Rashomon and Other Stories by Ryunosuke Akutagawa
Akutagawa is a wonderful storyteller. The language is rich and atmospheric, really evoking a mood. Here are the synopses of the stories included in this book:
In A Grove: The testimony of seven witnesses to a murder, one of which is the ghost of the murdered man told through a medium, is told to a court investigating the crime. All are slightly different, leaving the reader to wonder what really happened in that bamboo grove. This story is the main plot of Akira Kurosawa's film Rashomon.
Rashomon: Although this short story gives its name to the film, very little of the story makes it into the film. It's the story of a servant who has just been dismissed by his samurai master because Kyoto has fallen into decline. He sits at the Rashomon gate to escape the rain and ponders whether to stay an honest man and starve or survive by becoming a thief. An encounter with an old woman scavenging amongst the corpses left to rot at the gate helps him decide his next course of action.
Yam Gruel: This is the story of a man the author chooses to call Goi, which is the word for his fifth class court ranking. He's a pathetic creature, perennially mocked and teased by both his superiors and his inferiors. His lifelong desire is to be able to eat his fill of yam gruel, a delicacy he is only allowed a small taste of once a year at state dinners. After expressing his desire at one dinner, he learns to be careful what you wish for and to be grateful for what you have.
The Martyr: A young starving Japanese boy is found at the door to a church by the Jesuits who live there. They take him in, name him Lorenzo, and raise and care for him. He mysteriously refuses to answer any questions about his past or his family. Eventually he becomes the subject of rumors concerning a romance he is thought to have had with a merchant's daughter, resulting in her pregnancy. The Jesuits excommunicate him and he is forced to live as a beggar. However, his devotion remains as strong as ever. But not everything is as it seems, and the priests and townspeople are taught a lesson in passing judgment too hastily.
Kesa and Morito: This one is written in a sort of short play format consisting of two monologues. The two characters have had an adulterous affair and Morito is on his way to kill Kesa's husband. However, both are wondering why theh have done what they did and are thinking of ways out.
The Dragon: This is a story within a story. The main story is that of a priest who is tired of being teased by others and decides to play a prank on the locals by posting a board near a lake saying that on a certain date a dragon will rise out of the lake and ascend to heaven. His prank however ends up turning on him.
In A Grove: The testimony of seven witnesses to a murder, one of which is the ghost of the murdered man told through a medium, is told to a court investigating the crime. All are slightly different, leaving the reader to wonder what really happened in that bamboo grove. This story is the main plot of Akira Kurosawa's film Rashomon.
Rashomon: Although this short story gives its name to the film, very little of the story makes it into the film. It's the story of a servant who has just been dismissed by his samurai master because Kyoto has fallen into decline. He sits at the Rashomon gate to escape the rain and ponders whether to stay an honest man and starve or survive by becoming a thief. An encounter with an old woman scavenging amongst the corpses left to rot at the gate helps him decide his next course of action.
Yam Gruel: This is the story of a man the author chooses to call Goi, which is the word for his fifth class court ranking. He's a pathetic creature, perennially mocked and teased by both his superiors and his inferiors. His lifelong desire is to be able to eat his fill of yam gruel, a delicacy he is only allowed a small taste of once a year at state dinners. After expressing his desire at one dinner, he learns to be careful what you wish for and to be grateful for what you have.
The Martyr: A young starving Japanese boy is found at the door to a church by the Jesuits who live there. They take him in, name him Lorenzo, and raise and care for him. He mysteriously refuses to answer any questions about his past or his family. Eventually he becomes the subject of rumors concerning a romance he is thought to have had with a merchant's daughter, resulting in her pregnancy. The Jesuits excommunicate him and he is forced to live as a beggar. However, his devotion remains as strong as ever. But not everything is as it seems, and the priests and townspeople are taught a lesson in passing judgment too hastily.
Kesa and Morito: This one is written in a sort of short play format consisting of two monologues. The two characters have had an adulterous affair and Morito is on his way to kill Kesa's husband. However, both are wondering why theh have done what they did and are thinking of ways out.
The Dragon: This is a story within a story. The main story is that of a priest who is tired of being teased by others and decides to play a prank on the locals by posting a board near a lake saying that on a certain date a dragon will rise out of the lake and ascend to heaven. His prank however ends up turning on him.
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