21H.522 | Fall 2006 | Undergraduate

Japan in the Age of the Samurai: History and Film

Study Materials

This page presents study questions for some of the readings.

SES # TOPICS STUDY QUESTIONS
1 Introduction  
I. Ways of The Warriors
2 Historical/Geographical Overview  
3 Emergence of the Warrior Ethos (PDF 1) (PDF 2)
4 Zen (PDF)
5 Zen and the Samurai  
6 Short Exam  
7 Bushidô  
II. Spiritual and Supernatural Worlds
8 The Forty-Seven Ronin  
9 The Forty-Seven Ronin (cont.) (PDF)
10 Ugetsu  
11 Medieval Aesthetics (PDF)
12 Medieval Aesthetics (cont.) (PDF 1) (PDF 2)
13 Zen and the Tea Ceremony (PDF)
14 Christianity  
III. Worlds of Pleasure/Worlds of Pain
15 Tokugawa Urban Life  
16 Saikaku (PDF)
17 Chikamatsu  
18 Ecstasy and Self Destruction (PDF)
19 Women under Feudalism  
20 Saikaku’s Amorous Woman/Mizoguchi’s Tragic Heroine (PDF)
IV. Reassessing The Samurai
21 Oharu  
22 Repression and Protest in History and Film  
23 Rebellions (PDF)
24 Failed Samurai  
25 Failed Samurai (cont.)  
26 Conclusion; Review for Final  
  Final Exam  

Course Info

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As Taught In
Fall 2006