In this section of our Colossus Movie Guide for Rashomon, we look at important motifs that help us understand the film.
Cast
- Takashi Shimura – Kikori, The Woodcutter
- Minoru Chiaki – Tabi Hōshi, The Priest
- Kichijiro Ueda – The Commoner
- Toshiro Mifune – Tajōmaru, The Bandit
- Machiko Kyō – The Wife
- Masayuki Mori – The Samurai
- Noriko Honma – Miko, The Medium
- Daisuke Katō – Houben, The Policeman
- Shinobu Hashimoto – Writer
- Akira Kurosawa – Writer and director
Important motifs in Rashomon
Truth and falsehood
There is a constant interplay between truth and falsehood in Rashomon. The four testimonies of the same event are all conflicting, each differing in crucial details. This dissonance raises the question: what is truth? Is it a universal reality, or is it a subjective interpretation based on individual perception? Each character in the film believes their version of the events to be the truth, and yet, each of these “truths” contradicts the others. This motif reflects the subjective and mutable nature of truth and reality, leaving the audience to grapple with their own definitions of truth and falsehood.
The Rashomon city gate
The Rashomon city gate becomes a physical representation of the moral decay and corruption that pervades the narrative. The gate’s disrepair parallels the disintegration of truth and morality within the characters’ conflicting testimonies. Additionally, the gate functions as a liminal space or transitionary threshold. It’s under this gate that the characters deliver their accounts, oscillating between their own perceived realities and the uncertain objective truth. The Rashomon city gate encapsulates the film’s exploration of the subjectivity of truth and the mutable nature of morality.
The amulet
The amulet serves as commentary on faith and redemption in Rashomon. It is found with the abandoned baby at the end of the film. This small artifact, an object of religious significance, marks a turn from the bleak examination of human nature to a moment of hope and redemption: the commoner attempts to steal the amulet from the baby, but the woodcutter stops him. When the woodcutter decides to take the baby and the amulet, the priest is overcome by the act of altruism on the other side of the ugly trial. It suggests an act of faith in humanity and a desire for moral redemption, even amidst a world of perceived moral decay.
The dagger
The dagger symbolizes betrayal, power, and control. Its presence and absence in different versions of the story reflect the shifting power dynamics and the manipulations of truth by the characters. For example, in the Samurai’s testimony, the dagger is used by his wife to free him, but in the Wife’s account, the dagger is the weapon she uses in a desperate act of self-defense. Its fluctuating role in the characters’ narratives underscores the film’s central theme of subjective truth.
Judgment
As the various testimonies are relayed, we see the characters passing judgment on one another based on their versions of the truth. Even the woodcutter and the priest, who serve as listeners to the narratives, engage in judgment, reflecting their perspectives and biases. The film employs this motif to pose questions about the nature and fairness of judgment, especially when truth is subjective and reality is mutable.
The forest
The forest in Rashomon serves as a potent motif, embodying both the chaos and complexity of human nature. It is within this dense, disorienting woodland that the crucial event—the encounter between the Bandit, the Samurai, and the Wife—takes place. The forest, with its tangled paths and thick foliage, symbolizes the entanglement of truth and falsehood, as well as the moral ambiguity of the characters. Just like the viewers trying to discern the real truth among the various testimonies, the characters are lost and disoriented within the dense woods.
Wind
The wind is a significant atmospheric element in these forest scenes. It sets an eerie and unsettling tone, mirroring the emotional turbulence and inner turmoil of the characters. The gusts of wind rustle the leaves and branches, contributing to the sense of chaos and confusion. This is in stark contrast to the static, oppressive heat at the city gate, underscoring the difference between the disarray of the event and the stark, still examination of truth under the Rashomon gate.
Sunlight
Sunlight acts as a symbol of truth and revelation. The film uses sunlight to expose and highlight the characters during their testimonies, illuminating their expressions and actions. However, it’s worth noting that these moments of “illumination” often occur during the most contradictory parts of their stories. This use of sunlight suggests that even in the light of truth, deception and subjectivity can still persist, underlining the elusive and complex nature of truth in the film.
Sunlight in the forest scenes also plays a crucial role. Unlike its usual symbolism of revelation or truth, the sunlight in the forest is often blocked by the dense trees, casting long, confusing shadows that further muddle the perception of the viewer. It filters through the trees in patches, creating a chiaroscuro effect that enhances the sense of ambiguity and uncertainty. This dappled sunlight suggests that even under illumination, truth can remain fragmented and elusive, further accentuating the subjectivity of reality that forms the crux of Rashomon.
Perception and perspective
Perception is an intricate motif in Rashomon, running deeply throughout the film. Every character perceives and recounts the same event in a different way, reinforcing that our individual experiences and biases influence how we perceive reality. By presenting the same event from various perspectives, the film highlights how our perceptions shape our understanding of the world and our truths.
Ego
The testimonies of the characters are largely driven by their egos. Each character manipulates the story to present themselves in the best possible light, even if it means altering the truth. The film uses the motif of ego to depict how self-preservation and pride can distort our understanding of reality. It questions whether we can ever truly escape our egos in our pursuit of truth.
Share your thoughts
Are there more motifs you think should be part of the Colossus Movie Guide for Rashomon? Leave your thoughts below and we’ll consider them for the guide.
