In Tokugawa Japan, “the way of the samurai”, also known as bushido, is defined by William De Bary, author of Sources of Japanese Tradition, as a samurai code of ethics in which one “reflects on his own station in life, gives loyal service to his master if has one, strengthens his fidelity in associations with friends, and with due considerations of his own position, devotes himself to duty above all” (206). The general purpose of bushido is a “total sacrifice of self-autonomy” (De Bary 207) as well as a samurai’s “willingness to die rather than dishonor their lord” (Lu 262). Chushingura, translated by Donald Keene, expresses this romanticized definition of bushido which is dramatized through extreme self-sacrificial and duty-motivated actions …show more content…
Okaru displays “a paragon of feminine virtue, ready to give up her life without a second thought if her death will serve her husband” (Keene 11). She tells her husband, “I’m selling myself for our master’s sake” (Keene 93). Her bravery of leaving for the brothel, in a way displays the bushido ideals because she believes it will not only benefit her parents and husband, but also Kampei’s master, Enya Hangan (Keene 91). Similarly, Okaru shows another example of true courage in the seventh act of Chushingura. When Yuranosuke asks for her hand in marriage, Okaru is certain this marriage will free her and that she will “no longer be a disgrace to her parents and Kampei” (Keene 117). Eventually, she hears about the death of both her father and husband and is quick to end her life (121). Okaru follows both bushido and Confucian ideals which not only shows her “devotion of the husband-wife relationship, but also ruler-subject and parent-child” (De Bary 206), because she is willing to make sacrifices to those she deems as …show more content…
Katsu Kokichi abandons the ideal bushido code that he would have been taught as a child (Kokichi 138), as well as “misuse the threat of seppuku and harikiri as a means of extortion to avoid payment and punishment” (Kokichi 140). Kokichi grew up in a “privileged samurai family” (Kokichi 12), and had a military background of judo and horseback riding (17), but his misbehaving demeanor and bitter attitude towards education (Kokichi 19) during his childhood made it difficult for him to adapt to the idealistic bushido later in