The Last Sareek Analysis

What comes to mind in the 21st century when one thinks of thinks of a samurai? As is common, before delving into the real history, those in Western culture envision these extremely virtuous and selfless warriors sworn to protect those around them for the sake of honor. The media has helped perpetuate such stereotypes through productions such as The Last Samurai, and 47 Ronin. However, the Mongol scrolls compiled by Takezaki Suenaga offer a more factual view of the samurai in the Kamakura bakufu, allowed for a clear view of the realities of the time. Both sides of the government, meaning the bakufu itself, as well as the warriors who lay their life down had a mutual understanding that loyalty warranted reward. In addition, in order to better his stake in reward, Suenaga was the persistent warrior who absolutely needed to be the first to battler so that he can have recognition as a truly brave samurai for whom people are prepared to vouch

Buddhist in nature, the tale stressed the concept of impermanence, or the idea that wealth and socio-economic level in society is fleeting and unimportant. Because of the idea that one should strive to better themselves spiritually, the ideals directly contradict the values seen in the Mongol scrolls. Suenaga, Jirō, and Michiyasu are all examples of warriors who would prefer to do all that is needed in order to have access to the benefits of being a brave warrior. Not for the acclaim of true loyalty to their people, but for the benefits of more land, horses, and decorations from the bakufu. These immediate rewards can often be seen as too valuable to pass up, especially with the concept developed in class that through the centuries, samurai were gradually elevating themselves to a more noble rank in society with more power in the