Herald Characters in “The Last Samurai”

NB: We do not resell your papers. Upon ordering, we do an original paper exclusively for you.

NB: All your data is kept safe from the public.

The Herald archetype is a character who gives the reader a hint on some changes in the plot of a story. The main function of Herald is to signal a start, culmination, or denouement in the story. By looking at the movie “The Last Samurai”, we can see the characters that play essential roles in the plot of the movie. Those are Omura, Katsumoto, and Taka. These characters are important since each of them heralds a turning point in the plot of the film. They motivate the main character to the action and make a hint on the changes that will take place in his life and the storyline. Omura is a harbinger of the conflict in which Capitan Nathan Algren, the main character of the story will be involved. Katsumoto is a precursor of a shift that will turn Algren into a new warrior. This man will teach Nathan kendo, and the new skill will change his life cardinally. Taka is a Herald of the change that will take place in the inner world of the main character. She will help him find the truth, love, and immortality of the soul.

Omura is a person due to which the external conflict in the story begins. First, he is presented as a confederate of Algren, instigating him to suppress their common enemy, samurais, for the benefit of a new and more powerful Japan.

We must resist the Western powers by becoming powerful ourselves. Our army and our economy must be strong (The Last Samurai)

He sees his target clearly, he knows that if Algren helps to train his army well, they will win in the fight against the worst enemy, Katsumoto.

If Katsumoto attracts other samurai to his cause, we will have 10 years of rebellion. This is something I will not allow. Either I will stop him at the council today or you will lead my army against him. And with these new weapons, you will crush him (The Last Samurai).

Thus, the main character becomes involved in a collision between two forces: the adherents of the past and new regulations in the military system of Japan.

This was the beginning of a new stage in the life of Algren as well as in the plot of the story. Soon, Nathan faced the second stage associated with Katsumoto’s personality. Algren first met Katsumoto on the battlefield where Katsumoto appears to be his enemy who does not kill him because of a white tiger on Algren’s spear. During the meditation, Katsumoto has a vision in which a white tiger is surrounded by samurai and fighting fearlessly. That tiger is a kind of sign for Katsumoto forecasting meeting with someone special, someone, who will be extremely courageous.

When being taken captive by Katsumoto, poorly wounded Algren spends much time among samurais learning more about their customs, laws, and regulations. After recovery, Algren has to step over the stage where he was standing along with Katsumoto. The hostile relationship between Katsumoto and Nathan Algren is finished.

Katsumoto becomes not only his ally but also a guru throughout his way of studying the samurai philosophy. With the help of Katsumoto, Algren gets to know a lot about the philosophy of samurai. He curiously watches them following traditions in everyday life and finds out more about their moral values that

Many of our customs seem strange to you. And the same is true of yours. For example, not introducing yourself is considered extremely rude, even among enemies (The Last Samurai).

The perfect blossom is a rare thing. You could spend your life looking for one, and it would not be a wasted life (The Last Samurai).

Katsumoto teaches Algren kendo that imparts knowledge of details about the military art of samurais. This knowledge will later play a significant role in Algren’s further destiny. Some methods of fighting will help him rescue and kill several soldiers from the army of Omura. Thus, meeting Katsumoto and the sojourn in his place make another big change in Nathan’s life. From that point, Nathan goes over the side of samurais, and he takes part in the rest of the battles being a new person with a new character and new fighting skills that he got due to Katsumoto.

Taka is the Herald character indicating the last change that took place in the life of Nathan. She is someone who showed him the way to the rescue of the soul and a new life, the life among samurais. She takes care of him while he is badly wounded even though he killed her husband. (Chris Packhem). She accepts the laws of the war in which men have to kill each other and does not show any anger with Algren. Such a behavior arouses Algren’s interest, and he wonders whether a Japanese woman does not have any hatred for the man who killed her husband. She is an obedient wife, a caring mother, and of course, a resigned member of the samurai community who understands that being submissive to destiny and the laws established by samurais is what she has to accept. She emphasizes the difference between the customs of western and eastern people.

Taka: Japanese men do not help with this
Algren: [grabs firewood basket] I am not Japanese (The Last Samurai).

Still, she unintentionally penetrates the very bottom of Algren’s heart-changing it from the inside even not realizing that under her influence, Alfred becomes more and more devoted to samurais. She seems to cover his mind with the veil of love to everything associating with samurais as well as herself. Before the last battle in which Algren does not hope to survive, Taka prepares the Samurai dress for him, asks him to wear it, and helps to put on the Samurai dress with honor (Chris Packhem). Even Taka’s son is afraid for Algren, probably, even more than he was afraid for his father (Alfred, Chu) which makes us think that Algren not only won Taka’s heart but also became rather popular among samurais. It is not occasionally that the movie ends with the words of the narrator saying

Algren at last found some small measure of peace, that we all seek, and few of us ever find (The Last Samurai).

Under these words, he presents Algren’s new life in love, conciliation, and peace, and Taka was the Herald of this life.

Thus, the Herald characters play an important role in the story. They predict the change that should take place in the life of the main character and add a vivid interest to the storyline of the film. The plot would hardly be that exciting without the main Herald characters, since:

Omura is a signal to conflict in which the main character will be involved;
Katsumoto and his vision of a white tiger indicating that Algren is a Hero of the story who will have to change and become a new samurai;
Taka is a herald of a new and spiritually rich life different from the one that Algren lived before.

Altogether, the Herald characters build up an intriguing plot and adding a sort of mystery to it.

Works Cited

Alfred Chu. “Movie Review: The Last is a Great War Epic”. The Sage. P.4. 2003.

Chris Packhem. “The Last Samurai (2003)”. Reviews and Reception. Web.

Zdwick, Edward, dir. The Last Samurai. Perf. Ken Watanabe and Tom Cruise. Warner Bros. Pictures, 2003.

Click Here To Order Now!

Herald Characters in “The Last Samurai”

Do you need this or any other assignment done for you from scratch?

We have qualified writers to help you.

We assure you a quality paper that is 100% free from plagiarism and AI.

You can choose either format of your choice ( Apa, Mla, Havard, Chicago, or any other)