How to Read Shakespeare Dialogue Aloud

How to Read Shakespeare Dialogue Aloud On first sight, Shakespeare dialogue may seem daunting. Indeed, the idea of performing a Shakespeare speech fills many young actors with fear. However, you should remember that Shakespeare was an actor himself and wrote for fellow performers. Forget criticism and textual analysis because everything an actor needs is right there in the dialogue – you just need to know what you’re looking for. Shakespeare Dialogue Every line of Shakespeare dialogue is packed with clues. Everything from the imagery, structure, and use of punctuation is an instruction for the actor - so stop looking at just the words in isolation! Clues in the Imagery Elizabethan theater didn’t rely on scenery and lighting to create a scene, so Shakespeare had to carefully choose language that created the right landscapes and moods for his plays. For example, read aloud this passage from A Midsummer Night’s Dream where Puck describes a place in the forest: I know a bank whereon the wild thyme blows,Where oxlips and nodding violet grows. This speech is loaded with words to suggest the dream-like quality of the text. This is a clue from Shakespeare on how to read the speech. Clues in the Punctuation Shakespeares use of punctuation was very different – he used it to signal how each line should be delivered. Punctuation forces the reader to pause and slows down the pace of the text. Lines without punctuation naturally seem to gather momentum and emotional energy. Full stop (.) Full stops naturally bring the sense and energy of the line to a close.Infrequent commas (,)A comma forces a slight pause in delivery to reflect a tiny development or shift in the character’s thought process.For example, read aloud Malvolio’s line from Twelfth Night: â€Å"Some are born great, some achieve greatness, and some have greatness thrust upon them.† Did you notice how the commas forced you to pause and split this sentence into three parts?Repetition of commas (,)Commas can also cause a line to gather in emotional intensity. If you see lots of commas together, evenly spaced and splitting the lines into small snappy chunks, then this is Shakespeare’s way of asking you to emotionally invest in the dialogue and build up its rhythmic intensity, as in this example from King Lear: ... No, no, no life!Why should a dog, a horse, a rat have life,And thou no breath at all? Thou’it come no more;Never, never, never, never, never.Colon (:) A colon signals that the next line should sound as if it is responding to the previous line, as in Hamlet’s â€Å"To be, or not to be: that is the question.† Do Not Add Punctuation If you’re reading aloud a speech written in verse, you may feel the need to pause at the end of each line. Do not do this unless the punctuation specifically requires you to do so. Try to carry the sense of what you’re saying into the next line and you’ll soon discover the correct rhythm of the speech. You should think of a Shakespeare play as a blueprint for performance. All the clues are there in the text if you know what you’re looking for – and with a little practice, you’ll soon discover that there’s nothing hard about reading Shakespeare’s dialogue aloud.

Reading Response # 4 Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 500 words

Reading Response # 4 - Essay Example nd other media, from where the Arab countries came from in terms of access to information, the popularity of satellite TV can already be considered as a positive development as it gives them greater freedom in terms of content of the medium. In a study made by Sakr among the Arab youth, the study reported that most Arab youths spent at least three a hours a day on TV (81). While this may be a spike in terms of the number of hours of exposure to TV among the youth in the Middle East, the figure is not unusual comparing to other youths in the rest of the world. Just like any other kid from the rest of the world, Arab youths also love to watch TV. Perhaps this concern of increased number of hours of watching satellite TV among the Arab youth came from the perspective that there was no such popularity of TV watching before as the state used to control the content of TV. Satellite beaming changed the media landscape for it rendered authoritarian governments powerless in controlling the content of this media. In turn, its audience, particularly the youth, found a greater sense of freedom in terms of content, hence the extended number of hours watching it. Freedom may be a given and an overlooked concept in the western world but it is a big deal in Middle East. In a study done again by Sakr (83), the findings showed that the main reason why educated Arabs left and wanting to leave their respective home countries is because of the lack of freedom. Television may have a powerful influence in a society but it has to be taken in its proper context. TV is just a platform of information and entertainment, and to a certain extent, a medium of public discourse. Compared to a state controlled content, satellite beaming of TV networks such as Dubai-based Middle East Broadcasting Centre (MBC) Lebanese-based Future TV in 1995, Qatar-based al-Jazeera, Lebanese LBCI, Syrian-owned, London-based ANN etch is way better because there is a degree of freedom over the content

Marketing Plan - Product launch strategy Term Paper

Marketing Plan - Product launch strategy - Term Paper Example Keeping this in view, ENTOUCH telecom has decided to launch electronic online store. This will help the company in the process of attracting and retaining more customers, which in turn will result in increasing the total profits and market share of the company. Background and Relevant Issues: Telecommunication industry is one of the growing industries all over the globe. It has become one of the most profitable and worth investing industry. There is always an increasing need of different products and devices which assist people in the process of communication. Communication has become one of the important needs of the today’s global world. At the same time it is worth considering that there is considerable shift in the shopping behaviour of the customers. More and more people are shifting towards online shopping. Online shopping provides the customers with more convenience and ease. New Service Strategy and Purpose of Strategy: Owing to the increasing trend of online shopping, the company is looking forward to launch a new e-store. This online store will enable the target customers to shop for their favourite telecommunication products over the internet. ... he purpose behind this strategy is to provide the customers with ease and comfort of shopping from home and at the same time increasing the market share of the company. Business Current Offerings: ENTOUCH telecom offers almost everything which is required to make a phone system in an office or at home. There are several corded and cordless digital phones offered by the company for home and business usage. In addition to this, the company offers several telecommunication products and accessories like headphones, headsets, conferencing equipments etc. Products and accessories from the world’s renowned manufacturers are available which includes Plantronics, Sennheiser, Jabra etc. OBJECTIVES: There are several aims and targets of ENTOUCH which it is looking forward to accomplish with the launch of this new service. Five main objectives in this regard are: 1. To increase the sales of the company by 10 percent within the time period of one year. 2. To increase the market share of th e company by 5 percent within the time period of one year. 3. To increase the penetration in the New Zealand market to the level of 60 percent. 4. To enter into international telecommunication market by capturing around 5 percent share in the first year. 5. To improve the market image and reputation. SITUATIONAL ANALYSIS: Before entering into any new market segment and introducing any new product or service, it is important to thoroughly analyse the overall situation of the industry and market. It is essential for the organisation to investigate, explore, and analyse both, internal and external, environment. This is the first step in the process of designing effective marketing strategy and plan (Anderson, 1982). Industry Analysis and Key Trends: The overall telecommunication industry is

Apple Essay Example | Topics and Well Written Essays - 1000 words

Apple - Essay Example This form of expansion would include setting up a manufacturing base for sourcing products to the Asia pacific region and USA. Porter’s Diamond Model Michel Porter’s diamond model is used to analyze the aspect of success of firms in a particular international market (refer annexure 2). The dimensions of this model include the following aspects (Klug, 2006, p.14). Factor Conditions Apple with its talented pool of resources and innovative approach can easily use the talented pool of resources available in China. China offers a ready supply of skilled labor force at cheap rates that can help the company to manufacture products at very low prices. Demand Conditions China is the largest populated nation of the world and is also witnessing high growth in its economy. According to the CIA the GDP of the nation in terms of purchasing power parity is about 10.09 trillion US dollars as of 2010. Along with this the growing Western influence has also affected the consumer behavior of the Chinese consumers making it a market with huge potential for Apple to exploit (CIA, 2011). Related and Supporting Industries The presence of suppliers and a close co-ordination helps generate competitive advantage for the organization. Apple has been known to have a cordial approach in its relationship with the suppliers and also shares an innovative approach in research and development that can be very well replicated in China to generate competitive advantage. Strategy, Rivalry and Structure The industry segment catered by Apple is highly competitive with a large number of firms competing against each other in the market. The Chinese market is also categorized by the presence of fake and pirated goods. Apple with its innovative and high quality product offering can easily fill this gap that arises between the consumer demands and the product offering and generate competitive advantage. CAGE Analysis CAGE analysis is often used by organizations to evaluate new markets and na tions by firm while expanding internationally. CAGE stands for cultural, administrative, geographic and economic distance (Sethna, 2008, p.25-28). CAGE analysis is often used by organizations to evaluate new markets and nations by firm while expanding internationally. CAGE stands for cultural, administrative, geographic and economic distance (Sethna, 2008, p.25-28). Cultural Cultural factors are very important in case of international expansion as it helps in generating a better connect with the customers. Hofstede’s proposed five dimensions that can be used to analyse the cultural aspects namely, power distance index, individualism, masculinity, uncertainty avoidance and long term orientation. In these aspects China has been ranked 118 in the world and has the highest rank in Asia (refer annexure 3). This shows high values for culture and hence implies that Apple must follow a ‘glocalised’ approach in its expansion into China. Administrative China has autocratic governance and has strict laws governing the nation. The nation however has opened up its economy and is keen on getting foreign investors in the nation as a part of its liberalisation program. China however still maintains a cautious outlook towards foreign companies and tries to protect its domestic industries. Geographic

Company overview of IKEA

Company overview of IKEA IKEA is an internationally known home furnishing retailer. It has grown rapidly since it was founded in 1943. Today it is the worlds largest furniture retailer, recognised for its Scandinavian style. The majority of IKEAs furniture is flat-pack, ready to be assembled by the consumer. This allows a reduction in costs and packaging. IKEA carries a range of 9,500 products, including home furniture and accessories. This wide range is available in all IKEA stores and customers can order much of the range online through IKEAs website. There are 18 stores in the UK to date, the first of which opened in Warrington in 1987. In July 2009 IKEA opened a store in Dublin too its first in Ireland. IKEA stores include restaurants and cafà ©s serving typical Swedish food. They also have small food shops selling Swedish groceries, everything from the famous meatballs to jam. Stores are located worldwide. In August 2008 the IKEA group had 253 stores in 24 countries, with a further 32 stores owned and run by franchisees. It welcomed a total of 565 million visitors to the stores during the year and a further 450 million visits were made to the IKEA website. IKEA sales reached 21.2 billion Euros in 2008 showing an increase of 7%. The biggest sales countries are Germany, USA, France, UK and Sweden. In 2008 IKEA opened 21 new stores in 11 countries and expects to open around 20 more in 2009 as part of its strategy for growth. IKEA Vision and Business idea The IKEA vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people puts this concern at the heart of the business. Our business idea supports this vision by offering a wide range of well-designed, functional home furnishing products at prices so low that as many people as possible will be able to afford them. Aims and objectives SWOT (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats) Strengths -Flat-pack technology -Numerous global suppliers -Focus on low price with meaning -Extra in-store perks: restraunts, shopping carts, pencils, etc. -Unique store environment -Modern design pieces as well as traditional pieces Weaknesses -Not doing appropriate market researach when branching into a new cultures market-such as when IKEA came to America. -Ratio of sales representitives to consumers IKEAs self-service ethos, Americans are not used to this type of service. Opportunites -Saving money on labor by establishing supplier relationships with developing countries -Movement into other countries that do not have this type of retailer -Capitalize on good design with reasonable pricing -Capatalize on the unique and appealing shopping experience Threats -Lower prices of general retailers like Target and Wal-Mart that have the ability to regain losses on other merchandise -Finiding ways to appeal to a borader public-Scandinavian design and style is a niche not specifically suited to everyones tastes. Therefore, IKEA must figure out how to do this before someone else does. PESTLE ANALYSIS External Environmental Factors IKEA faces a variety of external environmental factors when conducting business in a competitive, global furniture market. These different factors, provides an explanation of what faces IKEA (The Broad Environment) Research shows in the broad environment, an individual firm can do little to directly influence these factors. In this study, IKEA is broken down by social, economical, technological and political/legal factors to dissect the broad environment. Socioculturally it was hard for IKEA to integrate itself in the American market. The furniture market in the United States contained a wide dichotomy between high-end and low-end design. Within this fragmented market, the top 10 furniture retailers were only responsible for 14.2% of the entire market share. The general discount stores, i.e. Wal-Mart, Target, Office Depot bring up the low-end market. These stores usually marketed their furniture on the basis of cut-rate pricing making margins low in for these channels. There were also smaller shops offering cheap furniture to price-conscious customers such as college students. However, these stores reflected their low price focus with dreary, dingy environments containing haphazard displays and poor, inconsistently managed inventories. Conversely, the high-end specialty markets offered luxurious store environments with clean, plush displays, conjuring up affluence, prosperity and comfort. These specialty retailers include Ethan Allen, Thomasville, and Jordans Furniture. Many of these retailers offered easy payment credit options lessening the debate when considering big-ticket items. Also, these stores came complete with high-touch sales consultants who assisted with measurements and product selection. These retailers offered interior design services for consumers whom were more interested in complete home makeovers. In addition, they boasted of huge inventories often containing many sub-styles within each specific style. Complete with delivery services, retailers could guarantee that consumers new purchases would be delivered and set up in their homes in a matter of weeks without them even having to lift a finger. Lastly, these specialty retailers focused on the quality of the furniture touting that their quality pieces will last a lifetime hence the justification of steep prices-a customer would not or should not need to replace the piece again within their lifetime. The other large part of IKEAs bumpy entry to American culture was the lack of market research. Many Americans didnt like IKEA products because the beds and kitchen cabinets did not fit American sized sheets or appliances, sofas were too hard for American comfort, the dimensions were in centimeters, and the kitchenware was too small for American serving preferences. A manger of the first store in Philadelphia (1985) recalled people drinking out of the vases instead of the serving glasses. Economically, IKEA is low cost. This is a big piece of breaking into the American market. IKEA had to focus and advertising campaign directed specifically to thwart Americans unwillingness to part with their furniture. Part of this angle is the low cost. It is only furniture, change it. By being willing to listen to consumer feedback and changing the way Americans looked at furniture, during the mid-1990s IKEAs profit share in American markets improved. Technologically, IKEAs Flat Pack is unlike any other furniture retailers shipping method-IKEA claims that they do not want to pay to ship air. This is precisely why they can be self-service and do not have to employ as many people as someone would think. These flat packs make it possible for people to lug their packages home without having to wait weeks for delivery. IKEA provides pencils, measuring tapes, store guides, catalogs, shopping carts, bags, and strollers to assist with the shopping experience. Customers are expected to transport their own purchases as well as assemble them on their own. The method in which IKEAs stores are lined up are ingenious. A customer will shop displays and then take their selections (jotting their item numbers) down to the warehouse to pick up their flat packed items before proceeding to check out. Utilizing Porters Five-Forces Model of Industry Competition, IKEA can be evaluated in the following way: 1. Customers Americans-the primary consumer base for IKEAs debut in the American Market. The most likely IKEA shopper are those sort of people who travel abroad, like taking risks, enjoy fine food and wine, have a frequent flier plan, and are early adopters of trendy consumer technologies such as Discmans, laptops, and cell phones (incidentally, IKEAs most atypical customer would be they type of person who collects guns). 2. Suppliers IKEA relies heavily on global suppliers. Once IKEA sets its base price for an item, they then seek to balance cost-effective labor with the companys quality product standards. It does so by working with 1,800 suppliers in over 50 countries. In many instances, IKEA circulates its idea within supplier rings and encourages them to compete for the production package. Sometimes to meet the base price, IKEA will have one design with pieces from several different suppliers. 3. Existing Competitors Traditional Furniture stores are abundant in America. There are none exactly like IKEA in the United States. Therefore IKEA has an advantage over those traditional stores that have high priced furniture. If that is not what the consumer is looking for, then they can go to IKEA for quality, less expensive furniture with a modern design edge. 4. Potential Competitors/Entry Barriers Since IKEA is such a unique, original idea/store it would be very hard to duplicate the totality of IKEAs culture. A store could probably duplicate one or two of the things which compose IKEAs atmosphere but they would fail in other aspects. Like, a store could try and copy the Scandinavian design niche but it would be hard and unauthentic (like what IKEA embodies) without the Scandinavian heritage. 5. Indirect Competitors/Substitutes Wal-mart, Target, Office Depot and other low-cost suppliers are indirect competitors in the fact they do offer low-priced furniture that consumers assemble themselves. However, these indirect substitutes differ in the fact that these are general retailers instead of where IKEA is a specific retailer of home goods. Target, for instance, retails apparel, accessories, home goods, groceries, office products and cleaning supplies. IKEA Strategy and Strategic options Company vision IKEAs vision has from the start been To create a better everyday life for the majority of people. IKEAs business concept originates in the decision to meet a need that no other company appeared concerned with and led it to develop a niche market: manufacturing beautiful, inexpensive and durable furniture for the majority of people.27 I. Kamprad states that IKEA should stand on the side of the majority of people, which involves taking on more responsibility than might at first seem to be the case.28 A recent example is the companys exceptionally costly move into the Russian market, but considered necessary as affordable furniture is a pressing need for the Russian population.29 The democratic design also involves representing the interests of ordinary people and getting rid of designs, which are difficult and expensive to produce, even if it is easy to sell.30 The concept was formalized in 1976 in Ingvar Kamprads thesis Testament of a Furniture Dealer, which became an important way to spread the IKEA philosophy.31 The fundamental goal was and is to provide affordable furniture for the people and cost cutting is key to achieving this. Cost-consciousness is a strong part of the business idea and the waste of resources is considered a mortal sin at IKEA32. By ensuring that ordinary people are able to afford to furnish their homes beautifully, many associate IKEA with a company that stands on the side of the little person and this is a positive image for a company to have. In addition to this, I. Kamprad had another dream: the dream of good capitalism which is the idea that the good in a profit-making business can be combined with a lasting social vision. This implies the goal of developing and achieving a better future for IKEAs customers as well as people working for IKEA believing that by working for IKEA, they are working for a better society and thereby contributing to a better world.33

black cat Essay example -- essays research papers

The Effect of the Use of Irony on the Progress of Poe's Short Story, "The Black Cat" This Paper will interpret a short story, "The Black Cat", by Edgar Allan Poe. My Purpose is to show the effect of the use of irony on the progress of the short story. I Suspect that use of irony in Edgar Allan Poe's short story, "The Black Cat," is one of the main points which allows the hidden character of the Narrator, and the truth of the situation to be revealed and helps the reader to comprehend the story better. In Edgar Allan Poe's short story, "The Black Cat," the nameless narrator begins his horrifying tale by informing his readers that he is about to relate a "series of mere household events" (FN1). He then wonders if, in the future, when his morbid tale is discussed by others considering his case, they will find it to be "nothing more than an ordinary succession of very natural causes and effects" (FN2). Considering the terrible conclusion of the story, this very opening establishes an ironic tone that continues until the end of the tale. The fact that the Narrator would even wonder if his horrible story would ever be considered a "series of mere household events," and the casual, almost off-handed way he contemplates his actions immediately informs the reader that the opinion of the Narrator and the facts of the story he is relating may turn out to be something completely different from what is first presented. He tells us in the beginning of the story that "tomorrow I die." Obviously something extraordinary has taken place or he would not be in that fateful position. The reader quickly comprehends that the Narrator's opinion of the story and what actually occurred may be two very different versions of some gruesome event. The fact that the Narrator is in jail and has been sentenced to death only adds to the irony of his musings. He looks back on the events with "awe," yet thinks that others, sometime in the future, will understand and sympathize with him, finding what he did not odd at all. In the end we know he will die because in the beginning he has still, only hours before his death, come to terms and accepted responsibility for the consequences of his actions. In the very first paragraph of the story he points the finger of blame at "these events" whi... ... allowing the hidden character of the Narrator, and the truth of the situation to be revealed. The black cat may have been the agent that was instrumental in his downfall, but it is the man himself who is wholly responsible and Poe leaves little doubt of that. The black cat, hideous, hidden behind the wall, cemented in by the Narrator himself, is a striking symbol of the decay and corruption of the man's soul. His guilt, self-hatred, and need for punishment are all exposed when he bangs on the wall, prompting the black cat to howl, and revealing to the stunned policemen the secret hidden behind the wall. Notes 1. Poe, Edgar Allan. The Black Cat. Boston: Northeastern University Press. 1986. Pg.l. 2. Poe. Pg. 2. 3. Poe. Pg. 5. 4. Thompson, G.R. Poe's Fiction. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. Pg.9. 5. Thompson, Pg. 9. 6. Thompson, Pg 9. 7. Poe. Pg 2. 8. Buranelli, Vincent. Edgar Allan Poe. Boston: Twayne Publishing Company. 1977. Pg.79. 9. Poe. Pg.2. 10. Hoffman, Daniel. "The Marriage Group." Edgar Allan Poe. Modern Critical Views. Harold Bloom, Editor. New York: Chelsea House Publishers. 1985. Pg. 83. 11. Poe. Pg. 8 12. Thompson. Pg.72 13. Poe. Pg. 18. black cat Essay example -- essays research papers The Effect of the Use of Irony on the Progress of Poe's Short Story, "The Black Cat" This Paper will interpret a short story, "The Black Cat", by Edgar Allan Poe. My Purpose is to show the effect of the use of irony on the progress of the short story. I Suspect that use of irony in Edgar Allan Poe's short story, "The Black Cat," is one of the main points which allows the hidden character of the Narrator, and the truth of the situation to be revealed and helps the reader to comprehend the story better. In Edgar Allan Poe's short story, "The Black Cat," the nameless narrator begins his horrifying tale by informing his readers that he is about to relate a "series of mere household events" (FN1). He then wonders if, in the future, when his morbid tale is discussed by others considering his case, they will find it to be "nothing more than an ordinary succession of very natural causes and effects" (FN2). Considering the terrible conclusion of the story, this very opening establishes an ironic tone that continues until the end of the tale. The fact that the Narrator would even wonder if his horrible story would ever be considered a "series of mere household events," and the casual, almost off-handed way he contemplates his actions immediately informs the reader that the opinion of the Narrator and the facts of the story he is relating may turn out to be something completely different from what is first presented. He tells us in the beginning of the story that "tomorrow I die." Obviously something extraordinary has taken place or he would not be in that fateful position. The reader quickly comprehends that the Narrator's opinion of the story and what actually occurred may be two very different versions of some gruesome event. The fact that the Narrator is in jail and has been sentenced to death only adds to the irony of his musings. He looks back on the events with "awe," yet thinks that others, sometime in the future, will understand and sympathize with him, finding what he did not odd at all. In the end we know he will die because in the beginning he has still, only hours before his death, come to terms and accepted responsibility for the consequences of his actions. In the very first paragraph of the story he points the finger of blame at "these events" whi... ... allowing the hidden character of the Narrator, and the truth of the situation to be revealed. The black cat may have been the agent that was instrumental in his downfall, but it is the man himself who is wholly responsible and Poe leaves little doubt of that. The black cat, hideous, hidden behind the wall, cemented in by the Narrator himself, is a striking symbol of the decay and corruption of the man's soul. His guilt, self-hatred, and need for punishment are all exposed when he bangs on the wall, prompting the black cat to howl, and revealing to the stunned policemen the secret hidden behind the wall. Notes 1. Poe, Edgar Allan. The Black Cat. Boston: Northeastern University Press. 1986. Pg.l. 2. Poe. Pg. 2. 3. Poe. Pg. 5. 4. Thompson, G.R. Poe's Fiction. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press. Pg.9. 5. Thompson, Pg. 9. 6. Thompson, Pg 9. 7. Poe. Pg 2. 8. Buranelli, Vincent. Edgar Allan Poe. Boston: Twayne Publishing Company. 1977. Pg.79. 9. Poe. Pg.2. 10. Hoffman, Daniel. "The Marriage Group." Edgar Allan Poe. Modern Critical Views. Harold Bloom, Editor. New York: Chelsea House Publishers. 1985. Pg. 83. 11. Poe. Pg. 8 12. Thompson. Pg.72 13. Poe. Pg. 18.

Warriors in Peace: the Economic Life of the Samurai Class

University of the philippines, baguio| WARRIORS IN PEACE| THE ECONOMIC LIFE OF THE SAMURAI CLASS IN TOKUGAWA JAPAN| | ANIDA, CESNA CO| 3/20/2013| The warriors of Japanese history the samurai belongs to the upper class of the society. During the Warring States and before that samurai were used as killing machines ready to slay anyone who was against with their masters. But during this time of peace, samurai have no war to fight anymore. Despite their high status in the society their economic life is not proportional to it all.They only depended on the rice-stipend given to them by their daimyo and was produced by the farmers. | Table of Contents Introduction2 Short History of the Samurai2 Establishment of Tokugawa Japan3 The Economy4 The Samurai of Tokugawa Japan5 Change of Perspectives6 Social and political Position of the Samurai6 Role in the Economy9 Role in the Fall of Tokugawa11 Conclusion †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ †¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦Ã¢â‚¬ ¦ 11 Introduction This paper aims to explain primarily the economic life of the samurai class during the Tokugawa Japan.Moreover this also covers the economic structure of the Tokugawa Japan as well as political and social feature, because discussing Japanese economy alone is impossible without covering some of the political and social facets of this country. To make this paper possible records and book archives were studied and analyze. By studying this paper the colorful and vibrant everyday life of the samurai was discovered and what did they contribute to make the modern Japan possible. The life of the samurai was full of extremes from loyalty to the way of death, their economic life to their social status and other paradoxes of their life.Reading this paper will help you to understand the long running history of the one of the most beautiful cultural achievement of the Japanese including their way of thinking and deep rooted sense of identity. Short History of the Samurai Originally from the old Japanese word saburahi which means ‘to serve’ (Ikegami, 1995), samurai class emerged from the Heian period around ninth or tenth century when land became the most important asset and must be protected. There were three groups were the samurai class began. First, the protectors of the aristocratic family in urban areas which also served as police evolved into warriors.Next the kondei or ‘stalwart youth’ was bestowed by the government with power to protect their lands and borders from barbarians and lastly the private soldiers that were systematized to defend the shoen or estates of the local elites against bandits or the government itself. Some families that established power developed military expertise and became regional forces (Andressen, 2002). Example of this was the early sam urai family from the Heian period – Taira and Minamoto. The power of the samurai class became further recognized because the establishment of the Karakura peiod in 12th century by Yoritomo Minamoto.This was the first official government lead by the military shogun or by the shogunate which means literally ‘Barbarian-Subduing Generalissimo’ (Nakane, 1990). Yoritomo was able to rise up in power because he sought support from the samurai class then after usurping the power he created a semi centralized regime with the imperial court on the other side. These were the two power structures governing the medieval Japan but eventually the shogunate was able to monopolize the power whereas the emperor became a mere symbol. This lasted until the fall of Tokugawa in 1868 which was succeeded by the Meiji Restoration. Establishment of Tokugawa JapanThe period of Warring States in Japan was the time of chaos and political instability that eventually cause scrappy political and economic control. The shogunate loses their grip in power while the regional feudal lords arose and fought each other to be on top. One of these feudal lords was Oda Nobunaga from Owari. He wanted to bring the Japan into a one nation state and use the banner Tenka Fubu which means ‘extension of military rule throughout the land’. Unfortunately he was not able to bring this to reality because he was killed by his own vassal Akechi Mitsuhide. But later on he was succeed be his loyal follower, Toyotomi Hideyoshi.By brutal force he was able to win this position by killing Oda’s slayer and murdering his rivals. After the death of Hideyoshi he was succeeded by Tokugawa Ieyaso, by succeeding the seat he benefitted in the land that Oda and Hideyoshi unified. He was the one that established the Tokugawa Japan. He created the bakuhan system wherein the bakufu was the central government under them was the 270 daimyo domains (Nakane, 1990). This was the political framework of this period which the Tokugawa shogunate seized the power. Tokugawa Japan lasted 265 years of peace from 1603-1868 (Tokugawa, 2009). The EconomyThe early Japan was basically a feudal society which means that they were an agricultural based society. The economy depended on land-tilting and crop planting, rice was there main crop and staple food and peasant-farmers dominated the population. Before the official inauguration of the Tokugawa Japan one of the most important propellers of order and stability especially in terms of the economy was the policy that Hideyoshi delivered which was originally planned by Oda. The Taiko Kenchi which refers to the nationwide cadastral survey where the land was surveyed and a uniform official measurement for rice was created called kyo-masu.Thru this nationwide standardization the process of calculating the rice production by means of koku was introduced. This system was called kokudaka system where a certain locality was manage by a daimyo and in that village it was required to produced 100,000 koku of rice measured in kyo-masu (Nakane, 1990). After the death of Hideyoshi which marked the inauguration of Tokugawa Japan by Tokugawa Ieyaso the kokudaka system remained a policy on the economy. Ieyaso benefited in what Oda and Hideyoshi established and accomplished. Tokugawa Japan was the last stage of agricultural society of Japan.Villages that engage in agriculture were called noson aside from them there were the mountain villages the sanson in which upland and forest production was their mode of production and lastly the villages that depend on fishing the gyoson (Nakane, 1990). But still the main source of income came from the agricultural sector and rice production which can be pointed in the richness of the land of the provinces that generated massive agricultural making. More than agricultural economy of Tokugawa Japan also another phase that defined this period was their closed-door policy or sakoku jidai that was imple mented by the bakufu.This solidarity significantly contributed to Japan’s peace and stability by focusing in the internal affairs of the country. The Samurai of Tokugawa Japan In general there was a paradigm shift in the life of the samurai class in the Tokugawa Japan. This transformation happened in their different facets of life. From political, economic and social there were changes in which gave more color and life in the history of samurai. From the brutal and violent warriors they became administrative officers that planned and over looked the lands in where their daimyos was taken post.Samurai now were not allowed to tilt the land and became a farmer at the same time. Instead of learning the art of killing they became also scholars and artist that contributed in the cultural history of Japan. These very men that were once only used as soldiers in war became the leaders that govern and guide Japan in their building of a strong and firm nation. Change of Perspectives Lik e what had been said above change became an element of this period for the samurai. Historically the samurai class was established to become human machines that will be used to protect and to serve their lords with lifelong loyalty.But from the transition of the Warring states to Tokugawa era their identity will change and transform into a simple foot soldiers into leaders that will build an empire. Because of Hideyoshi’s ‘Sword Hunt’ in 1588, the samurai class became a pure samurai class. Sword Hunt restricted peasants to hold swords and other weapons while samurai were not allowed to become farmers. This policy resulted to the rigidity of the social structure in Tokugawa Japan which was only fully executed in the term of the 3rd shogun Iemitsu (Sansom, 1963) where he considered this policy hereditary and fixed. Social and political Position of the SamuraiThe military class includes all weapon-holding family which starts from the warlords to the poorest samurai. Inside of the classes there were sub-structures. Clear distinctions were between upper and lower class samurai. Upper class rode horses while lower class travels only using their feet (Kublin, 1973 ). Koshogumi were the personal attendants to the daimyo belongs to the upper class and other samurai belonging to this class were chief minister, high officials, Confucian scholars as well as doctors. After that, were the lower samurai class and on top of it were calligraphers and then the stable keeper the nakakosho.Other attendants of the daimyo were the tomokosho and those who do the duties of patrolling and guarding the gate and the estate. The lowest of the class were the ashigaru the common foot soldiers (Bellah, 1957). Mobility between these sub-structures was so small that within the 265 years of Tokugawa only hand-full movements in these sub-structures were recorded. Despite these micro-distinctions inside this class, the samurai were highly privileged people. In Tokugawa Japan the basis of the social hierarchy was not wealth but power.The position in the society was based on value system: prestige correlates directly with power (Bellah, 1957). Position in the society was legal and hereditary; wealth has less importance than status. The samurai class does not belong to the common people unlike the other classes– farmers, artisans and merchants. Samurai class was above these classes and had the right in using their swords against the people belonging in the lower class in any chance they disrespect a samurai. Even though Tokugawa Japan was a time of peace the swords of a samurai was not just for decoration but a sign of their social status.Also samurai was the only asides from the nobility that were allowed to use surnames. Politically just like their social status the samurai hold much of the power and control in governing the Japanese people. The very fact that the bakufu or shogunates belong to the warrior class was an evidence of their political domination in Tokugawa Japan. After the bloody war during the Warring States the samurai class have no wars to fight and peace was almost everywhere therefore they were the ones that filled the government position and became officials.This undertaking can be narrated in correlation to the education of the samurai in this period. Because of the problem in unemployment in the samurai during the beginning of Tokugawa Japan the shogunates educated the warrior class and see the potential of them working as officials and government workforces. Ieyasu stated that learning and military arts should be equally pursued (Kublin, 1973 ). These resulted to the employment of the samurai as teachers in military arts and sciences, officers and clerks in the feudal and bakufu government. Moreover some became intellectuals and artist.These war soldiers became steward of the lands of their daimyo being more than just their soldier but their loyal attendees and personnel. These teachings that the samura i class undertake, especially by the upper echelon, came from Song Neo-Confucianism. The change in the system required new models and values to be applied in the military government. Therefore, the scholars and intellectuals develop beliefs system which will work for this kind of regime. The Bushido or â€Å"the ethics or the way of the warrior† was a code created and harmonized only in the early Tokugawa period, during the middle of 1660’s.Though the way of the samurai already existed on the early periods, the samurai were expected to have a life of discipline and loyalty, it was rarely expressed consciously as a structured ideology centered around a preoccupation with moral behavior (Ikegami, 1995). It was only during the time of Tokugawa that the need for a national philosophy has to be established and it was the bushido. In this philosophy the samurai were projected as leaders by showing the people the example of life-long loyalty. Civil officers charged with the m oral and intellectual guidance of the masses.It was also credited that a samurai not doing his ‘moral obligation’ was no different to ‘bandits and drifters’ (Tokugawa, 2009). Also the samurai were also expected to not to think about money or anything that concerns it. The responsibility of the samurai was more than a fighter but he should be a model of morality in doing his duty as a loyal servant to his master, to be wise and a man of character wherein he will lead the people. From the beginning of the; feudal society it was the ethics of loyalty, discipline and obedience that held it together. It was the foundation.Samurai were expected from the beginning to sacrifice their lives for their masters. This is how the samurai culture became really unique and a foundation to the Japanese wholeness. The samurai distinctive belief in honor was the basis of unique cultural style and identity. Samurai were called haji aru mono which means â€Å"those men with a s ense of shame†. This was also another factor that separated them with other classes– they would sacrifice and give their live for by doing this was an honorable act (Ikegami, 1995). The way of the samurai or bushido became the national ethic of Tokugawa (Bellah, 1957).Its basis in the new interpretation of the Neo-Confucianism developed the Tokugawa Japan’s civil service with a strict code of moral values. All in all the social status and education of the samurai which help them to hold the political position in nation building became their way in creating a national identity and a sense of unification, for the samurai were the nation’s leaders that guided their people by showing example of loyalty, discipline and morality which resulted in building a strong and unified country. Role in the EconomyIt may be said that this paper already focus on the wrong direction, but let me clarify again the reason why spending a notable pages in explaining the social an d political role of the samurai in Tokugawa Japan. I believe by narrating these aspects the reader will able to see the real position of the samurai in the Japanese society. It will shred light in understanding the significance of the samurai class in the nation building of Japan. So as I take to the main study of this paper I would like to keep in mind everything that was already discussed and told about the samurai.As told by history before the establishment of the Tokugawa Japan, samurai were also farmers, they were peasant-warriors. They avoided battles during the harvest time or in the plantation itself. Throughout the Warring States, 15th and 16th century there was a risk that a village would become a battleground for the samurai (Tokugawa, 2009). This problem was solved by the Sword Hunt of Hideyoshi by that unemployment flooded the population of the samurai. Mostly those who belong to the low ranking samurai, that sparked the ronin (samurai that were master less or free samu rai) revolt of 1651 (Sansom, 1963).The population of the samurai was only a 5 to 7 percent of the total population of Japan (Tokugawa, 2009). Their economic life was really unique versus with their other contemporaries in other countries that also belonging to the warrior class, the knights of Europe for example. The mode of production of the Tokugawa Japan was feudal which means that they rely highly on agricultural means in producing their resources. The land was rich and Japan feudal society was a rice economy. Rice was the primary commodity and it was not monetized.Surprisingly, samurai did not own any lands and belongs to the â€Å"parasitic class† (Bebedict, 1946). This is why it was said above that the samurai class was different in other warrior classes of that time. Their economic wealth did not reflect their social status at all. Samurai class was said to be â€Å"parasitic class† because they were pensioned by the daimyo and received only stipends from the r ice production that time which was produce by the peasant-farmers. Their houses and lands were basically not their property but only given to them by their daimyo. This stipend was fixed for the family of the samurai (Bebedict, 1946).During the Tokugawa Japan the feudal lords or daimyo were subjected to the bakufu government wherein to subdue them their han (the land they were conducting) were not given to them permanently but daimyos were in a continual rotation. After sometime the shogun will send another daimyo in change of the daimyo that was posted on that land. This system affected the samurai that they will follow wherever their daimyo will go. They were both living in the castle town ‘assigned’ to the daimyo. These factors now clearly show how the samurai is dependent to his daimyo.The loyalty between the samurai and to his lord Tokugawa Japan was based on the unending war that were happening that time but after that their relationship became primary economic in nature. It was also mentioned earlier about the micro-structure inside the samurai class. This discrepancy in position also affects how much the stipend of a samurai was. The higher the rank of the samurai the larger amount of rice was given to him and vice versa. Higher class samurai receive sufficient amount to support his family while the lower did not receive enough.Therefore, some have to supplement themselves by creating handicrafts and some engaged in secretive trading enterprises (Bellah, 1957). Another implication of this stipend-system in the samurai was that some part of their stipend was converted to money in order by selling it to merchants to buy commodities other that rice. But this doing became only eminent during the later years of Tokugawa. Higher ranking samurai were the ones that collect tax in terms of rice and their share in the harvest was about 40 percent (Tokugawa, 2009).While high ranking samurai were taught polite accomplishments the lower class learned w riting and arithmetic to prepare in clerical work. Because of this the lower class became very influential in actual administration (Bellah, 1957). Now it was described how poor the economic position of the samurai class can get no matter how high their social status. This crisis became worst when the rice-dependency declined in the later years of Tokugawa Japan in 18th century. Japan was slowly becoming a money economy and the value of rice started to deteriorate.Moreover, wealth rested on the hands of the merchants that were the lowest in the social structure. The variety of goods or commercial commodities that can be bought by money increased, the importance of the rice within the national economy dropped (sharp) (Tokugawa, 2009). The implication of this to the samurai as well as to their daimyo was they became poorer and some were suffers with large debt. Merchants became richer and samurai became poorer, moneylending became of part of their life were the borrowers were the samu rai and those who lend the money were the users that were mostly merchants too.Furthermore, some samurai were able to acquire money by selling their statuses and rights (Bellah, 1957). Also when they arranged with a merchant an adoption of the merchant’s son in the samurai family the samurai family will be able to attain wealth while the merchant will be able to obtain status. Samurai were poor people that only depended on the rice stipends given to them by their daimyo and produce by the farmers. They were expected to be contented with everything that they have for they were perceived not to live in a comfortable way of living.Their top priority should be their loyalty to their master and guiding the people with their discipline and moral values. Their duty in the government should not be motivated by any compensation per say. But this was not the whole picture. Tokugawa Japan started to decline and the rice based economy was starting to be not able to support the growing de mands of the country. Money became powerful and merchants became richer while those who were sitting in the government itself were becoming poorer. These challenges piled up in front of the bakufu and to add to these pressures were the external factors.Other countries like the Dutch and Americans were finding their way in this close country of Japan. Role in the fall of tokugawa Shift in the economic system of Tokugawa Japan during the middle to the last years cause the gradual fall of it. Rice production was still important and rice still remained as Japanese staple food but its role as the basis of wealth and means of acquiring commodities eventually decline when the economy became more monetized. More commercial commodities were being produce and consumed that implies a more sophisticated urban living.This marked the end of the agricultural society of Japan and modernization was already peeping in the horizon. Though in the late 18th century the economy of the Tokugawa was changi ng the main schema of power shifts still remain political. This was where the role of the samurai came in. There was a huge discrepancy between the wealth of the classes those merchants that belongs to the lower class were the richest and most economically stable rather than the daimyo with their samurai who manage the land and the government itself.Order was able to maintain because of the strong authoritarian principle leading the country. Also the economic revolution in Japan did not trigger war but instead it created more unity between the rising merchants and the government. The Shingaku movement led by Ishida Baigan was an economic movement membered by many merchants in the late Tokugawa. Instead of stratification between the bakufu and the merchant class this movement parallels its ideology to the existing moral principles that time.The way of the warrior or the bushido should be also the way of the merchant as Baigan implies. Merchants should become greedy industrialist. But like the samurai should serve the people but assistance with the empire and the profit they acquire is just a reward of their services (Bellah, 1957). The samurai honesty and loyalty should as be modeled. More than being a role model of the merchants, the samurai class worked and moved in the coming modernization of the old Japan. It was the lower samurai class that was responsible for the restoration of 1868 (Bellah, 1957).Because the lower samurai was the one assigned in the doing the clerical and government jobs they were the ones that know the real situation and seeing that poverty became rampant and the system was no longer effective, the coup d’etat was launched and they were able to overthrow those in power and established back the meaning of the emperor, that it was in his name that the people of Japan will be unified. This was popularly known in history as Meiji Restoration and from the ranks of the lower samurai the new government was formed.The restrictions betwee n classes were abolished and the samurai class was encouraged to enter industry. Samurai were the Meiji architects; they were the one that provided the initiative and leadership that the merchants were not able to develop (Bellah, 1957). The economic change indeed propelled the change in Tokugawa Japan but the primary tool and reason remains political. The young leaders of the Meiji Japan were able to see the need for more national power that could be paralleled with the Western countries. By them we saw an uprising of an Asian power that shook the whole world in the upcoming years.Conclusion The history of Japan cannot be complete without knowing the samurai. Samurai were not just simple foot soldiers but eventually they became the unifiers and leaders of Japan. It was the warrior class that pacifies every people in Japan. We saw in the history of Japan how samurai took part in shaping every periodization in Japan. Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and finally Ieyasu Tokugawa were a n example of the role played by the samurai in the shaping of Japan. Interestingly though samurai held a very high position in the society and respected, their economic life was not that prestigious.Samurai were taught to be disciplined and simple in the way that they live. That is why they just depend on the stipend given to them by the daimyo and farmers. It was against in their morals to be associated in money. Aside from their financial mentality, samurai were expected to have loyalty more than everything. They were expected to give their very lives to their masters. This was where the control and monopoly of the samurai came from. This kind of social upbringing and rigidity in the life of the samurai cause him to be a man of ambition and achievement.Samurai should grab every opportunity to keep his word and morals. This is the kind of leaders the Meiji Restoration had and the secret to the success of the Japan. People were taught of discipline and loyalty. Morality that will se rve not only themselves but to properly embody the role they have for the society. By this it is clearly see how a samurai was created our time and this was shown in the very history of Japan. These warriors are not motivated by money or wealth and it is very obvious in their economic status. But these warriors were propelled by their sense of loyalty and morality.Works Cited Andressen, C. (2002). A Short History of Japan from Samurai to Sony. Australia: Allen & Unwin. Bebedict, R. (1946). The Chrysanthemum and the Sword: Pattern of Japanese Culture. Boston & Cambringe: Houghton Mifflin Company & Riverside Press. Bellah, R. N. (1957). Tokugawa Religion: The Values of Pre-Industrial Japan. Glencoe, Illinois: The Free Press & The Falcon's Wing Press. Ikegami, E. (1995). The Taming of the Samurai: Honorofic Individualism and the Making of Modern Japan. Cambridge: Harvard University Press. Kublin, H. (1973 ).Japan. ( Rev. Ed. ). Boston: Houghton Mifflin Company. 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