THE PORTRAIT OF THE LIFE OF SAMURAI DURING THE
SHOGUNATE ERA OF JAPAN IN JAMES CLAVELL’S SHOGUN
AN UNDERGRADUATE THESIS
Presented as Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree of Sarjana Sastra
in English Letters
SIDIQ MURTAYA EKA PRASETYA
Student Number: 994214203
Student Registration Number: 990051120106120203
ENGLISH LETTERS STUDY PROGRAMME
DEPARTMENT OF ENGLISH LETTERS FACULTY OF LETTERS
SANATA DHARMA UNIVERSITY YOGYAKARTA
A Sarjana Sastra Undergraduate Thesis
THE PORTRAIT OF THE LIFE OF SAMURAI DURING THE
SHOGUNATE ERA OF JAPAN IN JAMES CLAVELL’S SHOGUN
By
SIDIQ MURTAYA EKA PRASETYA
Student Number: 994214203
Student Registration Number: 990051120106120203
Approved by
Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka, M.Hum July ,2007 Advisor
A Sarjana Sastra Undergraduate Thesis
THE PORTRAIT OF THE LIFE OF SAMURAI DURING THE
SHOGUNATE ERA OF JAPAN IN JAMES CLAVELL’S SHOGUN
By
SIDIQ MURTAYA EKA PRASETYA Student Number: 994214203
Defended before the Boards of Examiners On
And Declared Acceptable
BOARD OF EXAMINERS
Name
Chairman : Dr. Fr. B Alip, M.Pd, M.A
Secretary : Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka, M.Hum Member : M. Luluk Artika, SS.
Member : Dewi Widyastuti, S.Pd., M.Hum Member : Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarka, M.Hum
What are clouds
But an excuse for the sky?
What is life
But an escape from death?
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
The process of writing a thesis is equivalent to the great battle of Yedo. It was the battle that one’s destiny of life and death will be determined not only by his own skills and by will to fight, but also by the supports of those who helped and guided him. Within this section, I dedicated my greatest thanks to those who have guided and supported me to finish the process of writing this undergraduate thesis.
My first thanks first goes to Allah, the Lord of creations, whose great love and mercy never decline although I often forget Him; and I knew I will never succeed to finish this thesis without His blessings.
My special thanks go to Drs. Hirmawan Wijanarko, M.Hum., my advisor in writing this thesis, Dewi Widyastuti, S.Pd. M.Hum, as my co-advisor, Tatang Iskarna, S.S, M.Hum., Maria Ananta, S.S., and all lecturers of English Letters department of Sanata Dharma. Without their advice, guidance, and mental supports, I will never be able to finish this undergraduate thesis
TABLE OF CONTENTS A. Background of the Study……… 1
B. Problem Formulation ……….……… 6
C. Objectives of the Study ……….. 6
D. Definition of Terms …….………...6
CHAPTER II: THEORETICAL VIEW A. Review of Related Studies ………..9
B. Review of Related Theories ………....12
C. The Relation between Literature, Society, and History ……..14
D. Review of the History of Samurai in Feudal Japan ………….15
CHAPTER III: METHODOLOGY
C. The Portrayal of the Life of Samurai………...43
CHAPTER V: CONCLUSION.………..54
ABSTRACT
SIDIQ MURTAYA E.P (2007). The Portrait of the Life of Samurai During the Shogunate Era of Japan in James Clavell’s Shogun. Yogyakarta. Department of English Letters, Faculty of Letters, Sanata Dharma University.
Samurai are well known as one part of Japanese culture that already goes international. They are recognized almost at all parts of the world. Most people have an interpretation of samurai as brave and fearless Japanese soldiers, who were expert in combat and killing, but only few knew how they their aspect of life. In James Clavell Shogun, the samurai were described a lot, although they are not the center point of the story. These facts drew the attention of the writer to study the life of samurai in James Clavell’s Shogun.
The writer formulated two problems in this thesis. The first problem discussed how Clavell characterizes and describes the samurai in his novel. This problem statement attempts to reveal how samurai are described physically and how Clavell characterized them in the novel. The second problem discussed what aspect of life of samurai portrayed in the novel, and how Clavell portrayed it. This part aims to what the codes, tradition, and believes of samurai in their life, and how they are portrayed within the novel.
To solve the problems in the thesis, the writer uses the way of library research. It means the writer takes the data from a novel entitled Shogun by James Clavell. The sources to analyze the problems were taken from books and internet. The writer also uses the socio-cultural historical approach to be used as ‘spectacles’ that gives the point of view of the writer on analyzing the life of samurai. Books and internet citations were used to find out the supportive theories and information that will help the writer to solve the problems formulated in the thesis. The writer used the theory of characterization to solve the first problem, while books and articles from experts that contain information on samurai were used as guidance to solve the second problem.
ABSTRAK
SIDIQ MURTAYA E.P (2007). The Portrait of the Life of Samurai During the Shogunate Era of Japan in James Clavell’s Shogun. Yogyakarta. Program Studi Sastra Inggris, Fakultas Sastra, Universitas Sanata Dharma.
Samurai adalah salah satu bagian dari budaya bangsa Jepang yang telah mendunia. Hampir seluruh bagian dari masyarakat di dunia mengenal samurai, dan menginterprestasikan samurai sebagai sosok ksatria yang tangguh dan pemberani serta memiliki keahlian tinggi dalam membunuh dan bertarung. Dari sekian banyak orang yang mengenal samurai, tidak banyak yang betul-betul mengetahui bagaimana nilai-nilai kehidupan mereka. Dalam novel James Clavell yang berjudul Shogun, samurai banyak dibahas walaupun fokus cerita tidak dititik beratkan pada mereka. Hal ini menarik perhatian penulis unruk mempelajarinya dalam skripsi ini.
Skripsi ini mebahas dua masalah. Yang pertama membahas sifat-sifat dan penampilan samurai. Bagian ini nertujuan menemukan gambaran baik penampilan fisik maupun sifat yang dimiliki para samurai. Rumusan masalah yang kedua membahas nilai-nilai kehidupan samurai yang mencakupi kode-kode, kepercayaan dan tradisi para samurai yang tergambar dalam novel, dan bagaimana Clavell menggambarkan nilai-nilai tersebut dalam novelnya.
Dalam proses menganalisa masalah-masalah yang ada di skripsi ini, penulis melakukan studi kepustakaan. Penulis mencari teori-teori, buku-buku, maupun artikel yang ditulis oleh mereka yang ahli dan mengandung informasi yang berkenaan dengan masalah-msalah di skripsi ini. Penulis juga menggunakan pendekatan sosio-kultural historical sebagai ‘kacamata’ yang menunjukan dari sisi mana skripsi ini mebahas kehidupan para samurai. Penulis menggunakan teori karakterisasi untuk memecahkan masalah pertama, dan menggunakan buku-buku dan artikel mengenai samurai untuk masalah kedua.
CHAPTER I
INTRODUCTION
A. Background of the Study
Literature can be considered as the work of art of human being, which is expressed through the spoken or written words. It contains the records of people’s values, thoughts, conflicts, or even histories and cultures of certain society.
Novel is one kind of work of literature besides poetry, drama, short story, and prose. As a kind of the work of literature, a novel may includes the record of people’s aspect of life, history, or culture. According to Danzigen and Johnson in the Introduction to Literary Criticism, “a novel may contain many aspects of life in
which the writer has interpreted them as fiction narration” (1958: 41).
This thesis focuses its study on a novel. According to Danzigen and Johnson, a novel is a form of literary art. In complete definition, they defined it as “a work of art in so far as it introduces us into living world, in some respects resembling the world we live in, but with an individuality of its own” (1958:163). It means a novel is like a mirror image of real world and lives, which is clearly seen by the eyes of someone who read it, but it will give the reader something that they cannot get by seeing the original world.
fascinated as they imagine themselves in the position of the English pilot. By the end, the reader has learned about Japan alongside Blackthorne, as he attempts to survive.
Although not considered great literature by most critics, Shogun: A Novel of Japan made its author, James du Maresq Clavell, one of the most commonly read
twentieth-century novelists. The novel contains war, trade disputes, cultural clash, passion, death, and descriptions of beauty that have kept readers up until down. The features make Clavell an "old-fashioned storyteller" who spins charming thread rather than an artiste like Virginia Woolf or Thomas Pynchon. Clavell's survival of a Japanese death camp gave him unique sight into human behavior and cultural differences, enabling him to produce a truly fascinating story. In addition to penning a good book to curl up with, Clavell built a bridge of understanding from West to East by fictionalizing a historical encounter between them.
The novel reflects a large part of Japanese social life, culture, and believes in the era of feudalism. One of the interesting aspects of culture of Japan reflected in the novel is the Samurai. The writer realized that James Clavell’s Shogun does not place the samurai as the center point of the story, but the writer also found that the novel contains a big part of portrayal the life of samurai, which draws the interest of the writer to focus the thesis on it.
“samurai” is very famous and commonly recognized whether by people of Asia, especially Japan itself, China, Indonesia, or other people outside Asia, such as America and Europe. Most people have common sense on samurai as a tough and brave Japanese male warrior armed with two-handed swords by his belly, bow and pack of arrows carried on his back, and an expert on killing and martial arts. Meanwhile, in Indonesia, some people often have a misunderstanding in recognizing “samurai” and “katana”. Katana is a large two-handed sword and it is one of the must have weapon of samurai. In other words, it can be described as the sword of samurai, or samurai’s sword, but most people in Indonesia often name “katana” as only “samurai”, which should be “pedang samurai” (Indonesian translation for “samurai’s sword”)”.
Samurai do not only well known for the terms, but also exposed in several medias of entertainment. Very clear examples that shows samurai have been widely exposed is that they exist a lot and out of its motherland area in several kinds of entertainment such as movies like The Last Samurai, American Samurai, Twin Samurai, Edge of Steel, Shodown in Little Tokyo, etc. The movies like The Last
Samurai and American Samurai are Hollywood movies that success to hit box office
rate at their time. Samurai also commonly appeared in video games such as Bakumatsu Roman 1 and 2, which are converted into their European version entitled
The Last Blade 1 and 2 (SNK), Neo-Geo’s Samurai Spirit series which also adopted
(Liquid Entertainment), Empire Earth and Throne of Darkness (Sierra), and many more that the writer can not write due to the matter of efficiency and source.
Because samurai was exposed a lot in various universal medias, it is not odd that later samurai becomes well known by people from around the world, but most of the description of samurai, whether it is in movies or on games, is still more or less similar one to each other. There, samurai are described as men skillful in combat, physically wear Japanese war armor, or kimono, and carrying long sword. This is may be the cause of why people have such common senses on samurai.
B. Problem Formulation
The Problems which are discusssed in this thesis are
1. How does James Clavell characterize the samurai in his novel entitled Shogun?
2. What are samurai aspects of life portrayed in the novel and how does James Clavell’s portray them in Shogun?
C. Objectives of the Study
The writer has two points of objective in writing this thesis. The first goal is to identify how James Clavell describes the samurai in his novel. The description the writer want to find out is not only on the physical appearance of the samurai, but also their personality, behavior, and believe.
The second objective the writer wants to achieve on this thesis is to find in what aspects of life the samurai is portrayed in the novel and evaluate it with the aspects of life of the samurai in the real life, or, in other word, the writer wanted to find out how far James Clavell’s Shogun described the truth about the life of samurai in the era of shogunate in Japan.
D. Definition of Terms
1. Samurai
According to Longman Dictionary of English Language and Culture, the word samurai is defined as the member of military class of high rank in Japan in former time. According to Encyclopedia of Japan: Japanese History and Culture, samurai has literary meaning as “the one who serves”. Samurai is also defined as “the
servant warriors” as the name “samurai” is derived from word subarau, which means to serve or, to guard and bushi, which means warrior (1991: 290). The writer will use the second definition, which is taken from Encyclopedia of Japan: Japanese History and Culture in this thesis, as it gives clearer detail about the definition ansd the
meaning of samurai.
2. Shogunate
According to Encyclopedia of Japan: Japanese History and Culture, shogunate is the English translation of bakufu, which has the meaning literary as “the
tent Government”. Bakufu or shogunate is a government system; usually a military based one, consists of several daimyos that own certain part of the land of Japan under the rule of an official lord called shogun (1991:316). In the same books it is also described that the word shogun means the one who own and rule (1991:316).
3. Shogunate Era
CHAPTER II
THEORETICAL REVIEW
A. Review of Related Studies
As one of works of literature, James Clavell”s Shogun draws attention from critics, reviewers, students, or persons to give comments, or do a research study on it. Charles Hubbel, a graduate student in History at the State University of New York, Stony Brook wrote an essay on the novel discusssing on the scientific mind and technology. In his essay that the writer found from http://www.google.com/libraryworks.edu/members/critics/clavell/shogun.htm,
Hubbell stated that Blackthorne, the main character of the novel, does not play a major role in the progress of science and technology of Japan. According to the essay, “Blackthorne is only a figure of no one to show any support in the raise of Meiji turmoil. He only carries his own stand-alone problems and more to be that one’s dreams”. The writer comprehends that this essay discusssed and related the novel with the restoration of Meiji, the time when Japan began to develop gunpowder and use it to improve their weaponry systems.
but the work itself is no more than a fictional of personal adventure with no significance neither to the mission motherland nor political sarcasms.” (1991: 2).
When Shogun was published in 1975, the reviews around the major newspapers and magazine overwhelmingly praised the book for its ingenious plot and fascinating narrative. Cynthia Gorney of the Washington Post described the book as "one of those books that blots up vacations and imperils marriages, because it simply will not let the reader go." Webster Schott in the New York Times Book Review commented, "Clavell has a gift…It may be something that cannot be taught or earned. He breathes narrative. It is almost impossible not to continue to read Shogun once having opened it." Library Journal contributor Mitsu Yamamoto praised Shogun of consisting "a wonderful churning brew of adventure, intrigue, love, philosophy, and history." However, other critics, such as the New Yorker, mentioned the downside of the book of having "flashy Hollywood dialogue and derring-do that haven't been around much since the heyday of the Errol Flynn movie." Nevertheless, the above-mentioned critic could not escape from acknowledging Clavell as having "a decided gift for storytelling."
those true adventurer often trimmed down what should be raised, but for Shogun, it is a positive sin (1980, 14).”
A criticism also came from Webster Schott, a critic that often wrote in New York Times Book Review. In his review Schott began his words with "I can't
remember when a novel has seized my mind" like Shogun. According to Schott, "Clavell is neither literary psychoanalyst nor philosophizing intellectual. He reports the world as he sees people—in terms of power, control, and strength. He writes in the oldest and grandest tradition that fiction knows.
Another critic wrote his review on James Clavell’s Shogun found in http://www//pandorasbox.com/users/lists/critics/pages=12/fav=98/review.htm. The critic said that “Clavell tended to focus on three themes Clavell's brilliant storytelling, the work as a historical novel or fiction, and the work's multiculturalism. It is easy to point out the historical inaccuracies of the novel, but its entertainment value and its understanding of broader historical themes to light led most critics to forgive Clavell's manipulation of historical facts.”
In this thesis, the writer will focused the topic of the analysis on the samurai, discusssing it from various aspects of life in the feudal era, that is also become one of the part in the novel. So, as it never been such discusssion, this study is expectedto be original.
B. Review of Related Theories
In order to get the clear and right path to solve the problems formulated in this thesis, the writer realizes that theories are important and needed. Considering on the problems of this study, the writer will apply the theories of characterization. A significant resource about the history and culture of Japan and Samurai will also be included to solve the problems of this thesis.
1. Theories of Characterization
Characterization holds an important rule in a novel or other kind of literary work, as it is the one, which creates the existence of characters in it. Mary Rohberger stated that characterization is the way in which the author creates character. Therefore, characterization should be conveyed into good way as to create a clear image to the reader perception. There are two principle ways an author can characterize characters. He can use dramatic way to place her situation to show what she is by the way she behaves or speaks (1971: 20).
a. Personal Description
The author can describe a character’s appearance like the face, body, and clothes of the character. The personal description is very important because it can give clues to the character.
b. Character as seen by another
Instead of describing characters directly, the author can describe a character through the eyes and opinions of another.
c. Speech
The author can give the readers some clues or insights to the character through what a person says. Whenever he is in conversation with another, and whenever he speaks and puts forward an opinion, he is giving us some clues to his character.
d. Past Life
By permitting the readers to learn something about a person’s past life, the author can give us some clues to the events that have helped to shape a person character.
e. Conversation of others
The author can also give the reader some clues to person’s character through the conversations of other people and the things they say about him.
f. Reaction
g. Direct comments
The author can describe or comment on a person’s character directly. h. Thoughts
The author can give his readers a direct knowledge of what a person is thinking about.
i. Mannerism
The author can describe a person’s mannerism, habits, or idiosyncrasy, which also may tell us something about his characters.
2. The Relation between Literature, Society, and History
Since the writer focused this thesis on a topic that has a very close relation to the society and history of a certain nation, the writer will explain the relation between literature, society, and history in order to both diverge, and correlate them.
Literary works are not the same as history record, but it is also true that literary works may help the reader to understand or at least having an imagination of the condition of the past or history of certain society. Marry Rohberger said that novel is not a merely historical report. Historical report is only has a purpose of revealing the truth of the past of certain condition, value, believes, and ethos in a certain society, without paying attention on the aesthetic and artistic value, while novel, it is an artistic and aesthetic work (1971: 9).
conception about life in their work. Thus, it could be said that literature reflects and express life and greatness of artistic value from a work art (1956: 95).
In further of his explanation, De Bonald said that literature primarily an immigration of life as it is and social life in particular. Nevertheless, Literature has its own justification and aim (1956: 102). Therefore, the interpretation may vary according to the point of view of each reader.
3. Review of the History of Samurai in Feudal Japan
Located 100 miles off the mainland of Asia, at its closest point, Japan was a land of mystery at the edge of civilization. Isolated at first by geography and later by choice, the Japanese developed a distinctive culture that drew very little from the outside world. It is described by Mikiso Hane in her book Premodern Japan: A Historical Survey, that at the beginning of what were the Middle Ages in Europe, the
advanced culture of Japan was centered at the north end of the Inland Sea on the main island of Honshu. Across the Hakone Mountains to the east lay the Kanto, an alluvial plain that was the single largest rice-growing area on the islands. To the north and east of the Kanto was the frontier, beyond which lived aboriginal Japanese who had occupied the islands since Neolithic times (1991: 21).
Karl F. Friday stated in his book entitled Hired Sword: The Rise of Private Warrior Power in Early Japan (1992:26-31) The beginning of the samurai started in
the year of 536, when Soga clan became predominant and produced the first great historical statesman, Prince Shotoku, who instituted reforms that laid the foundation of Japanese culture for generations to come. In 645, power shifted from the Soga clan to the Fujiwara clan. The Fujiwara presided over most of the Heian period (794 to 1185). The new leadership imposed the Taika Reform of 645, which attempted to redistribute the rice-growing land, establish a tax on agricultural production, and divide the country into provinces. Too much of the country remained outside imperial influence and control, however. Real power shifted to great families that rose to prominence in the rice-growing lands. Conflict among these families led to civil war and the rise of the warrior class.
In the same book, Friday also said “similar to the experience of medieval Western Europe, the breakdown of central authority in Japan, the rise of powerful local nobles, and conflict with barbarians at the frontier combined to create a culture dominated by a warrior elite” (1992: 36). These warriors were became known as Samurai, ("those who serve"), who were roughly equivalent to the European knight. A military government replaced the nobility as the power behind the throne at the end of the twelfth century. The head of the military government was the Shogun.
expected leadership and protection. In return, he obeyed his lord's commands without question and stood ready to die on his lord's behalf. A Samurai placed great emphasis on his ancestry and strove to carry on family traditions. He behaved so as to earn praise. He was to be firm and show no cowardice. Warriors went into battle expecting and looking to die. It was felt that a warrior hoping to live would fight poorly (1994: 67-68).
The samurai were the members of the military class, the Japanese warriors. An American-Japanese sociologist named Nicklaus Suino wrote in his book entitled The Art of Japanese Swordsmanship that samurai employed a range of weapons such
as bows and arrows, spears and guns; but their most famous weapon and their symbol was the sword (1992 :20). In his book, Suino exposed a lot about the meaning and the importance of sword for samurai. He said that “A samurai would not complete without their swords, and the swords would be meaningless without their masters” (1992: 34).
Ikegami’s essay entitled “Shame and the Samurai:Institutions,Ttrusthworthiness, and Autonomy in the Elite Honor Culture”
In her further explanation, Eiko wrote that samurai were fighting men, skilled in the martial arts. Samurai had extensive skills in the use of the bow and arrow and the sword. They could just as likely have killed you with their bare hands. Samurai were also great horsemen (http://www.ecyclopedia.com/Shame and the samurai_ institutions, trusthworthiness,.html).
In her other book entitled The Taming of the Samurai: Honorific Individualism and the Making of Modern Japan , Eiko axplained the code of samurai
which is called bushido.
These warriors were men who lived by Bushido; it was their way of life. The samurai loyalty to the emperor and their overlord, or daimyo, was unsurpassed. They were trustworthy and honest. They lived frugal lives with no interest in riches and material things, but rather they were interested in honor and pride. They were men of true valor. Samurai had no fear of death. They would enter any battle no matter the odds. To die in battle would only bring honor to one's family and one's lord (2003: 60).
Samurai usually would rather fight alone, one on one. In battle, samurai would call out their family name, rank and accomplishments. Then he would seek out an opponent with similar rank and do battle. When the samurai has killed his opponent he severs his head. After battle, he takes the heads of his enemies back to show proof of his victory. Heads of generals and those of high ranks were transported back to the capital and displayed for the officials and others. The only way out for a defeated samurai was death or ritual suicide: seppuku.
disembowels himself by cutting out his guts and only those who are honorable enough allowed to do seppuku.
Samurai lived with swords, and they will die by the swords. It is not only means that samurai will die by swords that cut his head off, or stabbed his belly, but also means that he deserves to live as long as the sword is in his hands. (1992:42)
After the samurai disembowels himself another samurai, usually a kinsman or friend, slices his head off. This form of suicide was "performed under various circumstances: to avoid capture in battle, which the samurai did not believe to be dishonorable and degrading, but generally bad policy; to atone for a misdeed or unworthy act; and perhaps most interestingly, to admonish one's lord" (Friday, 1992: 232). A samurai would rather kill himself than bring shame and disgrace to his family name and his lord. This was considered an act of true honor.
The samurai became the ruling class during the 1400s and the 1500s. In the 1600s, there was a time of unification; warring in Japan had ceased. Then toward the end of the Tokugawa Era (the late 1700s), Japan began to move towards a more modernized and Western way of life. There was no need for fighting men, for warriors, for samurai. The samurai and their way of life were officially abolished in the early 1870s, but it was not forgotten.
1. Heian Period (794-1185)
The samurai's importance and influence grew during the Heian Period, when powerful landowners hired private warriors for the protection of their properties. Towards the end of the Heian Period, two military clans, the Minamoto and Taira, had grown so powerful that they seized control over the country and fought wars for supremacy against each other.
2. Kamakura Period (1192-1333)
In 1185, the Minamoto defeated the Taira, and Minamoto Yoritomo established a new military government in Kamakura in 1192. As shogun, the highest military officer, he became the ruler of Japan.
3. Muromachi Period (1333 - 1573)
During the chaotic Era of Warring States (sengoku jidai, 1467-1573), Japan consisted of dozens of independent states, which were constantly fighting each other. Consequently, the demand for samurai was very high. Between the wars, many samurai were working on farms. Many of the famous samurai movies by Kurosawa take place during this era.
4. Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573 - 1603)
5. Edo Period (1603 - 1868)
According to the Edo Period's official hierarchy of social castes, the samurai stood at the top, followed by the farmers, artisans and merchants. Furthermore, there were hierarchies within each caste. All samurai were forced to live in castle towns and received income from their lords in form of rice. Masterless samurai were called ronin and caused minor troubles during the early Edo Period.
CHAPTER III
METHODOLOGY
A. Object of the Study
The object of the study of this thesis is a novel written by James Clavell entitled Shogun. James Clavell is a British novelist born on August 10, 1924, in Sidney, Australia, was the son of British colonist, Richard Charles and Eileen Clavell. Although not considered great literature by most critics, Shogun: A Novel of Japan made its author, James du Maresq Clavell, one of the most widely read twentieth-century novelists. The novel contains war, trade disputes, cultural clash, passion, death, and descriptions of beauty that have kept readers up until dawn.
Shogun tells the story of an English pilot, John Blackthorne, in charge of five
Dutch ships whose purpose is to break the Portuguese monopoly on Japanese trade. Instead, the pilot becomes embroiled in Japanese politics as Lord Toranaga employs him as his secret weapon. Shogun uses straightforward storytelling techniques to keep readers riveted as they imagine themselves in the position of the English pilot. By the end, the reader has learned about Japan alongside Blackthorne as he attempts to survive.
included Clavell's Shogun among the rest of the notable books in its list.
The West is interested in the East is proved by Shogun's success. In the first five years of its printing, 7 million books were sold. NBC did not risk much in sponsoring a film extravaganza. For twelve hours of prime time, 130 million people watched Shogun. The miniseries prompted sales of another 2.5 million books. Since the movie, even more people have read the book or watched the shorter 2.5-hour-long film.
B. Approach
This study contains problems that have connection with the social and historical-fiction literary work, so, the writer decide to use the sociocultural-historical approach. The writer chose this approach because by using the sociocultural-historical approach it is expected that the writer can determine the social life, manner, and habit of the samurai during the feudal era of Japan.
According to a book entitled Reading and Writing about Literarture, written by Marry Rohberger, it is defined that sociocultural-historical approach is the only way to locate a real work by relating the civilization as the attitude and action as its subject matter. It is also necessary for a critic to use this approach in order to investigate the social environment where literature embodies idea significant to the culture that produces it (1971:9).
Guerin said in his book A Handbook of Critical Approaches to Literature that sociocultural-historical approach is an approach that studies a literary work from its social milieu and literary work (1979:272). It can be interpreted that sociocultural-historical approach is applied to see a literary work as reflection commentaries on something in certain society. There is a close interaction between social environment and literary work.
C. Method of Study
writer collect the information from books and internet. The primary data are taken from the novel or the literary work itself. By using the literary work, in this case reading the novel, the writer could find various samurai presented in the novel such as Yabu, Omi, Toda Hiro-matsu, Zukimoto, and others nameless-stated samurai that are considered to be the most significant samurai character, how they are described and characterized, and the description of the life and believe of the samurai presented by Clavell. The secondary data the writer need will be taken from various theories and books on Japanese culture and those that discusss samurai.
To do the analysis in this thesis, the writer took several steps. The first step was reading the whole story of the novel and understood all of its content. By this step, it is expected that the writer found as much as possible the information on samurai. Realizing that the information are very important and to avoid the information to being lost, the writer saved the information through noting it in books or papers, or directly typed it and saved it on the writer’s computer.
The writer, who is not a native Japanese, faced some difficulties in understanding Japanese terms such as onna, daimyo, anjiro, seppuku, domo, honto ,isogi, etc. To solve the obstacle, the writer tried to search the meaning of those terms
through reading the dictionary of Japan language, looking at the meaning from Internet, and asking people who are skilled on Japanese language.
CHAPTER IV
ANALYSIS
Based on the problem formulation in chapter I, this chapter is divided into two main parts. As stated earlier in the objectives of the study, the goals of this thesis are to reveal the description and characteristics of samurai in James Clavell’s novel entitled Shogun and to search for the aspects of life of samurai portrayed in the novel. The first problem emphasized on the analysis of the characteristics and the description of samurai because it will gives very important information to do the further analysis. In part A, the physical description of samurai and their characteristics are discussed and the result will give fundamental information to answer the next problem discussed in part B because by understanding the characteristic of samurai in the novel, it will be much easier to analyze their codes other aspects of life.
Furthermore, the second part, part B, will discuss the aspects of life of samurai that is portrayed in the novel. This part also divided into smaller sub-parts which are discussing the parts of the aspects of life itself.
A. The Description of Samurai.
1. Powerful High-Class men
In his novel entitled Shogun, Clavell distinguished samurai from other clans like peasant and common villagers. He described samurai as warriors or those who belong to military class and their physical appearance is very different from any other class such as peasant and villagers. Clavell described peasant and villagers as the ordinary people, who lived in a village living their life as farmers or anglers, wearing odd style of clothes made of cheap cotton, and equipped with no weapons. Their bodies are short and do not look too strong. The evidence can be found from the quotation when John Blackthorne regained his consciousness.
He looked around the village and became conscious of the many people watching him. What is it about them that’s so weird? He asked himself. It is not just their clothes that are made of cheap and unknown kind of cotton, and their yellowish skins, and their behavior. Its – they’ve no weapons, he thought astounded. No swords or guns. With such size of men, he could just beat the whole village alone (p. 31).
The first quotation shows us the description Japanese villagers or ordinary peasant, who appeared powerless as their physics are small and thus, it gives an image that they are not too powerful; besides, they are not equipped with any weapons to defend themselves.
between Blackthorne and father Sebastio, a Portuguese priest who acted as Japanese translator shows us the status of samurai.
…
“And Samurai?”
“Warriors – soldiers – members of warrior caste, the priest said with growing irritation. “Where did you come from and who are you? (32)”
The quotation above clearly states that samurai belongs to the warrior caste, a caste that holds more respects, and probably the second rank of respect level bellows the royal family. The samurai physical appearances are also different from peasant. Their detailed appearance can be seen by how Clavell described Kasigi Omi and his men who patrol the village, and met Blackthorne.
The young man and his fellows were ten paces away. They wore breeches and breasts plate with clogs and light kimonos under them. Two scabbarded swords were stuck into their belt. One was dagger like. The other, a two handed killing sword, was a long, slightly curved. Those were not bothered him; the one is the mask they wear. They wore some kind of weird horned helms made of furnished turtle shell….(34).
The lines briefly described that samurai wear clothes that are better compared with ordinary peasant. They are equipped with weapons and accessories that give them the image of soldiers or military men complete with their armors. Besides clothes, Clavell also described samurai as a man of powerful look and higher class.
The line stated “huge starched shoulders” looks like that Clavell wanted to explain how strong a samurai are looked, because usually those who had huge and starched shoulders are people who have their bodies trained at the gym and may compared to nowadays athletes or bodybuilders. Another statement that gives support that samurai are physically looked strong and more details about their armors, accessories, and clothes is when Clavell described Toda Hiromatsu, an old-aged samurai worked under Lord Yoshi Toranaga.
He was tall for a Japanese, just under six feet, a bull-like man with heavy jowls, who carried his sixty-seven years with strength. His hakama - military kimono - was brown silk, stark but for the five small Toranaga crests – three interlocked bamboo sprays. He wore a strange shaped horned-helm, a burnished breastplate and steel arm protectors. Only the short sword was in his belt. The other, the killing sword, he carried lose in his hand. He was ready to unsheathe it and ready to kill instantly to protect his lineage lord. This had been his custom ever since he was fifteen (124).
Clavell also described samurai as men who belong to high class caste from their physical appearance or in more specific, from the clothes and the accessories the samurai wear. It was described by Mura, the head of the village.
You never been here before, neh¸ Anjin-San? For peasant like us those kinds of kimonos are forbidden. The silks are only allowed for those who deserve and honorable enough – like the samurai or the daimyo; and the swords are too. But sometimes, in a wedding, people of my class were allowed to wear them and still if only they are women…(P. 22).
The scene above describes that peasant are not allowed to wear some kind of clothes because they are considered not honorable enough to wear the clothes. Beside the clothes, the samurai are allowed to carry swords that the peasant are not. Another scene also gives similar explanation.
“…
You mean the silks, right? They are just too expensive for them. Beside, only the warrior class are allowed to wear hakama.”
“And why is that?”
You didn’t hear me, did you, Ingles, I said they are too expensive, so expensive that they are at the price of a head. Yes, a head! (P. 144)
In the conversation between Rodriguez and Blackthrone, it was described that samurai are allowed to wear hakama or the military kimono while the peasant are not. It shows that samurai are belong to higher class.
complete uniform will have breastplate and clogs over their military kimono, steel arms protectors protected their arms and shoulder pads covered their huge shoulders. Samurai always carry two swords and this is the must-have weapons. One of the swords is short and dagger-like, one is a long two-handed sword used in the fight.
2. Expert Combatants
Clavell described samurai as men who have great skill of fighting and good strategists. He wrote some events when samurai demonstrates their good skill of fighting in his novel that can be used as evidence. The first that shows samurai were skillful fighters is below:
“Mate!!” The man’s shouted, but Blackthorne and Jan Pieterzen didn’t understand the word. Jan Pieterzen’s giant fist was just in half a second to land on its target – the man’s face. But what happened next was not like what they expected. In a flash, Omi made his movement. All was motionlessly and silently stunned; only Jan Pieterzen’s screams of pain echoed…(p. 22). In that scene, Clavell described samurai’s agility, which is considered as a shocking fighting skill owned by a samurai named Omi. The next scene shows more support to the skillfulness of samurai in fighting.
“Blackthorne violently attacked the man; with one he never missed before, but the Omi easily dodged and suddenly he knew that his right hand was already grabbed by his opponent, and with such motion, slammed him down to the ground. “He’s just under six feet, for God shake!” Blackthorne sighed (p. 22).
beaten by a samurai who was far smaller than they were. It will not be possible for someone without great skill of fighting to beat two men far bigger than him.
Not only samurai Omi who was described to have such great fighting skill. There are other scenes and several direct comments from Clavell to show that samurai were expert fighters.
“Both Toda and Yabu, they are men of their ages! What devils inside them; or they are the devils themselves.” Blackthorne muttered. He never saw such a battle and fighters before until this day of his age. Neither at sea, nor land (p. 903).
In the quotation, Blackthorne was amazed when he was witnessing the battle between Kasigi Yabu against Toda Hiromatsu. The two senior samurai fought a great fight with tremendous skill of fighting Blackthorne never saw before. It was so great their fighting skill so that Blackthorne considered them as devils. It gives us another clue that samurai were possessed with great skill of fighting.
The direct comment from Clavell can be seen when he introduced Naga and Sudara, two young and talented samurai. He said in the lines that all samurai were experts on fighting, but rare of them mastered it as early as those two youngsters.
All samurai were true experts on killing and fighting, but rare of them mastered the skills as fast as the youngsters; Sudara was allowed to wield his sword at twelve, and Naga’s sword took its first prey when he was fifteen (p. 338).
B. The Characteristics of Samurai
As stated in the previous chapters of this thesis, James Clavell’s Shogun does not put its center point on samurai, but samurai is involved and took a great parts in its scenes. This section will analyze how Clavell characterized the samurai in his novel. Here, in this section of thesis, M.J. Murphy’s theory of characterization will be applied to reveal the characteristic of samurai in James Clavell’s Shogun. In the novel, the samurai are characterized as follows.
1. Loyal
The meaning of samurai literary is equal to those who serve in English. It means that samurai are actually more or less the same as mercenaries or soldiers who worked for certain masters as their lord and their position were more or less as vassal. Actually, there are some differences that distinguished samurai and ordinary mercenaries. Samurai have certain codes they should follow and one of the code is the code of loyalty toward their master. Many parts and scenes of the novel shows the fact that samurai approved by this characteristic.
According to Murphy’s theory, one of the ways a writer characterizes his character is by conversation of others (1972: 165). There are several scenes of conversation between characters show the evidence that samurai is loyal. The first is seen in the conversation between Rodriguez and Blackthorne.
fall for on their swords or slits their own bellies open. All done with no compliant at all ….(p. 145).”
The conversation quoted shows how loyal a samurai was so that he will obey the master’s command whether it was to kill someone, or even kill himself. There is another conversation that shows the loyalty of samurai in relation to the master’s order. It is still the conversation of Rodriguez and Blackthorne at the same scene.
“Should I take Masajiro-san here and commit seppuku here, at the beach?” Asked the young samurai.
No, he failed in the pit. He stays in the pit”, Omi said. Omi weighed Masijiro’s past service and his future worth. Then, he took the young samurai’s dagger from his sash, dropped it into the pit….(p. 155).”
The scene shows that Omi, the leader of samurai, considered his man, Masijiro, doing a shameful mistake by carelessly fallen into the pit. His act of taking another samurai’s dagger and dropping it into the pit where Masijiro was fallen is an implicit order for Masijiro to commit suicide, to kill himself for the mistake he had done. The loyalty of Masijiro is seen in this lines:
At the bottom of the pit, Masijiro stared at the knife in disbelief. Tears began coursing his cheeks. “I don’t deserve this honor, Omi-san,” he said abjectly.
“Yes.”
“Thank you”. He stabbed his own belly proudly (p. 155).
Through the scene, it is shown a samurai who committed suicide for the reaction toward his master’s order. He did it gladly, no objection at all. The scene shows he cried, but it is not the cry of fear, regret, or hostility. It was a cry of some one who feels to be honored as later he said “I don’t deserve this honor… “. Karl F. Friday in his book Hired Sword explained that a samurai who was ordered to commit seppuku by his own master would die an honorable death. His mistakes, if any,
would be abolished forever from him, and from his family too (1992:39).
Chikitada and Obata Hiro. He said Chikitada’s army was almost totally wiped out, until he only had twelve men remained from what were three hundreds.
“That was a grim day, Yabu-sama. I don’t how old I was, but my voices hadn’t broken yet. I’ve never seen such bloodshed – not even those done by kami….and by dawn, Chikitada’s three hundreds horsemen remained no more than twelve brave samurai to fight an enemy that was more than twice of their complete army…No, no orders to retreat, neither one of them retreated for himself…(p. 80).”
The scene shows us how Chikitada’s samurai act in battle. They knew they could not win, but still fought to protect he they called him master although they knew they would not able to protect and defend their own lives. The loyalty of Chikitada’s samurai as what Suwo told Yabu is seen by their action of not to try to escape from battlefield to save their own lives since their leader did not give any order to do so.
Clavell also wrote several direct comments to samurai, showing that they are loyal person. They will not hesitate to kill, to fight to their death in order to protect their lord. At the end part when he decribed Toda Hiromatsu, Clavell said that he will not hesitate to kill anyone who would harm his master.
…Only the short sword was in his belt. The other, the killing sword, he carried lose in his hand. He was ready to unsheathe it and ready to kill instantly to protect his lineage lord. This had been his custom ever since he was fifteen (p. 124).
Another direct comment from Clavell to describe the loyalty of samurai is seen on page 235.
they must not leak the secret, even by the cost of their life. This is the fate of samurai (p. 235).
By the quotation above, Clavell implicitly gave a direct comment that samurai should loyal to their lord. He wrote at the last quotation “This is the fate of samurai.”, and the word “this” represent the obligation of keeping the secret code with all they have, including their lives. So in conclusion, the fate of samurai is to be loyal to the death to their lord. Thus, based on the facts and analysis above, it can be concluded that samurai were loyal men.
2. Honorable and Self-Disciplined
Beside samurai are described as loyal men to the master, Clavell also described samurai as men of honor and full of discipline. The terms men of honor or honorable here is that samurai were highly regarded by other characters in the novel and their status is higher compared to non-samurai class. They also did several actions to show respect by bowing themselves on each other. The meaning of the samurai are self-disciplined is that they are described to be characters that tolerate no mistakes; they have certain kind of rules that should be obeyed completely with all the consequences and Clavell described them, the samurai, as men who uphold those rules.
“No. He’s a samurai, the samurai in charge of this village. His surname’s Kasigi, Omi’s his given name. Here they always put their surname first. He and his men – and all samurai are honorable. You’d better learn to behave quickly. Here, they don’t tolerate lack of manners! (p. 35)”
The scene gives a brief explanation about the characteristic of samurai as one of character, in this case Mura, the headman of the village explicitly and directly said that samurai were honorable men who do not tolerate anyone who have bad manners toward them. The next scene shows how samurai gave a threat to someone that did something wrong by not respecting them.
“Omi disdainfully waved them away. They all bowed low, except one man who rose deliberately, without bowing. With blinding speed the killing sword made a hissing silver arc and the man’s head toppled off his shoulders and a fountain of blood sprayed the earth. (p. 37)”
Another evidence shows that samurai were honorable through the conversation of other is seen when Rodriguez had a conversation with Blackthorne.
“You are not in England, Ingeles! Here samurai rule everything, own everything. They have their own code of honor and sets of rules. Arrogant? Madonna, you’ve no idea. The lowest of them deserves to get the lowest bow from non-samurai (p. 146).”
In the conversation, Rodriguez told Blackthorne that even the lowest level of samurai deserve to get deep respect from those who belong to non-samurai class. Thus, it is clear that from the quotation samurai were described as honorable men.
Clavell himself put some direct comment about the honor of samurai in his novel. He stated that to live a life as a samurai is all men’s dream, but not all could reach it as to be a samurai, a man must born to be so.
It is not the amount of kaku he would have or the comfort of silks he could wear so that they obsessed to such a dream of being a samurai; it is the matter of living a worthy life and to die an honorable death. But neither he nor any of his sons wont ever touch it. He was not born to be so (p. 442). Clavell, through those lines, implicitly said that to be a samurai will grant someone great honor both in life and death. Another direct comment from Clavell to show that samurai were honorable is as follows.
…,and one more man of honor had met his destiny; Sudara, the young samurai fallen onto his knee, breathless. Toda raised his sword high, and with a tremendous speed swung it to his son’s kneeling body, cut the head off. He was a samurai, and would be reborn samurai (p. 776).
3. Fearless
James Clavell characterized samurai as men of no fear in his novel. Through his direct comment at the early part of the novel, he clearly stated that samurai were possessed by such characteristic.
“…Then order your samurai to press them to the flank! She said harshly. Yabu remained silent. His men were all courageous, but weren’t all samurai brave? Yes they are! Nothing could haunt them. Not kami, not even death (p. 74).
The quotation shows us that all samurai would have no fear even to the devil, or death. Kami can be translated as demon in English. By saying that samurai were not afraid of kami, it is clear that clavell want to describe that samurai were fearless.
According to Murphy’s theory of characterization, a character’s reaction toward certain kind of events around him is one of the ways for a writer to characterize his or her character (1972: 165). In the novel, some scenes show samurai’s bravado from their reaction toward certain kind of events. The first is when a samurai bravely sacrifice his life to encourage his master who was in desperation.
Still no movement from Yabu. They went on and Blackthorne added his shouts, but it was as if they made no sound at all. One of them spoke to the others briefly and they all nodded and bowed. He bowed back. Then with a sudden screaming shouts of “Bansaiiiiiiiii!” he cast himself off the cliff and fell to his death. Yabu came violently cut of his trance, whirled around and scramble up (189).
in battle. The word was familiar during the 2nd World War and was often used by the Kamikaze skuadrons (1994: 56). In the scene quoted at the quotation, it is described
that a samurai shouted the word bansai and with full brave, plunged himself into the cliff to sacrifice his life to draw the attention of his master. This is one clear prove that samurai were fearless. This is supported by the next scene where Blackthorne was impressed by what the samurai did.
The other samurai shouted and pointed but Blackthrone herd nothing and saw nothing but the broken corpse that lay below. What kind of men are these? Blackthrone thought helplessly. Was that courage or just insanity? That man deliberately committed suicide on the off chance he’d attract the attention of another man who had given up. It doesn’t make sense! What the hell the guts they possess! (p. 189)
That scene shows how Blackthrone was very shocked and he at first confused whether the deed was a courageous act, or just the silly of him, but in the final sentences Blackthrone’s mind admitted that the samurai was true a brave man. Through this scene, Clavell characterize the samurai as a fearless man by the thoughts of other character toward samurai.
Through conversation of others, Clavell showed the fearless characteristic of samurai in the scene when Rodriguez had a conversation with Blackthorne.
From the conversation, Rodriguez clearly said in his sentences that samurai have no fear to anything, even to death. This quotation gives one more evidence that samurai were characterized as fearless men.
There is also a conversation between Suwo and Yabu, that can strengthen the fearless characteristic of samurai. It is when Suwo told Yabu about the battle of Chikitada against Obata Hiro.
“That was a grim day, Yabu-sama. I don’t how old I was, but my voices hadn’t broken yet. I’ve never seen such bloodshed – not even those done by kami….and by dawn, Chikitada’s three hundreds horsemen remained no more than twelve brave samurai to fight an enemy that was more than twice of their complete army…No, no orders to retreat, neither one of them retreated for himself…(p. 80).”
From the line, a character, Suwo, told Yabu that in the battle, Chikitada’s army of samurai horsemen was almost totally wiped out by his enemy’s army. From the 300 persons, twelve samurai remained survive at the almost end of the battle. The action of the twelve samurai who should fight twice amount of soldiers of their complete army size – it means they must fight against six hundred men – and none of them even have an idea of escaping the battle to save their lives was true a clear description of the brave of samurai.
C. The Portrayal of the Life of Samurai
samurai’s life reflected through Clavell’s Shogun; they are: the samurai’s way of life, that is called Bushido, in which the rules and codes for the samurai are drafted, the reflection of the relationship between the samurai and their master, and their relation to the swords they carried, or the meaning of swords for the samurai.
1. The Reflection of Bushido: Code of Honor and Loyalty
According to Karl F. Friday bushido for a samurai is more than the guidance of how to act and how to behave; it is more like the spirit that samurai can not live without. (1992: 233). From what Friday said, it is shown that bushido and samurai were two that should become one to complete each other. A quotation taken from Hagakure:The Book of Samurai by Yamamoto Tsunetomo said that ”Life for a
samurai is like a great ocean. He needs a ship to sail through it, and this is why he needs bushido (23). Since the bushido cannot be separated from samurai, we can say that where there are samurai, there will be bushido inside them. Information of bushido is also stated by a Japanese sociologist, Eiko Ikegami. Eiko Ikegami in her book entitled The Taming of the Samurai: Honorific Individualism and the Making of Modern Japan said that bushido contains significant codes of samurai. It contains
their code of honor, their code of loyalty and rectitude, and their purpose of lives (2003:141).
novel. It was reflected both from how Clavell directed his characters of samurai to act, talk, and think, and by involving samurai’s ritual of honor named seppuku. In one of the scene, Clavell described that honor for a samurai is very important. Through the words of Kasigi Yabu, one of his samurai character, honor for samurai are described as follows
“We are samurai – those who were born with honor and walk the path of bushido. A samurai, who has lost his honor, is no more walking their path of bushido. He deserves not to wield his sword anymore, and he deserves not to live anymore.” (p. 988)
The honor for samurai means everything. It means honor is the life and the title as samurai itself. It was supported by Friday. He said, “Samurai believed that honor and loyalty to be ones that they must carry, and once they lose them, they considered losing everything (1992:89).” From this point, James Clavell’s Shogun reflects bushido as the code of honor of samurai that is very important to a samurai.
Another reflection on the code of honor is the existence of the ritual of seppuku or hara-kiri in the novel. A short description of seppuku, taken from Eiko
samurai must committed seppuku is described in various ways. They can be true in the forms of wrong deeds, or the deeds that were considered wrong by the samurai’s master. The scene that shows the ritual of seppuku as a portrait of bushido, in relation to mistake is below:
“…He failed in the pit. He stays in the pit”, Omi said. Omi weighed Masijiro’s past service and his future worth. Then, he took the young samurai’s dagger from his sash, dropped it into the pit. At the bottom of the pit, Masijiro stared at the knife in disbelief. Tears began coursing his cheeks. “I don’t deserve this honor, Omi-san,” he said abjectly.
“Yes.”
“Thank you”. He stabbed his own belly proudly (p. 155).
From the scene, we can see that Clavell portrayed seppuku as an honorable deed that samurai must assign to pay the mistake they do, or they consider being have one. Seppuku is also portrayed as a ritual that is allowed to be done by those who are honorable enough to do it. Clavell in his novel included a scene that described a samurai who was not allowed to do seppuku as he was considered to have a fatal mistake so that his master abolish his status as a samurai and his honor as a man.
“…I ask permission – and I apologize and – I ask permission to commit seppuku immediately for I cannot live with this shame.”
…No, you will not be allowed to commit seppuku. That’s an honor. You have no honor and no self-discipline. You will be crucified like a common criminal today!’ (226)
non-warrior class were not allowed to do the ritual of hara-kiri because they did not have the honor” (1992:235).
Besides portraying the code of honor of samurai, the bushido in James Clavell’s Shogun also reflect the samurai codes of loyalty. The loyalty of as the spirit of bushido for samurai also portrayed in large parts in the novel by their obedience and bravery in taking the order or protecting their lord. In a book by Mikiso Hane entitled Premodern Japan: A Historical Survey stated that samurai were actually mercenaries. It means they were hired by certain lords and worked for them with some amount of regards (1991:89). The thing that distinguished samurai from any common of mercenaries is that samurai are possessed with high loyalty to their master. They will obey whatever the master said, and they will do anything for the safety of their lord. The following scene gives a clear description the obedience of samurai.
“…Why? Only God knows, but it’s the truth. If in our countries we know words your order is my command then here they know the words your order is my life. If their superiors say “kill”, they kill, “die” and they will fall for on their swords or slits their own bellies open. All done with no compliant at all ….(p. 145).”
The loyalty of samurai is clearly described by that scene. It is said samurai will obey all what his master’s said, even it was an order to kill themselves. The novel also contains a reflection that the loyalty of samurai was the part of their spirit of bushido.
According to Karl F. Friday, loyalty for a samurai is a significant factor that will determine their next status in the warrior class hierarchy besides family and echievements, since it is drafted in bushido… (147). Through the quotation from the novel above, bushido was portrayed to be the truth for samurai, and to gain the truth, samurai must loyal to their master.
For the conclusion of this part, Clavell portrayed bushido in his novel by the way he behaved and characterized his samurai as ones possessed by codes of honor, and loyalty. The novel also portrayed the spirit of bushido as the truth for samurai, so that they must walk through it to be the full samurai, and as that which diverged samurai from other soldiers.
b. The Relationship between Samurai and the Lord
As mercenary soldiers, samurai worked for certain lord. In the novel, samurai were employed by those called daimyos. The daimyos were the ones considered to be the masters of the samurai, the ones to whom the samurai must dedicate their loyalty, power and lives. In Premodern Japan: A Historical Surve, Mikiso Hane described the relationship of samurai and daimyos is more than the relationship of vassal-lord. It is more as a mutual relationship where both side gain ‘profit’ (1991:58).
In the novel Clavell also described their relationship not as a take-and-give, but, both the lord and the samurai described to gain an equal advantage.
names, their wives, mothers, children, and all their future descents. Here, nothing greater than to receive those weird bows! (p. 146).
The lines described how much profit the lord would get by hiring samurai. The lord will have a complete control over everything the samurai have in their life. The advantage the lord drew seems too great, but the samurai were granted the thing they most eager, the thing that most valuable in Japan, honor.
In Japan, especially in the shogunate era, honor considered to be the people’s greatest dream. Harry Cook in Samurai: The Story of a Warrior Tradition stated that honor is the only one to determine whether or not someone deserve to life as a man in Japan (1994: 111). By that fact, it is logically accepted that both the lord and the samurai gain the same or equal benefits.
Beside in relation to the benefit each will take, Clavell also described the relation between the daimyos and their samurai as more than lord and vassal. Daimyos often threat their certain samurai more than a vassal. The factors that cause it are various. The first factor is that the samurai’s loyalty level to the lord. It is shown in the scene bellow:
Hiromatsu put his swords in front of the entrance, but Toranaga order him to to take them. “Take your swords, Toda! It is no need for you to behave like my common men – and its really ugly of you to walk without your swords, neh. Come on! This sake can’t wait any longer.” (p. 455)
Toranaga’s loyal samurai, who had serve him since he was fifteen, the treatment from the lord can be different. The samurai can be considered as friend of the lord. According to Mikiso Hane, the relation between samurai and their master will not remain static; it goes along with the samurai’s achievement and loyalty and may develops into that kind of partnership (1991:58).
The second factor that samurai may have special relationship with his master is that the samurai himself had a bloodline lineage with the lord. It is supported ny Mikiso Hane statement that the tied of blood line may cause closer relationship between samurai and the lord. The statement said “The hardcore of their following consisted of vassals who had some sort of bloodlines with them. This fact, in a way, led the more intimate relationship among them (1991:59)”. Within the novel, this kind of relation is described in the relationship between Kasigi Yabu, and Kasigi Omi. Kasigi Yabu is the lord of Kasigi Omi, but, since Kasigi Omi was the son of his brother, their relationship was described more close.
c. The Relationship between Samurai and Swords
In Hagakure:The Book of Samurai by Yamamoto Tsunetomo samurai and swords are described to have inseparable relation. It is written that lived the way of the sword, and for that the swords are their soul (23). The novel described samurai always carry two swords. Other weapons are possible as additional ones, but they were always equipped with two kind of swords – one is short and dagger like, the other is the long two handed killing sword.
Clavell described in his novel, the two swords samurai owned have its own function. The short one, is described to be used as the one to kill themselves, or to commit seppuku, while the long one, is the killing sword which use is clear; to kill the enemies.
“…They are their ‘guns’. The short one called wakizhashi. They rarely used it for fighting. In combat they will use katana – the long one. They use wakizhasi to kill themselves in the ritual of seppuku.” (p. 144)
Nicklaus Suino in his book The Art of Japanese Swordsmanship said about the function of the swords of samurai, and its philosophy. He stated:
the swords of samurai have two functions. The first is as their weapons. It means swords are swords. They are weapons. The long one, is katana, the killing sword and the second is wakizhashi, the dagger usually to commit seppuku. (1992: 41)
Besides functions, Clavell also described the swords of samurai as the symbol of honor, the manifestation of their souls, and as their reminder of bushido. It is described in the scene where Yabu was redy to do seppuku and he gave his katana to Blackthorne.
Yabu thought for a moment, the he took his scabbarded Yoshitomo sword out of his sash. “Buntaro-san, perhaps you’d do me a favor. Give this to Anjin-san.” He offered him the sword, then frowned. “No, if its no trouble, please send him here, then I can give it to him myself. …
…You’ve learned to behave, Anjin-san, and you’ve saved my life, once, and for that I trust you. This is Yoshitomo; my pride and my soul. Today, bushido calls me, but I don’t need this anymore. Keep it, you’ve earned the honor of Kasigi family…” (p. 1201)
The scene portrays both the relation between samurai and his sword and the meaning of swords for a samurai. From the scene, the sword, in this case katana symbolizes the honor of samurai. The samurai must live with it or, he must die when he lose it. Katana also described as the soul of samurai – it shown on the phrase “this is my pride and my soul”. According to Nicklaus Suino in his next theory, katana symbolizes the soul of its owner. A samurai deserves to life if only he owned the sword (1992:41). So, Yabu’s action of giving his katana to Blackthorne is one of the way how Clavell poertrayed the meaning of a katana as soul and honor toward samurai.
consequence of death if he lost it. Although it was just an abstract description, Clavell described it in his novel.
“…I owned this sword since I was fifteen; and since that too this sword owned myself. I got it from my father, and my father got it from his father, and so my grandfather. This is the honor of Kasigi family. I must guard it as this sword did to guard my clan.” (p. 1201)
Through the lines Clavell did not say who owns who in absolute. There, he described that samurai, and sword owns each other. Support for the description stated by Nicklaus Suino in his book The Art of Japanese Swordsmanship.
Samurai lived with swords, and they will die by the swords. It is not only means that samurai will die by swords that cut his head off, or stabbed his belly, but also means that he deserves to live as long as the sword is in his hands. (1992:42)
Suino’s theory shows us information that it is true that the relation between samurai and his sword is not a “who owns who” kind of kinship, but it is more like of guarding each other.
