The last samurai
The Last Samurai is a Japanese novel by CW Nicol and was published in 1987 (German 1988) under the original title Harpoon .
The novel takes place from around 1848 until after the end of the shogunate in 1868. The opening of Japan and the dealings with the colonial powers of Europe and America are portrayed therein.
Historical background
Japan has been under the rule of the shogunate since 1603, which after the wars of the late 16th century ensured both peace and isolation. The residents are prohibited from traveling abroad under threat of death. From outside, the British, Dutch, French, Russians and Americans are pushing for Japan to open up to their merchant fleets. The United States in particular has a keen interest in its whaling fleets . From 1853 , Japan slowly opened up; this important political event is also described in the novel.
action
The young and very talented samurai Matsudaira Sadayori travels the villages of the coast on behalf of the Daimyo of Kii to gather information about a defense of the coasts of Japan against the fleets of foreign powers. A second main character is the whaler Jinsuke (later called Jim Sky), who loses his left arm to a shark and thus almost becomes an outcast in the whaling village of Taiji .
Sadayori sees Jinsuke's determination to go whaling again as an opportunity to be smuggled out of Japan and to learn more about the foreign ships. But first Jinsuke is brought to the island of Okinawa, where he takes English lessons and practices using a western harpoon , which, unlike Japanese whaling harpoons, can be thrown with only one hand.
He can also report to Sadayori about ships belonging to the US Commodore Matthew Perry landing on the coast of Okinawa in order to establish friendly relations with Japan. The contrasting perception of Jinsuke and an American midshipman named Olderby, who appears again later, is very nice.
Through the friend of Sadayori Samurai Itoh gets Jinsuke painfully to Shanghai , where he met Captain Fogerty on the Yellow River runs and saves him in an attack Chinese river pirates life, which gives the armed Jinsuke in Shanghai an excellent reputation.
Edward Zwick's The Last Samurai from 2003 is not based on this book.
Book editions
- Harpoon by CW Nicol ISBN 0399131779 (English, 1987)
- The Last Samurai by CW Nicol ISBN 3502105057 (German, 1988)
- The Last Samurai by CW Nicol ISBN 3426030802 (German, 1990)
- The Last Samurai by CW Nicol ISBN 3404143272 (German, 2000)