History 501-01: Special Topics

Samurai: History, Literature, Mythology

http://dresnerjapan.edublogs.org

Prof. Jonathan Dresner

e-mail: jdresner@pittstate.edu

Phone: 235-4315

Class: TuTh 12:30-1:45pm, RH 407

Office Hours: MWF 1-2, TuTh 10-12

Office: RH 406F

Description

The name samurai conjures up a few images: the sword, the ritual suicide, the one-on-one duel, the armor. But the samurai – a reasonably well-defined class of warriors – were in existence for almost a millenium and went through several fundamental changes in population, scale, authority, mission and values. From the classical era to the modern age, against foes foreign and domestic, in rebellion and as government functionaries, the class of men known as samurai and their families have been at (or near) the center of Japan’s politics, government and culture. Even after their elimination – one of the only times in world history that an aristocracy eliminated itself – the samurai lives on in the memory and imagination, drawing on centuries of accumulated mythology and literature.

This course will examine the samurai as an historical phenomenon, take a look at some of the literary expressions of samurai experience, and discuss the cultural and social importance of this class over time.

Course Goals

In addition to the historical and cultural content, students will demonstrate increasing mastery of critical reading of primary and secondary sources in writing and discussion. “Critical” does not mean “attacking” but “analytical”: putting material in historical and cultural context, drawing appropriate inferences and and deductions from the evidence of the text, and raising relevant questions for futher inquiry.

Advisory

History is about real people, diverse cultures, interesting theories, strongly held belief systems, complex situations, conflicts and often-dramatic actions. This information may be disturbing. Such is the nature of historical study.

Course Application

This course counts towards the History major or minor as a non-Western course.

Course Website: http://dresnerjapan.edublogs.org

Bookmark it. Check it regularly. I will use it for announcements (course stuff, special events, extra credit), to maintain the schedule (particularly if it changes), to post handouts (so if you lose or miss one, it’ll be there) and keep a small library of useful links. In the event of a disparity between the original syllabus and the website, follow the website: I reserve the right to change readings, test dates, due dates, grade weights and assignments as necessary throughout the semester.

Textbooks for purchase

Ikegami, Eiko, The Taming of the Samurai: Honorific Individualism and the Making of Modern Japan (Harvard University Press, 1995). ISBN-13: 978-0674868090

Takeda Izumo, Miyoshi Shōraku, and Namiki Senryū, Chushingura: The Treasury of Loyal Retainers, trans. Donald Keene (Columbia University Press, 1971). ISBN-13: 9780231035316

Katsu, Kokichi, Musui’s Story: The Autobiography of a Tokugawa Samurai, trans. Teruko Craig (University of Arizona Press, 1988). ISBN-13: 978-0816512560

Thomas Conlan, State of War: The Violent Order of Fourteenth-Century Japan, Center for Japanese Studies, University of Michigan. (July 2003), ISBN 1-929280-23-8

Yamakawa Kikue, Kate Wildman Nakai (Translator), Women of the Mito Domain: Recollections of Samurai Family Life, 1997, Stanford UP. ISBN-13: 978-0804731492

Readings on Reserve

“The Tale of the Heike,” excerpts, in Helen Craig McCullough, trans., Genji & Heike: Selections from The Tale of Genji and The Tale of Heike. Stanford University Press, 1994.

David J. Lu, Japan: A Documentary History. Volume 1: The Dawn of History to the Late Tokugawa Period. M. E. Sharpe/East Gate, 1997.

“Goseibai Shikimoku, 1232″ pp. 109-116

“Asakura House Law,” pp. 175-178

“Unification by Toyotomi Hideyoshi”, pp. 189-197.

“Laws of Military Households (Buke Shohatto)” (and amendments), pp. 206-208

“Education of Children,” pp. 258-261

“Death and a Samurai,” pp. 261-263

de Bary, Tsunoda, Keene, Sources of Japanese tradition, Columbia University Press, 1958

Yamaga Sokō, “The way of the Samurai,” pp. 389-391.

Advising

Advising is a very important resource designed to help students complete the requirements of the University and their individual majors. Students should consult with their advisor at least once a semester to decide on courses, check progress towards graduation, and discuss career options and other educational opportunities. Advising is a shared responsibility, but students have final responsibility for meeting degree requirements.

Student Accommodation

Any student with a documented disability who would like to request accommodations should contact the instructor as early in the semester as possible. For more information, contact the Learning Center (Kelly D. Heiskell, 235-4309, kdheiske@pittstate.edu)

Civility

Students are expected to behave respectfully towards their peers and instructor. Disruptive behavior, including failing to turn off cell phones during class, will result in participation penalties. This does not mean that there can’t be lively discussions and disagreements, but personal attacks, excessive volume, threatening gestures or words, and failure to give others a chance to speak and be heard are not acceptable.

Academic Honesty

Plagiarism will not be tolerated in this course.

Plagiarism is the use of the words or ideas of another person without proper acknowledgement. Plagiarism is intellectual theft; in an educational setting it is particularly repugnant. Plagiarism in my courses will be punished. It’s simple: Anytime you copy words into your own work, you must clearly mark them and acknowledge the source of those words. Anytime you use someone else’s ideas, you must admit it. There are three options: put it in quotation marks and footnote; paraphrase and footnote; or be original. If you have any questions or any concerns about citation format or necessity, ask someone who knows what they’re doing.

Other forms of academic misconduct will not be tolerated either

The use of unauthorized aid on tests, failing to write one’s own papers, using papers for more than one course without permission. For more detail, see the relevant sections of the University Catalog. None of this precludes group study and discussion: those are actually really good ideas.

Assignments

Reading

Reading assignments — textbook and documents — must be done before class on the day indicated. Lectures and discussions will assume that the reading has been done.

Pop Quizzes

If I find significant numbers of students are not doing the readings, I reserve the right to begin giving pop quizzes in a format to be determined later.

Short Essays

There will be six short papers (800-1200 words) based on the readings due on three days. Topics for the papers will be distributed, but if you think of an interesting question/topic which is not included, check with me. Papers will be graded primarily on how effectively they use historical evidence and knowledge to support your conclusions.

Final Exam

The format will be essays (in-class or take home to be determined later) and it will be comprehensive; questions will be distributed well in advance. You do not need to do outside research to answer these questions, but you do need to think about them long and hard. Details to follow.

Grading

The most important component of your grade on writing assignments will be whether you have used the historical materials available to effectively answer an interesting question. I will give you topics to focus on, but you will have to decide and articulate a thesis, select and present relevant evidence, and make it clear to your reader how the evidence proves your point. I do not generally grade on style, grammar or spelling, unless they are so bad as to obscure the meaning of what you are writing.

Grades

· All assignments are due in class at the beginning of class on the due date.

· Absences may be excused for unusual school-related events (not athletic practices), illness or family-related problems, but only if I am informed in advance or you have documentation (such as a doctor’s note). Unexcused absences will affect your attendance grade.

· Unexcused late assignments will be penalized one grade level per class period late.

Attendance, Preparation and Participation

25%

Short Essays (5)

35%

Final Exam

40%

NOTE: I will be happy to go over your grades and let you know how you are doing in the course at any time.

NOTE #2: Even very, very bad work is still going to get an F, which is a lot better than a zero.

Administrative Deadlines and Instructional Holidays are in Italics

Assignments and Tests are in Bold

A more complete version of this schedule can be found on the course website.

8/26 (Tu)

First Day of Classes

8/28 (Th)

“Goseibai Shikimoku, 1232″ Lu, pp. 109-116

“Asakura House Law,” Lu, pp. 175-178

9/1 (M)

Labor Day Holiday

9/2 (Tu)

Ikegami, Chapter 2

9/4 (F)

Ikegami, Chapters 3, 4

9/8 (M)

Last day to drop without “W”

9/9 (Tu)

Ikegami, Chapter 5, 6

9/11 (Th)

“Unification by Toyotomi Hideyoshi”, Lu, pp. 189

“Laws of Military Households (Buke Shohatto)” (and amendments), Lu, pp. 206-208

9/16 (Tu)

Ikegami, Chapter 7, 8

9/18 (Th)

“Education of Children,” Lu, pp. 258-261

“Death and a Samurai,” Lu, pp. 261-263

Yamaga Sokō, “The way of the Samurai,” de Bary, Tsunoda, Keene, pp. 389-391.

9/23 (Tu)

Catch-up/Review

9/25 (Th)

Legal Essays Due

9/30 (Tu)

“The Tale of the Heike,” chapters 4, 5, 6

10/2 (Th)

“The Tale of the Heike,” chapters 9, 10, 11

10/7 (Tu)

Conlan, Chapter 1

10/9 (Th)

Yom Kippur (Instructor Absent)

10/14 (Tu)

Conlan, Chapter 2, 3

10/16 (Th)

Conlan, Chapters 4, 5

10/17 (F)

Midsemester D/F grades due

10/21 (Tu)

Conlan, Chapters 6, 7

10/23 (Th)

Fall Break (10/23-24)

10/28 (Tu)

Conlan, Chapter 8

10/30 (Th)

Catch-up/Review

11/4 (Tu)

Medieval Essays Due

11/6 (Th)

Ikegami, Chapter 10, 11, 12

11/7 (F)

Last day to withdraw from single course

11/11 (Tu)

Chushingura, all.

11/13 (Th)

Ikegami, Chapter 14, 15

11/18 (Tu)

Musui’s Story, all

11/20 (Th)

Women of the Mito Domain, to 61

11/25 (Tu)

Women of the Mito Domain, 62-127

11/26 (Th)

Thanksgiving Break

12/2 (Tu)

Women of the Mito Domain, 128-end

12/4 (Th)

Catch-up/Review

12/9 (Tu)

Tokugawa Essays Due

12/11 (Th)

Catch-up/Review

12/12 (F)

Last day of instruction

12/18 (Th)

Hist 501-01 (TuTh 12:30) Final 12:30-2:20

“Governments need both shepherds and butchers.”

– Voltaire

History 700: Special Topics

Samurai: History, Literature, Mythology

http://dresnerjapan.edublogs.org

Graduate Student Addendum

There will be three additional readings with associated writing assignments for graduate students. Graduate students will also be expected to do the undergraduate readings and writing assignments, though they will be graded separately, and should be prepared to contribute substantively and consistently to the classroom discussions. Graduate papers should be 1500-2500 words each. I will distribute specific questions and other details later.

Due 9/25: Lu, Japan: a Documentary History, volume 1 (on reserve), Chapters IV, VI, VII, VIII

Due 11/4: “The Taiheiki” in McCullough, Classical Japanese Prose (on reserve)

Due 12/9: Shiba Goro, Remembering Aizu: The Testament of Shiba Goro (on reserve)

“Death never takes the wise man by suprise; he is always ready to go.”

– Jean de la Fontaine (1678)

“History is, or ought to be, the least authoritarian of the sciences (if that is the right word). Its essential value lies in the shock and excitement aroused by the impact of the very ways and thought of the past upon the mind, and it is for this reason that actual original documents – themselves a physical survival of that past – exercise such fascination upon those who have caught something of its secret.”

– V.H. Galbraith, An Introduction to the Study of History (1964)