To begin with, the samurai’s armor and weapons give them an advantage compared to a knight. In Document D, the DBQ Project states “ The body of the armor had four parts … small iron scales were tied together … then bound into armor plates … the helmet bowl was made of 8 to 12 iron plates… 5 piece neck guard…” So in general the samurai armor was light and gave the samurai the ability to move around. …show more content…
Even though some might say the lack of armor was a disadvantage to a samurai it benefitted them very much so. If the samurai had more flexibility in his armor he could attack his opponent more swiftly whereas a knight is covered in head to toe of heavy steel. Also, the samurai used a sword called the Katana. The Katana was 42 inches long and the first 5 inches of the blade were razor sharp for obvious reasons such as slicing an attacker. But above all of this the Katana was a symbol of respect and honor. The Katana was the object that gave a samurai the pride and strength to fight for his king and his country. Furthermore, The DBQ Project in Document D says, “ Not only was the entire body covered, but knights also wore helmets, gloves, and shoes of steel… A knight's armor could weigh 40 to 60 pounds.” Due to the evidence, a knight's armor weighs a ton. Whereas samurai armor was light and still just as efficient. This is an example of an advantage a samurai has over a knight. A samurai’s armor provided protection as a knights steel suit would but with half the weight. Another way a samurai’s armor was better than the knights is if a knight were to get tired in a battle they have to lug …show more content…
Bushido is the code of honor a samurai follows and Chivalry is the code of honor a knight follows. In Document E and G, by Yamago Soko, The Way of the Samurai, Le Morte d’Arthur by Sir Thomas Malory , circa 1470, and Yamamoto Tsunetomo ( 1659-1720) it states, “ … devoting himself to duty above all…” A samurai devotes himself to his service and stands by his moral principles. A knight follows a similar code but it is not as devoted as a samurai. For example, a knight is not to commit a wicked deed and give mercy to those who ask for it. Also, a samurai punishes himself if he were to do any wrong against his moral principles and would try and prove himself worthy from that day forward. But a knight is simply considered dishonorable if he were to break his code of chivalry. Also, Document E states, “ … he strives to fulfill the Way…, Within his heart he keeps to the ways of peace…” This evidence supports the claim that samurai are determined to fulfill the Way of the Warrior and by this they are determined to fight strongly until the end. In other words, samurai were more devoted than a knight when it came to their duties.
To conclude, a samurai would win in a battle against a knight because they are more devoted to their duty, they are trained to be disciplined and loyal, and because they will always die honorably they fight till the end for their