RESOURCES ESSAYS

Rash¯omon Revisited By Alan Chalk

be Rash¬mon. The following foreignness of the film, they see discussion grows out of my it, with some guidance, as an work with high school world entertaining detective story with literature and world history themselves as the detectives. classes, grades nine through In the literature class the film twelve, and also with adult con- can be compared and contrasted tinuing education classes. with two short stories by Ryuno- The main plot-interest in suke Akutagawa, Rash¬mon, Rash¬mon is the twelfth-century 1915, and In a Grove, 1922, the mystery story of how a samurai sources for Kurosawa’s film died and his wife’s relationship script. In the history class, the with the bandit who apparently film can be approached histori- killed the samurai and possibly cally as a metaphorical work raped the woman. But in Kuro- reflecting the impact of the dev- sawa’s film nothing is definite. astating defeat of Japan in the The viewer is faced with a mur- Asia Pacific War on Japanese der mystery complicated by society and culture. In either multiple, overlapping narratives; case, possible themes are the © RKO Radio Pictures, Inc. MCMLII Distributed by Public Media Incorporated, Janus Films One of the most teachable of Kurosawa’s films continues to be Rash¯omon. The following hen the Japanese film director Akira Kuro- discussion grows out of my work W sawa died on Sep- tember 6, 1998, the Venice Film with high school world literature Festival honored him with a and world history classes . . . commemorative showing of Rash¬mon, the film that in 1951 won the Golden Lion Award conflicting questions and ambiguity of truth in multiple and brought Japanese film and answers; and, finally, variations narratives, the Rash¬mon Prin- particularly the films of Kuro- or layers of truth. Was the ciple applied to history and his- sawa to continuing worldwide samurai killed in a duel with the torical truth, and the problem of acclaim. bandit? Or was he killed by the moral existence and belief in the Upon his death, tributes hand of his distraught wife? Or encounter with existential doubt poured in from other film direc- did he die by his own hand? and despair. tors such as George Lucas, Mar- Who in the different narratives tin Scorsese, and Steven Spiel- is telling the truth? Is there a FIRST, THE LITERATURE berg, calling Kurosawa “the pic- single truth? Rash¬mon contin- CLASS torial Shakespeare of our time.” ues to work on different levels Both source stories are found in Now with retrospectives of his as a fascinating mystery with Rash¬mon and Other Stories lifetime work of thirty films psychological and philosophical (Tuttle, 1952) and some other appearing in art theaters, at uni- dimensions. collections. Beginning with the versities, and on television, Some teachers may question reading and discussion of the classroom teachers have the the appropriateness of this film stories helps the students view opportunity to rediscover and for younger high school stu- the film with a clearer under- teach some of these film master- dents, but I have used it effec- standing of the central incident pieces to a new generation of tively with ninth and tenth and the form of the conflicting students. graders as well as older stu- narratives. Whether students One of the most teachable of dents. Once they get beyond the view the entire eighty-seven- Kurosawa’s films continues to initial black and white, subtitled minute film or only selected

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The ruin of the historic eighth-century gate the setting, and a suggested speaks for the audience, doubt- works as a symbol of the social and moral decay theme. The ruin of the historic ing and questioning the differ- eighth-century gate works as a ent versions of the central inci- of traditional Japanese civilization symbol of the social and moral dent. The priest’s remarks, on decay of traditional Japanese the other hand, suggest that he and culture for both twelfth-century and civilization and culture for both is the spokesman for Kuro- twentieth-century Japan. twelfth-century and twentieth- sawa’s themes. From the start century Japan. On the other we are told that the incident of hand, Kurosawa draws heavily the apparent murder and rape from Akutagawa’s In a Grove represents something more ter- using the structure of multiple rible, more frightening. The narratives: the story as told by priest, who has seen hundreds the bandit, then the wife of the of men killed like animals, says, samurai, and finally, through a “There was never anything as medium, the dead samurai. terrible as this. Never. It is more However, in addition, Kuro- horrible than fires or wars or sawa elevates Akutagawa’s epidemics or bandits.” woodsman and Buddhist priest From this the thematic ques- to major characters, making tion becomes: What is more them the primary sources of all horrible than fires, wars, or epi- the other characters’ stories. demics? What is more horrible This allows the filmmaker to than death? Kurosawa’s answer complicate further the problem is the incident with its conflict- of who is telling the truth. At ing narratives as a metaphor of the same time Kurosawa is able existence without the possibility Masago, the wife (Machiko Kyo). to redirect Akutagawa’s nihilis- of absolute truth and justice. Source: Rash¯omon: Akira Kurosawa, scenes, they should be prepared tic conclusion and theme However, in the conclusion of director, Rutgers Films in Print, The to recognize the important dif- toward a humanistic affirmation the film he counters Akuta- State University. Also available from The Kawakita Memorial Film Institute ferences between the film and of the possibilities of life and gawa’s pessimism and nihilism (Japan Film Library Council). sources which shape Kuro- the condition of man. with a human act. The woods- sawa’s themes. Echoing Akutagawa’s nihil- man’s taking an abandoned From the story Rash¬mon ism is a new character, a cyni- baby into his already large fam- Kurosawa draws only the title, cal commoner who, at times, ily offers hope for mankind,

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46 EDUCATION ABOUT ASIA Volume 4, Number 3 Winter 1999 RESOURCES ESSAYS

transcending the threat of life ness of the physical, social and without the certainty of truth moral devastation caused by and meaning. Japan’s involvement and defeat The priest, commenting on in the Asia Pacific War. When this act, says, “Thanks to you I the film was planned and made think I will be able to keep my between 1948 and 1950, Japan- faith in man.” And the film ends ese filmmakers were under strict with the storm diminishing, the occupation censorship codes sun breaking through the rain restricting all references to the clouds, and the woodsman com- war. For Kurosawa the histori- passionately carrying the baby cal content of twelfth-century through and away from the ruin Japan, the ruin of Rash¬mon of Rash¬mon Gate. Gate, the storm and hard rain For students who have diffi- which force the woodsman and culty achieving these levels of priest to take refuge in the ruin, understanding, various exercises all suggest war. As mentioned and activities can translate the above, the priest remarks that it The Priest (Minoru Chiaki), the Woodcutter (Takashi Shimura, and the Commoner at the ruined gate of Rash¯¯omon. abstract themes into more acces- is a time of war but that the Source: Rash¯omon: Akira Kurosawa, director, Rutgers Films in Print, The State sible learning experiences. Both moral implications of the mur- University . Also available from The Museum of Modern Art/Film Stills Archive. In a Grove and the film suggest der and rape and the impossibil- a court hearing or trial. Students ity of truth and justice are worse can role-play as the characters than war. In this context, the RESOURCES reciting their versions of the human act of the woodsman incident to the remaining stu- transcends the moral chaos of VIDEOCASSETTE dents as a jury considering the the times. The promise of a fam- Rash¬mon, produced and directed by truth and guilt of each character. ily and love for the abandoned Akira Kurosawa (87 minutes). If this How they deal with the discov- child redeems the possibilities video is not available from a regional East Asia Resource Center, it can be ery that there may not be any of man and life. This optimistic found or ordered through Blockbuster certainty to their interpretations theme emerging from the sym- Video. It is also available through and judgments can be at once a bolic ruin of Rash¬mon Gate Kinokuniya, New York (212-765- disturbing and profound learn- certainly must have appealed to 7766) and other stores offering for- ing experience. the Japanese and the world audi- eign films. Other possibilities include ences rebuilding from the ashes PRINT extensions of the thematic pat- of World War II. Akutagawa, Ryunosuke. Rash¬mon tern to the examination of Now fifty years later, and Other Stories. Rutland, Vermont: selected news items, especially Rash¬mon suggests a model for Charles E. Tuttle Company, Inc., those involving interracial or the approach to history as multi- 1952. intercultural issues. One student ple, often conflicting narratives Richie, Donald. Rash¬mon, Akira compared the form to Little Red in search of historical truth. For Kurosawa, Director. New Brunswick Riding Hood with the tale told a course or a unit involving dif- and London: Rutgers University from the points of view of the ferent, conflicting narratives of Press, 1987. wolf, Red Riding Hood, the a historical event, the film grandmother, and the woods- Rash¬mon and the concept of man. Once understood, the the Rash¬mon Principle can Rash¬mon Principle can be a provide a structure for student valuable concept and tool for dialogue and debate, and possi- students in dealing with other bly an image and metaphor for ALAN CHALK is a Teacher, Consultant, and works of literature and film, transcending differences. Curriculum Writer in Japanese studies, working social studies events, and even, through the Five College Center for East Asian perhaps, their own problems. Studies at Smith College. He is the author of A Teacher’s Guide to Japanese Films and Images In the History Class for Students of Literature, the Humanities, and For the history class it is possi- History, 1998, funded by the Association ble to view Rash¬mon as for Asian Studies Council of Conferences reflecting Kurosawa’s and the (AASCOC). Japanese people’s conscious-

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