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[[File: Silence 1.jpg|200px|thumb|left|Martin ScorseseThe Silence]]__NOTOC__Was the movie Silence historically accurate? Martin Scorsese is acknowledged to be one of the giants of modern cinema. He is mainly known for his movies on gangsters, but he has had a life-long fascination with spiritual themes. This is evident in his movie The Last Temptation of Christ. Scorsese worked on the movie Silence for over twenty years, and it was a labor of love. It is based on a novel by Shūsaku Endō, which narrated the fate of Christian missionaries in Japan in the 17th century. The movie stared Andrew Garfield, Adam Driver, Liam Nesson and leading Japanese actors such as Tadanobu Asano. The movie's screenplay was written by Jay Cocks, who consulted with the English translator of the works of Endō. Silence was a flop at the box-office and it only received one Oscar nomination. However, the work was well-received by critics. In this article, there is a discussion of the historicity of the movie.

==Plot of the movie==Silence opens with a scene in which Japanese Christian converts and European missionaries are being brutally tortured by samurais. A veteran Portuguese Jesuit priest Cristóvão Ferreira (Liam Neeson) is shown to be helplessly witnessing the torture. The movie then moves to the then Portuguese colony of Macao<ref>Montevecchio, Caesar A. "Silence." Journal of Religion & Film 21, no. 1 (2017): 26 </ref>. The Jesuit Order had received information from a Dutch trader, that Father Ferreira had apostatized and had renounced his Christian faith. When this is related to his two pupils Sebastião Rodrigues (stared Andrew Garfield) and Francisco Garupe (, Adam Driver) they are shocked , Liam Neeson and they decide to determine if this was true. They employ Kichijirō, (leading Japanese actors such as Tadanobu Asano) an alcoholic fisherman, who has renounced his Christian, faith, under death threats, to be their guide and interpreter. The two priests and Kichijirō are taken to Japan movie's screenplay was written by Chinese sailors. Father Rodrigues and Garupe are in grave danger as missionaries had been banned from the country and many Christian priests had already been killed. When they arriveJay Cocks, they are met by some Japanese Christians who have been forced to practice their faith in secret. The Japanese Shogun and his lords were brutally persecuting any Christians they could find. The Portuguese priests minister to consulted with the English translator of the villagersworks of Endō. However, a Japanese official, known as the "Inquisitor," arrives in the village <refi> Montevecchio, 26Silence</refi>. He ties some of the villagers to crosses on the shore and forces their loved ones to watch them slowly drown as the tide came in. The Inquisitor burns their bodies so that they cannot receive was a Christian burial. Garupe and Rodrigues split up and realize that their presence is putting local Christians box office flop at risk. Father Rodrigues goes in search of Father Ferrerira, and during this time, he experiences a spiritual crisis. He is reunited with Kichijiro, but he later betrays him for money. An old samurai tells the Portuguese priest to renounce his Christian faith or else more local converts would be tortured box-office and killedonly received one Oscar nomination. The Japanese authorities want this because they know this will led to native converts to lose their faith in the foreign religion. Father Rodrigues is taken to NagasakiHowever, which had a large Christian population. Here he is told by the governor, why the Japanese government is persecuting the Christians. When he is taken back to prison, he finds that Kichijirō has also been imprisoned in the same jail. Rodrigues somewhat grudgingly forgives him for his earlier betrayal. The interpreter is later released after he once again renounces his Christian faith. Rodrigues is later brought to a beach where he is forced to witness a terrible spectacle. He sees his fellow priest Garupe, who had been captured, and some Japanese prisoners. The prisoners are taken on a boat out to sea. Garupe is told that unless he apotheosized the trio would be drowned. The Portuguese Jesuit refuses to renounce his faith and the samurai, begin to throw the Christians, bound into the sea. Garaupe drowns in an attempt to save the last prisoner. Rodrigues then is brought to Father Ferreira, who is alive and does admit that he renounced, his faith during torture. He tells the younger priest that he had to do it to save Japanese Christians lives and that he believes that Christianity will never take root in Japan. Rodrigues is imprisoned and while in his cell he hears Christians being slowly killed, work was well-received by a gruesome torture methodcritics. The Japanese demands that he renounces, his faith, or else they would kill more innocents. Rodrigues, in order to save the lives of the Japanese Christians agrees to do so, only after hearing the voice of Christ telling him to do so. Rodrigues no longer believes himself to be a priest and apparently adopts Japanese values and customs. He grows old and he dies’ and his body cremated. The last image   ====Plot of the movie is the dead Rodrigues holding a tiny Christian cross. Scorsese seems to be saying that while Rodrigues did renounce the faith that he remained a Christian and did live a life in imitation of Jesus Christ. ====

==The persecution of Christians==In the Early Modern periodRodrigues then is brought to Father Ferreira, the Japanese were mainly Buddhists or followers of the traditional religion Shinto. St Francis Xavier began the first organized mission to Japan in 1549. Later who is alive and does admit that he renounced his faith when he was joined by mainly Portuguese prieststortured. The Jesuit Order became very active in He tells the missions younger priest that he had to do it to Japan. They soon were converted many of the local save Japanese to Christians lives and that he believes that Christianity and will never take root in general the missionaries could preach freely <ref> Gonzáles, Justo LJapan. The Story of Christianity, 3rd edition (Prince Press/Hendrickson PublishersRodrigues is imprisoned. Volume 1, 2004), pages 405–406</ref>. All of the Japanese who converted became Catholics, at least nominally and as When he is in the movie, whole villages his cell he hears Christians being slowly tortured and towns convertedkilled. Under the great warlord and Imperial regent, Oda Nobunaga, the Christians even enjoyed some favor. However, this changed with the rise to power of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's. He and the feudal lords became very wary of the Catholic priests and the growing power of the The Japanese Christian community. Hideyoshi began a crackdown on the foreign religion and its local adherents. In 1598 demands that he ordered the execution of 26 Christians outside Nagasaki. With the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate (Edo period)renounces, there was a wave of persecutions unleashed against those who professed Christianity. After 1603, there were many followers of Jesus killed for their his faith and many missionaries executed <ref>Gonsalez, por else they would kill more innocents. 410</ref>. The graphic scenes Rodrigues, in order to save the movie where the priests and local converts are brutally killed are based on historical incidents. The repression lives of the Japanese Christians went on for decades. Many of them were forced to go underground and to practice their faith in secret, despite often having no priests. This was shown very well in the movie. Many Japanese converts continued agrees to practice their faith despite the threat of death. Howeverdo so, as is shown in only after hearing the movie many others renounced their faith. This was done by either spitting on a cross or stepping on an image voice of Christ or the Virgin Mary (known as a fumie). Unknown numbers of Catholics did apotheosize, like the character Kichijirō. However, in the movie the local converts did not resist the Samurai sent telling him to force them to abandon their faithdo so. In fact, many Christians did resist efforts Rodrigues no longer believes himself to make them apotheosize. In the Shimabara Rebellion (1637-1638), be a priest and apparently adopts Japanese Catholics rose up in rebellionvalues and customs. This He grows old and he dies and his body was brutally put down and some 30-40,000 rebels were beheaded <ref>Gonsalez, pcremated. 410</ref>. Overall, The last image of the movie captures is the brutality of the persecution of Christians in Japan very accurately during the Tokugawa shogunatedead Rodrigues holding a tiny Christian cross. It is interesting to note Scorsese indicates that despite all the while he renounced his faith; he remained a Christian.  ====The persecution that small groups of followers of Jesus continued to practice their religion in secret and that the savage persecution did not exterminate the creed. Christians====

==The treatment In the Early Modern period, the Japanese were mainly Buddhists or followers of the traditional religion Shinto. St Francis Xavier began the first organized mission to Japan in 1549. Later he was joined by mainly Portuguese priests==. The movie shows Jesuit Order became very active in the missionaries being cruelly tortured by the Japanesemissions to Japan. There They soon were converted many cases where European missionaries, mainly Spanish of the local Japanese to Christianity and Portuguese were tortured and martyred in general, the first half missionaries could preach freely.<ref> Gonzáles, Justo L. The Story of Christianity, 3rd edition (Prince Press/Hendrickson Publishers. Volume 1, 2004), pages 405–406</ref> All of the 17th century. In generalJapanese who converted became Catholics, at least nominally and as in the early years of movie, whole villages and towns converted. Under the great warlord and Imperial regent, Oda Nobunaga, the persecutionChristians even enjoyed some favor.  However, this changed with the Japanese were willing rise to expel power of Toyotomi Hideyoshi's. He and the feudal lords became very wary of the Catholic priestsand the growing power of the Japanese Christian community. It appears that Hideyoshi began a crackdown on the foreign religion and its local adherents. In 1598 he ordered the execution of 26 Christians outside Nagasaki. With the establishment of the Tokugawa shogunate (Edo period), there was a wave of persecutions unleashed against those who professed Christianity. After 1603, there were many followers of Jesus killed for their faith and many missionaries executed.<ref>Gonsalez, p. 410</ref> The graphic scenes in order the movie where the priests and local converts are brutally killed are based on historical incidents. The repression of the Japanese Christians went on for decades. Many of them were forced to go underground and to frighten practice their colleagues to leavefaith in secret, despite often having no priests. This was largely successful and the number of missionaries and clerics shown very well in the country was halved from 1590 movie.  Many Japanese converts continued to 1620practice their faith despite the threat of death. In However, as is shown in the movie we see the Japanese being very eager to ensure that the Christian missionaries many others renounced their faith. This was done by either spitting on a cross or stepping on an image of Christ or the case Virgin Mary (known as the Shogunate wanted the discredit the priests in the eyes a fumie). Unknown numbers of Catholics did apotheosize, like the local populationcharacter Kichijirō. The treatment of the priests However, in the movie and , the local converts did not resist the cruel tactics used Samurai sent to make force them renounce to abandon their faith are all based on historical precedents. IndeedIn fact, as in the movie the Japanese were able many Christians did resist efforts to make a small number of European priests to renounce their faith, they became known as them apotheosize. In the ‘Fallen Priests’’ <ref> Breen, JohnShimabara Rebellion (1637-1638), Japanese Catholics rose up in rebellion. This was brutally put down and Mark Williamssome 30-40, eds000 rebels were beheaded. Japan and Christianity: Impacts and Responses (NJ, Springer, 2016)<ref>Gonsalez, p 112. 410</ref>Overall, the movie captures the brutality of the persecution of Christians in Japan very accurately during the Tokugawa shogunate. It is interesting to note that despite all the persecution that small groups of followers of Jesus continued to practice their religion in secret and that the savage persecution did not exterminate the creed.  ====The treatment of the priests====

==The role of foreigners in Japan==In movie shows the late 16th and early 17th century, Japan came into contact with Japanese tortured the Europeansmissionaries. The Japanese initially welcomed them and valued them as trading partners and There were impressed by their technology. The English, Dutchmany cases where European missionaries, mainly Spanish, and Portuguese , were all active tortured and martyred in Japan. They came as traders or as missionaries. The Europeans competed with each other to win the favor first half of the local Japanese lords and the Shogun. Many Japanese suspected that the foreigners wanted to conquer or invade their country’ and this was justified. This is very accurately shown in the movie17th century. In one crucial scenegeneral, an old Samurai compares the four competing countries to four concubines, whose machinations are leading to the downfall of a lord’s household. The four concubines are the Spanish, Portuguese, English and Dutch and the house they are destroying was Japan. Many at least in the ruling class believed that local Christians would support the conquest of the country by Western powers. This fear of foreign influence was the root cause early years of the persecution of , the Japanese Christians and missionaries<ref> Turnbull, Stephen. The Kakure Kirishitan of Japan: a study of their development, beliefs, and rituals were willing to expel the present dayCatholic priests. (London, Routledge, 1998.), p 89</ref>. ==The models for It appears that the Tokugawa shogunate killed missionaries==The character of Father Ferreira was based on a real-life Portuguese Jesuit missionary. As in the movie he was captured and tortured and abandoned his Catholicism in 1633. He later went on to marry a Japanese woman and wrote several books, that introduced Western ideas frighten their colleagues into Japanleaving. As in the movie, he This effort was a great missionary and his rejection of his faith scandalized the Catholic Church in Asia <ref>Breenlargely successful, p 119</ref>. As required by law he registered as a Buddhist at his local temple. However, unlike the Liam Neeson figure, in real life Ferreira, helped the authorities to persecute Japanese Catholics and even missionaries. The character of Rodrigues was based on the remarkable story number of an Italian Jesuit, Giuseppe di Chiara (1602 –1685). He had arrived missionaries and clerics in Japan to find Father Cristóvão Ferreira, who was discussed above. However, when Di Chiara was captured, he too was tortured, and renounced his faith. Later he married a Japanese woman and attained the rank of a samurai. He lived to a ripe old age and never returned to Europe. The author of the novel upon which the movie script country was based, Endō, was inspired halved from 1590 to create the character of Rodrigues by the story of Di Chiara. However it seems that the character of Father Garaupe, is entirely fictional as is his heroic death. ==Conclusion==Silence is a movie that deals with some of the most profound human themes, such as forgiveness, faith, and religion. It is based on real life events and it is much more historically accurate than many historical movies and period dramas. Silence does show the Persecution of Christians in Japan in the 17th century, in an accurate way. It shows the terrible ways that the Shogunate and the local lords set out to destroy the community. The horrifying details of the torture of local Christians are also very accurate. The Japanese perspective as to why members of the Western religion were persecuted is also given in the movie. The story of the missionaries has a basis in fact. There were many missionaries in 17th century Japan and many were martyred and expelled. There were some who under torture renounced their faith and became what is known as ‘Fallen Priests’. The story of Fathers Rodrigues and Ferreira are both based on real people, namely two priests who apotheosized and rejected their faith1620.

In the movie, we see the Japanese being very eager to ensure that the Christian missionaries renounced their faith. The Shogunate wanted the discredit the priests in the eyes of the local population. The treatment of the priests in the movie and the cruel tactics used to make them renounce their faith are all based on historical precedents. Indeed, as in the film, the Japanese were able to make a small number of European priests renounce their faith; they became known as the ‘Fallen Priests.’’ <ref> Breen, John, and Mark Williams, eds. Japan and Christianity: Impacts and Responses (NJ, Springer, 2016), p 112</ref> ====The role of foreigners in Japan====In the late 16th and early 17th century, Japan came into contact with the Europeans. The Japanese initially welcomed them and valued them as trading partners and were impressed by their technology. The English, Dutch, Spanish, and Portuguese were all active in Japan. They came as traders or as missionaries. The Europeans competed with each other to win the favor of the local Japanese lords and the Shogun. Many Japanese suspected that the foreigners wanted to conquer or invade their country, and this was justified.  In a crucial scene, an old Samurai compares the four competing countries to four concubines, whose machinations are leading to the downfall of a lord’s household. The four concubines are the Spanish, Portuguese, English, and Dutch, and the house they are destroying was Japan. Many in the ruling class believed that local Christians would support the conquest of the country by Western powers.  The fear of foreign influence was the root cause of the persecution of the Japanese Christians and missionaries.<ref> Turnbull, Stephen. The Kakure Kirishitan of Japan: a study of their development, beliefs, and rituals to the present day. (London, Routledge, 1998.), p 89</ref> ====The models for the missionaries====The character of Father Ferreira was based on a real-life Portuguese Jesuit missionary. As in the movie, he was captured and tortured and abandoned his Catholicism in 1633. He later went on to marry a Japanese woman and wrote several books that introduced Western ideas into Japan. As in the movie, he was a great missionary, and his rejection of his faith scandalized the Catholic Church in Asia.<ref>Breen, p 119</ref> As required, he registered as a Buddhist at his local temple.  However, unlike the Liam Neeson figure, in real life, Ferreira, helped the authorities to persecute Japanese Catholics and even missionaries. The character of Rodrigues was based on the remarkable story of an Italian Jesuit, Giuseppe di Chiara (1602 –1685). He had arrived in Japan to find Father Cristóvão Ferreira, who was discussed above. However, when Di Chiara was captured, he was also tortured and renounced his faith. Later he married a Japanese woman and attained the rank of a samurai. He lived to a ripe old age and never returned to Europe. Endō, the book's author, was inspired to create the character of Rodrigues from the story of Di Chiara. However, it seems that the character of Father Garaupe, is entirely fictional, as is his heroic death. ====Conclusion====<i>Silence</i> deals with profound human themes, such as forgiveness, faith, and religion. Scorsese based it on real life events. <i>Silence</i> is much more historically accurate than many historical movies and period dramas. <i>Silence</i> realistically shows how the Japanese Shogunate persecuted Christians in the 17th century. The movies accurately shows how the Shogunate and the local lords set out to destroy the small Chrisitan community.  Unfortunately, the horrifying details of how Christians were tortured is also very accurate. The Japanese perspective as to why members of the Western religion were persecuted is also given in the movie. There were many missionaries in 17th century Japan and many were martyred and expelled. There were also European missionaries who renounced their faith and became known as ‘Fallen Priests.’ The story of Fathers Rodrigues and Ferreira are both based on real people, namely two priests who apotheosized and rejected their faith. ====Further Reading====

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