Samurai

A detailed Summary of Samurai

The Samurai, in my opinion were very powerful in many ways. In today's culture powerful would mean having money, or possessing much influence through many people. I think the samurai were powerful not because of possession, but because they had a great deal of honor, loyalty, and kindness. This was very important to the samurai because they believe in reincarnation. What this states is based on the life you led beforehand; you will have a bad or good life when you are reborn. So the samurai would follow their code and would be either successful warriors, or legendary heroes. Giri, another word for duty, was very important to the samurai because it referred to the obligations of the samurai to the people around them. Whether it be parents, family, friends, or even feudal superiors, and inferiors. Some samurai were not able to uphold their giri, which resulted in forced suicide or decapitation. The suicide, also called seppuku, was the honorable way to end his life because they believed he would be forgiven after he committed this sacrifice. Another thing important to the samurai was the code of bushido. This code relies heavily on that of giri. Bushido means "The Way of the Warrior." It developed as a personal an

There were many attributes needed to become a successful and honorable samurai. The first of course is honor; it was the most important thing to a samurai. I cannot stress how important it was to them. A samurai would never lie, cheat, or do anything else dishonorable on purpose. Even if it were totally accidental they would commit seppuku rather than have something dishonorable on their reputation. A samurai's honor encompassed his castle and station, even his accomplishments and deeds. Integrity was also important to the samurai. Samurais had a great deal of integrity. They would never go back on there word because that was considered dishonorable. Loyalty was also important. It is the second most important virtue of a samurai. His loyalty was first pledged to his feudal superior, then his clan, and then his family. Loyalty to the emperor was of utmost importance but this rarely had any affect to the samurai's actions. The samurai's giri was to obey his superior, no matter what the cost, even if it led to the samurai's unhappiness or death. Another important attribute of a samurai is courage. It is more than just simple bravery. A samurai is expected to face hardship when confronted with it, or at his lord's command. Pain is to be endured without emotion because samurais should not be afraid of death. It was considered honorable to die while in a fierce battle or protecting an important person. But the samurai should not let his courage be reckless. When a samurai dies unnecessarily it is considered a lack of loyalty for his lord. Refinement and excellence was expected from samurais. His profession as a warrior calls for proficiency in martial skills. It is also expected that he appreciate and become skilled in the arts. His manner and etiquette should be flawless. The bushido code strongly calls for excellence. A samurai is always striving to be the best he can be at anything that he attempts. This determination helps drive the samurai to be courageous and

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Approximate Word count = 1348
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History