by Nicole
How to sum up this huge book which covers so many diverses topics about the history of medieval Japan?
This happens in the XVIth-XVIIth centuries. Almost all topics are given on the back cover, written by a newspaper literary critic:
“Shogun is a huge exotic, blood-stained canvas of sixteenth century but still medieval Japan, rival warlords and proselyting jesuits, geishas, seppuku, samurai with the death-wish and a shipwrecked elizabethan” The Guardian
rival warlords = the wars between the numerous little feudal lords who shared Japan and tried to become SHOGUN , the highest power over Japan Islands
proselyting jesuits = at the end of the 16th century Jesuits tried to convert to catholicism the whole known world. The Pope, in Rome, had divided the World into two parts: half for the Portuguese, the other half for the Spanish kingdom. Portuguese boatmen were the first seamen to accost Japan, coming from India and China. The Netherlands and England belonged to the Reformed Church. They fought together against Spain and Portugal to control sea trade. Silk trade was monopolized by the Portuguese Jesuits. Every year, the “Blackship”, the Jesuits’ ship sailed from Japan to Rome with wealth, scarcely honestly acquired.
a shipwrecked elizabethan = the Dutch ship Erasmus, with an English Pilot, Blackthorne, wrecked on the Japanese coast after crossing the Pacific Ocean, the 1st crossing after Magellan’s crew.
(Look at the names Blackship and her ennemy Blackthorne)
The three main caracters are Blackthorne, Lady Toda and Toranaga
Blackthorne is the English pilot of the Dutch ship Erasmus. With his crew, he was shipwrecked on Anji beach, in Japan, after crossing the Pacific Ocean. He is tall, red haired, blue eyed, “very good build ”, highly intelligent, very shrewd and learned; a perfect seaman. His wife remained with their children in England. He and his crew belong to the Reformed Church. He speaks and writes English, Dutch, Portuguese and Latin. His Japanese name is Anji-san which means the Man who landed on the beach of Anji.
Lady Toda, also called privately Mariko, is one of the most beautiful tiny Japanese ladies. She is a catholic. She is the only person with Father Alvito to speak and write Portuguese, Latin and Japanese. Father Alvito is the official interpreter between Jesuit merchants and Toranaga. Mariko has been ordered to remarry Buntaro, Toranaga’s most important officer. Her son, from her previous marriage, is brought up by an uncle.
Toranaga is one of many Japanese feudal Lords. He wants to become SHOGUN, i.e. to rule over the whole of Japan. He needs western knowledge to modernize his army and navy. The wreckage of the Erasmus and her crew on his coast is a godsend. He orders Mariko to 'educate' Blackthorne. Of course, Mariko and Anji-san fall in love with each other. When Blackthorne knows enough of how to speak, write, live, and think like a Japanese Samurai, Mariko dies (I do not want to tell you how).
Blackthorne never comes back to England. He stays on Toranaga’s lands teaching every thing he knows to Toranaga and his men.
Eventually, Toranaga will become SHOGUN and will control overseas trade.
by Nicole, published in June 2012
Shogun, samurai, shipwrecked ,warlords, proselyting jesuits, ... : see above
to commit seppuku: to put oneself to death (to commit suicide) during a formal ceremony
cha: “cha is the pale green tea of Japan”
the ship will be boarded: boarding is an act of war, the ship is arrested and confiscated (arraisonné)