However, the two texts shed light on one historical period, namely the Heian period. The presence of themes such as impermanence of things ranging from human behaviour to life, experiences that people face, and realization of the world around are very relevant to religion.…
In Bewiched, Manago, a symbol of love and passion, serves as a thematic clue to track the male protagonist-Toyo-o’s psychological development of masculinity through a series of seductions and confrontations. While she, a “tenacious” manipulative temptress, is also a true foil to what society demands of women (646). Ueda Akinari uses Manago to suggest a gender based social order in the Japanese society which expects men to develop masculinity- courage, independence, determination to gain control of own destiny whilst demands women to be submissive, selfless, and be of a help or a companion to men. By becoming a man that meets the society’s expectation, Toyo-o ultimately defeats Manago.…
This document is an excerpt from a book written by scholar and official, Yuan Cai, in the twelfth century. This book was written for leading household men and consists of advice to manage matters within the family. What I find interesting about this document is the way women were treated in this culture, at this time. The author regards women as almost a prize that is to be cherished with utmost care, while at the same time, giving the women absolutely no right to family matters or give them their own say in their life.…
Women in Beowulf Compared To Other Heroic Narratives The women in Beowulf and other heroic narratives of other cultures were forced to take the background roles in the society because they were considered as weak and passive. The women in these epic stories were considered inferior to men and they were owned by their husbands once they got married. In the story of Beowulf and Sir Gawain and the Green Knight by Geoffrey Chaucer, the women took active roles than what was expected of them by the society.…
Miller examines the diverse language and culture of Kogals, included with the diversified use of Japanese. Throughout, this paper she attempts to prove that the Kogals’ culture are an “unusual case of female-centered coolness at the forefront of cultural and linguistic trend setting (miller, 2004)”. She does this by examining how Japanese women, of the Kogal culture, fight against the heterogeneity of Japan. And how they attempt to make a separate female identity— verses the normal set identity for women in Japan— while also claiming their sexuality back. By providing examples she goes on to do that, proving that Kogals are a very unique and are in the center of culture change and Linguistic trends in Japan.…
Japan has faced many transitions in its long, rich history. From learning to cast bronze from their Chinese neighbors, to its unification of states after years of turmoil, Japan always rises to the challenges presented by international forces and pressures of future generations. As transitions from period to period occur, it’s often difficult to fully characterize the emotional mindset of those within the culture. Natsume Soseki's novel Kokoro captures this process as Japan moves into its Imperial wave in the early nineteen hundreds via his two main character’s; each representing either past or future state of minds. As these two reconcile modes of thought, the theme of love is commonly returned to.…
In the Middle Ages, women’s role was often decided by biblical texts. There were some women who held power, showing a test to the image of medieval women as repressed and obedient. Most women were married as teenagers then they were responsible for conducting the household, whether they lived in a castle or a small peasant shack.(“Women in Medieval Society”) Middle Age society would’ve been custom.…
Maternity and Femininity East of West Representations of femininity in literature, of the Western variety in particular, tend to be at least slightly inclined towards either breaking the stereotypes of feminine characters or assisting in their anchoring. The women of East of West both break the mould and toe the line. Feminine characteristics and latent maternal instincts remain intact in the form of birthing imagery during the arrival of the Four Horsemen on Earth and Xiaolian’s anguish when she realizes the fate of her son. At the same time, however, the idea of women being nurturing caretakers of the weak and young, is dismantled with the introduction of the cold, looming, imperial new President as well as Xiaolian’s slaying of her father…
(25-29) Gender is formulated into a certain type of power. In this particular era in history, crime between a woman and a man was unequal. The persecution for crime was unequal; due to the fact, that women was viewed incapable and condemned more harshly than a man. Women tend to love more intense and emotionally than a man; although this may seem to be true, it is uncompromising when a woman is heartbroken. Men that are distraught tend to not wear their feelings; they are unnoticed.…
Marriage was typical and expected of women in this day; it was considered an important and defining moment is a woman’s life as it decided what type of future she would have. Marriage was also a tool used…
Sexuality is a complex understanding of sexual acts and desires, that fluctuates based on variables such as culture, gender, religion, exposure, and preference. When trying to understand medieval sexuality, it is crucial to keep in mind one lens from modernity. In modern society today, it would be extremely difficult to find two people who felt and believed the exact same way in reference to sexuality. This variation, though influence by different factors, still existed in medieval culture, and particularly among medieval women mystics. These women had wide arrays of mystical experience, some often erotic in nature, and despite all belonging to the same Christian faith, no two seem to agree on what exactly sexuality is.…
Memoirs of a Geisha This report is about the film “Memoirs of a Geisha” which portrays the life of Chiyo, a young Japanese girl, who was sold to a geisha house, in Kyoto in the 1930s because of her family’s financial difficulties. Her geisha training is almost near to the life of slavery. Chiyo finds herself working as a maid to a despiteful geisha naming Hatsumomo. Chiyo’s unique beauty attracted Hatsumomo’s jealousy.…