SOURCE: “The Placatory Nature of The Tale of the Heike: Additional Documents and Thoughts,” in Currents in Japanese Culture: Translations and Transformations, edited by Amy Vladeck Heinrich, Columbia University Press, 1997, pp. 71-80.

In the following essay, Plutschow contends that a major purpose for the Heike Monogatari was to appease angry gods and guilty consciences.

In my book Chaos and Cosmos: Ritual in Classical Japanese Literature, I discuss a number of texts suggesting that the Heike monogatari (The Tale of the Heike) was recited in part to placate the spirits of its heroes. These texts range from legends such as “Earless Hōichi” and “Earless Danichi” to war tales (gunki-mono), historical works, and diaries. I introduce the pioneering research of Tsukudo Reikan and others who interpret The Tale of the Heike as placatory literature. Furthermore, I support my hypothesis with a discussion of the fear of vengeful spirits in...