2【第2回・第3回近代に向かう日本】
Summary
TLDRこの物語は、1865年に日本に到着したイギリス人記者エドガー・ウェストンの視点から語られます。日本が鎖国を解き、急速に西洋文化と技術を受け入れ変わりゆく中で、彼は日本文化に触れ、その変革の目撃者となります。サムライの没落や新しい時代の到来、そして彼の心を揺さぶる女性、ハツとの出会いと別れを通して、彼はこの変化が日本にもたらす影響について考えます。最終的に、彼は愛する国と女性を残し、日本を去る決断をします。
Takeaways
- 📜 エドガー・ウェストンがロンドンの新聞社で戦争特派員として働いていた。
- 🛳️ 1865年4月8日に横浜港に到着し、日本での生活を始める。
- 🏯 日本のシンプルな生活様式に感銘を受け、特に侍の姿に強い印象を抱く。
- 🌍 外国人たちと交流し、日本が200年間の鎖国を経て開国したことについて議論する。
- 👘 侍の家系出身の女性、ハツ・オカベと出会い、彼女の思想的な葛藤を知る。
- 📚 ハツは西洋の思想に触れ、特に自由や権利に強く惹かれるようになる。
- ⚔️ 1871年の改革により侍の特権が失われ、多くの侍が反乱を起こすが、敗北する。
- 💔 ハツの家族は彼女を富裕な商人に嫁がせようとするが、彼女はエドガーとの結婚を望む。
- 🚢 1877年2月19日、エドガーは日本を去り、ハツに別れを告げずに船に乗り込む。
- 🤔 西洋文明が日本にもたらした影響についてエドガーは深く考え、後悔や疑問を抱く。
Q & A
エドガー・ウェストンはどのような経緯で日本に渡ったのですか?
-エドガー・ウェストンは英国の新聞社「ブリティッシュ・クロニクルズ」の通信員として日本に赴任し、1865年4月8日に横浜に到着しました。
日本でエドガーが最初に感じた印象は何でしたか?
-彼は日本の人々の簡素な生活様式、木と紙で作られた家、そしてわずかな家具に驚き、物質的な不足が理由かと思ったが、人々の満足そうな様子から、それが選ばれた生活様式だと感じました。
エドガーが最も恐怖を感じたのはどのような場面ですか?
-エドガーは侍に出くわした時、彼らが腰に二本の刀を常に携えているのを見て、手が震えるほどの恐怖を感じました。
フランス人のバティストとロシア人のフョードルは、日本の開国についてどのように考えていましたか?
-バティストは、200年の鎖国が日本にもたらした繁栄を認めつつも、開国が進歩への道だと考えていました。一方で、フョードルは開国が日本を危険にさらし、国を飲み込んでしまうと心配していました。
エドガーが出会った女性、ハツ・オカベはどのような人物ですか?
-ハツ・オカベは侍の家に生まれ、伝統的な日本の価値観に縛られて育ちましたが、西洋の自由や権利の概念に強い興味を抱き、家族の期待と自らの考えの狭間で葛藤していました。
ハツが教育に対して感じていたことは何ですか?
-ハツは兄弟が家を出て正式な教育を受けるのを羨ましく思い、父親が彼女に教育を不要とし、琴の練習を命じたことに疑問を持っていました。
1871年の改革後、侍はどのような状況に置かれましたか?
-1871年の改革で侍は特権や社会的地位を失い、新しい職を探さなければならない状況に追い込まれました。多くの侍は静かに受け入れましたが、一部は怒りを覚え、反乱を起こしました。
エドガーとハツの結婚について、ハツの父親はどのように反応しましたか?
-ハツの父親はエドガーを侵略者と見なし、彼との結婚に反対しました。彼女が結婚を選べば勘当すると脅し、エドガーの説得も逆効果でした。
エドガーが日本を離れた理由は何ですか?
-ハツの家族を引き裂きたくないと感じたエドガーは、彼女に別れを告げずに、1877年2月19日に横浜を出発しました。
エドガーが最後に見た日本の光景は何でしたか?
-彼が最後に見たのは、反乱軍と戦うために出航する帝国軍の姿であり、これが西洋文明がもたらしたものかと疑問を抱きました。
Outlines
🌍 異国での始まり
語り手であるエドガー・ウェストンが、様々な人々や経験を通じて感じたことが忘れ去られないことを願いつつ物語が始まる。エドガーは英国の新聞社で働いていた際に、彼の物語が幕を開けた。
🚢 日本への到着
エドガーは日本という国に記者として赴任することになり、船旅を経て1865年4月に横浜に到着する。日本人の質素な生活様式に驚きつつも、彼らの満足そうな様子に感銘を受ける。エドガーは侍や外国人との交流を通じて、日本が200年間外国との接触を制限してきた結果、安全で繁栄した社会を維持してきたことを知る。しかし、開国により変化が訪れていることを強く感じる。
🏯 伝統と変革に揺れる女性
エドガーは日本滞在中、武士の家に生まれた女性、岡部はつに出会う。彼女は伝統的な日本の価値観に縛られながらも、兄たちが容易に得た教育を受けることができずに苦しんでいた。西洋の思想、特に自由や権利という概念に魅了されるが、エドガーはそれを安易に受け入れる危険性を警告する。それでも彼女はそれらの思想に救いを見出し、二人は親密な関係を築いていく。
⚔️ 武士の没落と反乱
明治時代の始まりは急速な変化を象徴していた。1871年に階級制度が廃止され、多くの侍が特権を失う。政府が刀を持つことを禁止し、世襲による給付も終わりを迎えたことで、反乱が勃発する。侍たちは近代化された帝国陸軍との戦いに敗北し、戦争は3年間続いた。はつの父もまた、この変革により苦境に立たされ、彼女は裕福な商人との結婚を強いられる。エドガーとはつは密かに交際を続けるが、結婚の話が浮上し、彼女の父親との間に深い溝が生まれる。
🚶♂️ 別れと後悔
エドガーは彼女の家族との対立を避けるために、はつの元を去ることを決意する。1877年2月19日、彼は横浜湾から船に乗り、日本を後にする。彼は最後に見た光景が、日本の反乱に向かう帝国陸軍であったことに、ヨーロッパの植民地主義と重ね合わせ、複雑な感情を抱く。
❓ 運命の問いかけ
エドガーは、はつとの出会いや彼女との関係について疑問を抱く。彼女を愛し、結婚を夢見たことが間違いだったのか、それを知るのは歴史だけだ、と彼は考える。物語はここで締めくくられる。
Mindmap
Keywords
💡外国人
💡サムライ
💡明治時代
💡横浜
💡近代化
💡恋愛
💡剣の禁止
💡反乱
💡植民地主義
💡別れ
Highlights
Edgar Weston introduces himself as a war correspondent for the British Chronicles in London, starting his journey in Japan.
The setting begins in Yokohama, Japan, on April 8th, 1865, where Edgar arrives after months on ships.
Edgar observes the simplicity of Japanese life, with houses made of wood and paper, and the people living contentedly with minimal material possessions.
He encounters Samurai, the warrior class with distinct top-knot haircuts and swords, creating fear and fascination.
Edgar reflects on whether foreigners, including himself, are a danger to the peace of Japan, especially with the arrival of Western influences.
Baptiste, a French art dealer, argues that Japan’s isolation for 200 years brought prosperity but opening its doors now is a step towards progression.
Fyodor, a Russian shipbuilder, believes that opening Japan to the West is a mistake, and that the country will be devoured by foreigners.
Edgar meets Hatsu Okabe, a bright woman from a samurai family, who questions traditional customs and yearns for education and freedom.
Hatsu faces internal conflict, torn between her family’s traditional values and the Western ideas of freedom and rights.
Edgar and Hatsu’s relationship deepens as they continue to meet daily, eventually leading to discussions about marriage.
Hatsu’s father opposes her marriage to Edgar, threatening to disown her if she chooses him over a wealthy merchant suitor.
Edgar reflects on the socio-political changes in Japan, including the fall of the samurai class during the Meiji Restoration and its consequences.
The banning of swords and the end of hereditary stipends leads to samurai revolts, which are ultimately crushed by the modernized Imperial Army.
Edgar decides to leave Japan to avoid causing further conflict for Hatsu and her family, departing on February 19, 1877, without telling her.
As Edgar leaves Japan, he reflects on the country’s fate, wondering if Western civilization has brought colonization and destruction to Japan.
Transcripts
foreign
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oh
um
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foreign
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and hopes that the things I have things
I've seen the people I've met and the
things I've long thought on will not be
forgotten forgotten
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my name is
Edgar Weston
it all began when I was working as a
wall correspondent for the British
Chronicles in London
interim post a country that had just
opened its doors to foreigners
then I wholeheartedly accepted it
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the country was called Japan
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after months on ships I finally arrived
at the port in Yokohama on April 8th
1865.
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upon first exploring the town I could
not help but notice the Simplicity in
the way the Japanese lived
the houses were made of wood and paper
and contained very little Furniture I
wondered if this was because of the
general scarcity of goods in the country
however once I noticed the contentedness
of the people I could not help but think
that they chose this way of living
I noted that some Japanese men wore
nothing but loincloths
others who are a distinguished class of
warrior known as Samurai had a top-not
haircut part of their heads neatly
shaven they wore two swords at their
sights at all times
my hands shook in fear when I almost ran
into such a man
accidents in Yokohama
foreigners of about a thousand
at night my fellow foreigners and I
would gather for drinks and conversation
Baptiste an art dealer from France would
say the 200 years of limited contact
with the outside world provided Japan
with safety and prosperity
but opening its doors now was the
perfect answer for progression
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fyodor a shipbuilder from Russia would
Puff on his pipe and sigh the doors
should never have been opened we will
devour this country whole
fyodo had a deep love for Japan and was
often critical of the changes it was
going through
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it's strange how one can be so oblivious
to the fact that they are a threat to
the things that they love
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were we a danger to this peaceful
country
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I knew that I needed to stay longer in
order to find out
after several nights of pondering I
decided to ask for an extension of my
time in Japan
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my daily work as a correspondent kept me
busy
allowing me to travel all across the
country and talk with its people
my understanding of the culture had
deepened and my Japanese continued to
improve
above all I thoroughly enjoyed being a
witness to the unprecedented changes
this country was going through
a change that was most strongly felt in
the place where I resided
the Japanese would come to the
settlement to taste beer try out Western
trousers and get their hands on the
latest Technologies
it was a mixture of intense curiosity
Fascination and perhaps unrest that
drove them
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it was during these busy years that I
met the woman who had changed the course
of my life
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her name was hatsu okabe
it was Apparent from the beginning that
hatsu was exceptionally bright but I
soon discovered that there was another
side to her
a woman caught in the flux of times grip
hatsu grew up in a samurai family who
lived by traditional Japanese values
she loved her family daily but she was
beginning to question the old Customs
that were forced upon her
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she watched With Envy as her brothers
left the house with ease and began a
more formal education
her father didn't think education was
necessary for women
he ordered hatsu to stay home and learn
how to play the Koto instead
her doubts only deepened the more she
was exposed to Western Customs
it was the ideas like freedom and rights
that intrigued her the most
I warned her that it was dangerous to
take those ideas at their face value
but even so they gave her what she was
desperately looking for
a voice
[Music]
it was well into the night when we ended
our first conversation
we promised each other to meet again the
next day
and we did and again every day for the
next two weeks
it wasn't long before we became
inseparable
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to describe the beginning of the Meiji
era is to describe how an infant would
grow
everything she sees touches and hears
becomes a part of her
the changes were fast
perhaps too fast for some people
when the class system was reformed in
1871 many Samurai were stripped of their
Privileges and social standings which
forced them to look for new employment
most of them quietly accepted their fate
but some were angered by the
government's treatment
dispute came to a Tipping Point when the
government banned the carrying of swords
in public and put an end to the
hereditary stipend
the disaffected samurai got their forces
and revolted against the new government
the samurai greatly skilled but limited
in number and equipment clashed with the
modernized Imperial Army
the series of Wars across Japan lasted
for three years
all ending in defeat for the rebel
forces
[Music]
hatsu's father was also one of the many
who lost his privileges during the
Reformation
the shift through her family into
Financial struggle
it became so grave that they arranged
for hatsu to be married to a man from a
wealthy Merchant family
this only added complication to their
woes
so we met in secret my courtship with
hatsu continued throughout the years
[Music]
we eventually arrived at the
conversation of marriage
hatsu revealed her true intentions to
her father
marry another man from a Western Country
whom her father regarded as an invader
needless to say their conversation
quickly fell apart
he threatened to disown her if she chose
to marry me
in my attempts changing her father's
mind only seem to do more damage
after spending many days contemplating
our Fates
I resolved that I should not tear her
family apart
Su needed her family and so did her
family hatsu
[Music]
on the cold morning of February 19 1877
I boarded a steamer in Yokohama Bay and
left Japan without telling hatsu
as the steamer pulled away from The
Wharf I took one last look at the
country that I had come to love
what I saw was not houses made of wood
and paper but Imperial Army shipping off
to battle The Last Remnant of the
Rebellion
it's eerily reminded me of a site that
I'd seen
the European forces marching to battle
the natives in Africa and the Far East
to conquer
and colonize
was Japan to ride into a similar fate
was this what we the western
civilization
had brought to this country
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foreign
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foreign
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guys okay
um
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was I mistaken to have even crossed
paths with her
to have held her even dreamed of
marrying her
only history will be able to tell of how
it all unfolded
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thank you
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