Tokugawa Yoshinobu's last words

(Quoted from "The Last Shogun", by Shiba Ryuutarou)

"Just before he died, his physician leaned over the pillow and asked,
"Are you in pain?" Yoshinobu answered faintly, in an extremely
accurate description of his condition: "No, I am just weak. The pain
is gone." Those were his last words. A few minutes later, at 4:10 PM
on November 21, 1913, he was gone."

I was stunned when I read this.

"No, I am just weak. The pain is gone."

I know that he was sick, but these words, in my opinion, have a deeper
meaning as well. As someone who is currently writing a book that is
partly about the Tokugawa and what _might_ have been, it hurt to read
these words. What hurt and stung even more was reading what Emperor
Meiji said to Ito Hirobumi (the Prime minister), after having received
Yoshinobu at the new Imperial Palace (formerly Edo Castle), and having
bestowed upon him the rank of Koshaku (marquis):

"Yesterday I was finally able to do something to show my gratitude to
Yoshinobu. I ought to be grateful; after all, I took the country away
from him!"

Arrogant little snot....

--Masayoshi(stalks away muttering about the Imperial house)

Shimazu Masayoshi wrote:

>
>"No, I am just weak. The pain is gone."
>
>I know that he was sick, but these words, in my opinion, have a deeper
>meaning as well. >>
>

I read a very deep meaning into those words myself especially when I
think of what happened to those in Aizu and Nagaoka.

As far as Meiji being an arrogant snot. He might very well have been,
being a "child of privilege", but I have a feeling the portrayal of him
the Last Samurai might not be too far off. When his father died he was
only 16 or so, correct?

I can very much see him pushed and bullied-- excuse me--"advised" by
older stronger men who told him what he wanted to hear as long as he
publicly backed their personal agendas which they no doubt insisted was
for the "good of the people and nothing more."

--
Barbara Sheridan
http://www.barbarasheridan.net



[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

> I can very much see him pushed and bullied-- excuse me--"advised" by
> older stronger men

I know. That portrayal in "The Last Samurai" was rather moving,
actually. Plus, Nakamura Shichinosuke (the actor who played him) is a
real Kabuki actor, so it felt all the more realistic.

I'm sorry if I flew off the handle. It's just that...for some reason,
I feel acutely aware of the pain and humiliation that the Tokugawa and
their retainers must have felt at being "outcasts" and "enemies of the
Court", when it really had nothing to do with the Court, and
everything to do with Choshuu and Satsuma's efforts for
self-advancement. Again, I'm sorry I lost control. As a
historian-in-training, it's OK to feel emotional, but I realize that I
have to train myself to be able to better keep my cool.

( :::Hugs imaginary Ayu-nee plushie::: ) I'm much better now...^_^

--M.

Hi! I'm new here. After reading that quote by Emperor Meiji, all I have to say is 'whoa, what audacity'

Shimazu Masayoshi <patriot014@...> wrote:(Quoted from "The Last Shogun", by Shiba Ryuutarou)

"Just before he died, his physician leaned over the pillow and asked,
"Are you in pain?" Yoshinobu answered faintly, in an extremely
accurate description of his condition: "No, I am just weak. The pain
is gone." Those were his last words. A few minutes later, at 4:10 PM
on November 21, 1913, he was gone."

I was stunned when I read this.

"No, I am just weak. The pain is gone."

I know that he was sick, but these words, in my opinion, have a deeper
meaning as well. As someone who is currently writing a book that is
partly about the Tokugawa and what _might_ have been, it hurt to read
these words. What hurt and stung even more was reading what Emperor
Meiji said to Ito Hirobumi (the Prime minister), after having received
Yoshinobu at the new Imperial Palace (formerly Edo Castle), and having
bestowed upon him the rank of Koshaku (marquis):

"Yesterday I was finally able to do something to show my gratitude to
Yoshinobu. I ought to be grateful; after all, I took the country away
from him!"

Arrogant little snot....

--Masayoshi(stalks away muttering about the Imperial house)



visit

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SHQ_Spy_Division/

our companion list featuring fanfiction/art



---------------------------------
Yahoo! Groups Links

To visit your group on the web, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SHQ/

To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
SHQ-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com

Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service.



Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Finance Tax Center - File online. File on time.

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

Hi, I'm new too, really I agree.


--- rosewhite <rosewhite772000@...> wrote:

> Hi! I'm new here. After reading that quote by
> Emperor Meiji, all I have to say is 'whoa, what
> audacity'
>
> Shimazu Masayoshi <patriot014@...>
> wrote:(Quoted from "The Last Shogun", by Shiba
> Ryuutarou)
>
> "Just before he died, his physician leaned over the
> pillow and asked,
> "Are you in pain?" Yoshinobu answered faintly, in an
> extremely
> accurate description of his condition: "No, I am
> just weak. The pain
> is gone." Those were his last words. A few minutes
> later, at 4:10 PM
> on November 21, 1913, he was gone."
>
> I was stunned when I read this.
>
> "No, I am just weak. The pain is gone."
>
> I know that he was sick, but these words, in my
> opinion, have a deeper
> meaning as well. As someone who is currently writing
> a book that is
> partly about the Tokugawa and what _might_ have
> been, it hurt to read
> these words. What hurt and stung even more was
> reading what Emperor
> Meiji said to Ito Hirobumi (the Prime minister),
> after having received
> Yoshinobu at the new Imperial Palace (formerly Edo
> Castle), and having
> bestowed upon him the rank of Koshaku (marquis):
>
> "Yesterday I was finally able to do something to
> show my gratitude to
> Yoshinobu. I ought to be grateful; after all, I took
> the country away
> from him!"
>
> Arrogant little snot....
>
> --Masayoshi(stalks away muttering about the Imperial
> house)
>
>
>
> visit
>
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SHQ_Spy_Division/
>
> our companion list featuring fanfiction/art
>
>
>
> ---------------------------------
> Yahoo! Groups Links
>
> To visit your group on the web, go to:
> http://groups.yahoo.com/group/SHQ/
>
> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to:
> SHQ-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com
>
> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the
> Yahoo! Terms of Service.
>
>
>
> Do you Yahoo!?
> Yahoo! Finance Tax Center - File online. File on
> time.
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been
> removed]
>
>

__________________________________
Do you Yahoo!?
Yahoo! Finance Tax Center - File online. File on time.
http://taxes.yahoo.com/filing.html