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fandomhigh2011-10-18 03:06 am
steel-not-glass.livejournal.com) wrote in fandomhigh2011-10-18 03:06 am
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Bringing Literature To Life--Through Violence! [Tuesday, Second Period]
The students might have been disappointed to have Cindy at the head of the class again today; another lecture instead of a more hands-on class. Cindy was unconcerned about their hypothetical disappointment--they'd had two easy weeks already. Time for more learning!
"Today, we're looking at the Japanese national legend, the tale of the Forty-Seven Ronin," Cindy said as the bell rang for class. "This is an old story, dating back to the beginning of the eighteenth century and is the most famous example of bushido in action. Bushido is one of the most influential systems honor and conduct in Japan. Bushido is more than a way of life; it is also a preparation for death, making sure one dies with one's honor intact. According to the tenets, the life of a samurai was devoted to making sure that he conducted himself with honor and integrity by upholding the seven virtues: rectitude, courage, benevolence, respect, honesty, honor, and loyalty."
She began passing out several handouts, one with the text of the story, the other with an explanation of Bushido and the seven virtues she'd just listed. "Now, ronin literally means 'wave man.' They are masterless samurai; someone adrift and without a defined place in society. For a long time, when a samurai lost his master, either to death or dishonor, he was meant to commit ritual suicide, or seppuku. To follow one's master into death was considered the honorable action, according to Bushido. In this story, Lord Asano attacked his enemy Kira, in the shogunate's palace. Asano failed to kill him and was sentenced to seppuku for the crime of drawing a weapon in Edo Castle. When word of their master's death and the confiscation of Asano's goods and land reached his retainers, a group of them decided that they would exact revenge upon Kira on behalf of their dead master."
"Over the next year and a half, they allayed Kira's suspicions by dispersing; some taking up demeaning jobs, others becoming drunks and whore-mongers. Finally, when Kira let his guard down, the gathered at his home, invaded, and slaughtered Kira and his guards. After Kira was dead, they returned to Asano's grave, placed Kira's head on it, and then committed suppuku to join him in death."
After giving everyone a chance to read through the full story, Cindy took up the discussion thread again. "This all goes back to honor; living by it and dying by it. What is considered honorable changes over time and by culture, so while many people consider this a story of men living up to their personal code, still others are horrified by so much bloodshed--and others still consider it a good story of vengeance, but not Bushido. So, today, we're going to talk about honor. What is it, what it means to us in our own lives, and how our concepts of honor have us perceive the story of the Forty-Seven Ronin."
"Today, we're looking at the Japanese national legend, the tale of the Forty-Seven Ronin," Cindy said as the bell rang for class. "This is an old story, dating back to the beginning of the eighteenth century and is the most famous example of bushido in action. Bushido is one of the most influential systems honor and conduct in Japan. Bushido is more than a way of life; it is also a preparation for death, making sure one dies with one's honor intact. According to the tenets, the life of a samurai was devoted to making sure that he conducted himself with honor and integrity by upholding the seven virtues: rectitude, courage, benevolence, respect, honesty, honor, and loyalty."
She began passing out several handouts, one with the text of the story, the other with an explanation of Bushido and the seven virtues she'd just listed. "Now, ronin literally means 'wave man.' They are masterless samurai; someone adrift and without a defined place in society. For a long time, when a samurai lost his master, either to death or dishonor, he was meant to commit ritual suicide, or seppuku. To follow one's master into death was considered the honorable action, according to Bushido. In this story, Lord Asano attacked his enemy Kira, in the shogunate's palace. Asano failed to kill him and was sentenced to seppuku for the crime of drawing a weapon in Edo Castle. When word of their master's death and the confiscation of Asano's goods and land reached his retainers, a group of them decided that they would exact revenge upon Kira on behalf of their dead master."
"Over the next year and a half, they allayed Kira's suspicions by dispersing; some taking up demeaning jobs, others becoming drunks and whore-mongers. Finally, when Kira let his guard down, the gathered at his home, invaded, and slaughtered Kira and his guards. After Kira was dead, they returned to Asano's grave, placed Kira's head on it, and then committed suppuku to join him in death."
After giving everyone a chance to read through the full story, Cindy took up the discussion thread again. "This all goes back to honor; living by it and dying by it. What is considered honorable changes over time and by culture, so while many people consider this a story of men living up to their personal code, still others are horrified by so much bloodshed--and others still consider it a good story of vengeance, but not Bushido. So, today, we're going to talk about honor. What is it, what it means to us in our own lives, and how our concepts of honor have us perceive the story of the Forty-Seven Ronin."
Class Discussion: Honor
[Please ping off one another. These conversations work best when threads are messy!]