Cultural Event On Princess Mononoke

Cultural Event on Princess Mononoke

Kevin Robert Copenhaver

In the beginning of the story, a Warrior of the Omishi tribe has to fight a giant boar god who has been possessed by a demon. Before dying, the demonic, wormlike aura surrounding the boar god shoots out and grabs ahold of his arm and leaves a dangerous looking scar. Upon killing the boar god, a "small iron ball" (or musket shot) is found inside his remains. Even after the possessed god tried to kill them and destroy their village, the wise-woman comes out and addresses the god in a very respectful manner. She asks that the god has mercy on their village and holds no grudge. She also says that she is going to perform funeral rights on the ground which he fell upon. Ashitaka, the hero, is told by the tribes wise-woman that he must venture far to the east to find where the iron ball came from. He is also told that he is never allowed to return to his village. Thus, he departs.

This story almost directly relates to what we are studying in class. The hero will come to represent the Indians and the ones who shot the boar god will come to represent the whites. As he continues his adventure, he eventually comes to an injured man. He helps the injured man and one other to their town. They live in a town which is called "iron town". There he meets Lady Iboshi and hears the tale of how she slew the boar god with her men and their rifles. Ashitaka talks with her about it and realizes her goal is to kill all the gods of the nature and eventually kill the god of the forest, so she can sell its head to the emperor so he may live forever.

Ashitaka teams up with The Wolf Princess to try and stop Lady Iboshi's plans. He knows the importance of the natural world and also knows she is trying to destroy it. Ashitaka, however, does not believe in violence. He believes they can find a way to stop her without killing anyone. He is a man of peace.

Ashitaka goes to seek out the god of the forest to see if it will cure the poison which courses through his veins. The Lady Iboshi follows Ashitaka and eventually finds a way to kill the great god. When she does, she puts