Analysis Of The Warrior Tale Of Heike

In early Japanese history, the imperial family held complete political and social power. The elite spent all their time doing leisurely activities, while the lower class spent their days out in the fields harvesting rice and other crops for the profits of the emperor. As a result, there was a great disparity of power. However, as new imperial families took reign, new systems were set in place that slowly diminished the power of the emperor. In this paper, I will highlight how Japanese society shifted from an untouchable imperial force in early history to a dual political system introducing the Bakufu government in the Kamakura period with the rise of the warrior. Then, I will discuss how it shifted even farther away in the Edo period due to changing roles in society and a shift in who held the wealth.

First, I will examine the Selections from Man'yoshu, Japanese poetry that was compiled by Otomo no Yakamochi, to showcase the writings of the elite and get a glimpse into how they lived their lives. These 8th century writings provide insight into the ancient traditions observed by Emperors and Empresses living at the time. Secondly, I will consider The Tales of Heike, a warrior tale completed before 1371 with an unknown author. The Tales of Heike describe the conflict between the Taira and Minamoto clan's in the Kamakura period. Lastly, I will discuss the Conflicting Paradigms of Moral and Biological Childhood: The Biography of Tomematsu the Filial Boy, a work by Kamada Isso in 1784 that contained biographies of filial children. This work describes the life of a young boy and his family in Japan who struggle every day to put food on the