Seven Samurai and payment of rice

[marlboro]

In the manual of STW and in a documentary of “The Seven Samurai”, it stated that during this time, the samurai were so poor that they would work for 3 bowls of rice a day. Both quoted their source from the movie “The Seven Samurai”.

However, I have just watched the movie again, and cannot find any instance of the samurais desperate enough just to work for food. The motives might be honour, self discovery and improvement, experience, friendship, or the need to prove oneself.

The closest instance I could find was in the scene of the samurai chopping wood ( I cannot remember his name) for food. The scene cut before he could say why he joined the band. However, looking at the character through the movie, I would say his motivation was “why not?” rather than “I am desperate”

Any thoughts

[Ii Naomasa]

Well, as ronin, five of the seven (Kikuchiyo being a peasant pretending to be a samurai and Katsushiro came across more as a full-fledged samurai's son who was out wandering around on his own...notice how nonchalantly he pays for all the food the peasants had brought with them, but was stolen) had no steady income and were living off whatever money they had on hand. With that said, being paid the three meals a day, even if none of them were outright desperate at the moment, would be a way to save money for a few days.

As you say, none of them appear desperate. Then again, a samurai with dignity would take great pains to no appear so. Their stomachs would betray their needs before they would grovel before a peasant. Notice the one pretty sad ronin who, completely out of money, offers to work for them before being bullied by the gamblers.

Still, desperate or not, it's not the sheer need of food that drives them, as you point out. There are one or two samurai who refuse to risk their lives for three meals. The seven who eventually join up have their own ulterior motives that move them above and beyond a potentially grumbling stomach.

Being a ronin has been romanticized through the ages, but it must've been a very difficult time for those who wanted to uphold the 'virtues' of their class. Imagine being well doctrined in the a samurai lifestyle, then having to try to keep that lifestyle on no money and doing whatever odd jobs you can that you don't think will sully you. Add in the fact that it usually becomes pretty obvious that you're a ronin and so other samurai look down on you, while peasants fear you slightly while snickering behind your back. You've most likely have been trained in warfare and in pretty arts like floral arrangement...skills that do you little good when trying to survive on your own. It's no wonder so many just gave up their samurai status altogether and either moved into the ranks of peasantry or took up roles as brigands or muscle for local factions.

[This message has been edited by Ii Naomasa (edited 07-21-2002).]

[Gothmog]

It saddens me watching that movie.

There is no dignity being a ronin, or being poor, or whatever.

------------------
Pain is weakness leaving the body.
http://www.grahamday.dial.pipex.com/rose-knight1.gif

[Wavesword]

Ah but at the end the peasants have a future, they have the blossoming land. The samurai have the graves, which produce, a sadly inedible, banner of honour.

[This message has been edited by Wavesword (edited 07-22-2002).]

[Yagyu Jubei]

Well m8s,
The Koku that we use is basically big sack of rice.....That is the main way that stipends were given out.....gold is pretty but you can't live on it...The samurai were quite practical..you can sell rice and get gold or whatever you wanted....... LOL


------------------
Watashiwa Yagyu Jubei desu! Ganbate!