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A review by carosbcher
Chūshingura (The Treasury of Loyal Retainers): A Puppet Play by Namiki Senryu, Donald Keene, Takeda Izumo, Miyoshi Shōraku
5.0
At first I didn't want to list it here as I had to read this play for a class about Japanese history but then I really enjoyed and thought it'd also fit my private reading taste ;)
This story is based on a real event - the avenge of the 47 ronin (even if there were only 46 of them) in 1701. The play is set some centuries earlier but still depicts how intensely the action was discussed by then as the Tokugawa period was a time of change, peaceful and for the samurai then hard to find a place to fit in. The old rules of deep loyalty to their master were still important but a new system was becoming stronger: the shogunate law which was in conflict to the ancient samurai pride. After the ronin (masterless samurai) attack the enemy of their dead lord they act according to the old rules breaking the shogunate law by that. What follows is a long and very emotional discussion about the righteousness of this behavior and this play is part of it. But not only that, at the same time it's full with love, fights, betrayal, braveness and sacrifice - a compelling story to read even nowadays.
This story is based on a real event - the avenge of the 47 ronin (even if there were only 46 of them) in 1701. The play is set some centuries earlier but still depicts how intensely the action was discussed by then as the Tokugawa period was a time of change, peaceful and for the samurai then hard to find a place to fit in. The old rules of deep loyalty to their master were still important but a new system was becoming stronger: the shogunate law which was in conflict to the ancient samurai pride. After the ronin (masterless samurai) attack the enemy of their dead lord they act according to the old rules breaking the shogunate law by that. What follows is a long and very emotional discussion about the righteousness of this behavior and this play is part of it. But not only that, at the same time it's full with love, fights, betrayal, braveness and sacrifice - a compelling story to read even nowadays.