30 pages • 1 hour read
Ryūnosuke AkutagawaRashomon
Fiction | Short Story | Adult | Published in 1915A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
What does Akutagawa say about morality in “Rashōmon”? Use examples from the text.
Compare the characters of the former servant and the old woman. How are the two similar? How do they differ?
What is the relationship between the Rashōmon gate and the city of Kyoto? In what ways does the gate reflect the city of Kyoto?
The short story ends with the former servant stealing the old woman’s clothing. Why does he do this? How is it an example of irony?
Given the themes and characteristics of modernism, how does the story reflect modernist tendencies? How does it showcase Akutagawa’s unique blend of modernist and classical literary styles?
One criticism of Akutagawa’s writing is that he maintained too great an authorial distance and examined humanity like a scientist. Considering “Rashōmon,” do you agree with this critique? Why or why not?
The unnamed servant has a festering pimple on the right side of his cheek. What does the pimple symbolize in the story? What does it reveal about the servant’s morality?
How does Akutagawa’s writing reflect the socioeconomic state of post-feudal Japan?
The story ends with the woman left naked at the top of the tower peering into the darkness, and the narrator stating that the servant was never heard from again. Why did Akutagawa end the story this way? What do you think happened to the old woman and the servant?
Related Titles
By Ryūnosuke Akutagawa
