Rashomon (Film) Essay Questions

How does Kurosawa use rain as a symbol?

Rain has caused the priest, woodcutter and commoner all to take refuge under the gates of Rashomon. Kurosawa is known for using the natural elements to symbolize internal states and signify greater meaning in the relationship of the characters to their surrounding world. We see the commoner exit the cover of the gate into the rain as he refuses to become a man that does good, while the woodcutter exits after the rain ceases, deciding to keep the infant child. The rain represents the murkiness, the unreedemed confusion of the world. Thus when the commoner exits into the rain he is continuing to assume his previous, cynical stance in life, while the woodcutter is choosing to do what is right. This then becomes the symbol that the woodcutter is moving forward in life in a significant way.

What is the significance of the central event of the story taking place in a forest?

Kurosawa places the events of the crime in a forest. The forest is a place of seclusion and mystery. It is far from civilization and from the gaze of men, thus when the different stories are told no one can be certain of what exactly happened, because no one was there. The truth is shrouded in mystery which makes the story and film even more compelling, and more like myth than objective reality.

How does Kurosawa use the journey of the woodcutter into the forest to prepare the audience for what is to come?

Kurosawa uses kinetic camerawork to film the woodcutter walking into the forest. He shoots directly into the sun and we follow along as the man comes upon the clues that lead him to witness the crime. The journey of the woodcutter into the forest is significant because Kurosawa is establishing that we as the audience are being taken into another world, one we do not know nor recognize. Like the woodcutter, we enter the forest as a place of mystery and uncertainty.

What are the implications of the relationship between the woodcutter and the priest?

The priest maintains a precarious faith in the goodness of mankind, whereas the commoner cynically dismisses the notion that mankind is inherently good or truthful. This leads the commoner to be less concerned about the "authenticity" of the story than he is interested in its entertainment value. The commoner looting the orphaned baby's possessions at the film's end reveals his base heartlessness, and makes a final, stark contrast with the priest's faith and values.

Can you explain which story is the accurate or correct version? Why or why not?

Kurosawa likely expected the woodcutter's second tale to be the one that most audiences would believe was closest to the truth, although this is purposefully complicated by the fact that the woodcutter lies twice about stealing the dagger. It is impossible to say if any story is correct, and easier to point out the probable lies in each story: Tajomaru overrating his heroism, the wife glossing over her bloodthirstiness, the samurai playing down his own brutality. However, based on the lack of witnesses, the truth is perhaps finally unattainable.