Major Characters:
Takiko: 11-year-old daughter of an honorable samurai. She is straight forward, stubborn, and pampered. Takiko is talented in the koto and has the voice of a nightingale.
Goro: Stepfather of Takiko who her mother remarries after the death of Takiko’s birth father. Works was a potter in a countryside house. His ugly face, and short figure is feared by many.
Hideo: Love interest of Takiko. He is a warrior under the command of a samurai taking over the capital. The two lead a forbidden romance.
Plot Line
Takiko’s father dies in a war. He was trying to end to end the war along with other samurai’s before it reached the Capital. Takiko was distraught by this news. She was always very close with her father and loved him very much. Her mother remarries. She is then forced to move in with her stepfather whom she is not very fond of. She cuts her self out from the world for a couple of weeks because she has been very unhappy and gloomy.
As time passes by her stepfather starts teaching her pottery, new languages and many other unique tasks that not every girl knew at the time. She once again is content with her life. Her baby brother is born. He brings much happiness to their family. A merchant who had very high connections suggested that Takiko should be sent to the Capital. He said “ Such beauty, such talent, are of the Gods.” Now Takiko was sent to the Imperial Palace to serve princess Aoi and the Emperor.
In the palace she brushes her mistress’s hair, and serves her in anyway she might need her service. On her second day Takiko is ordered to go and sing for the Emperor and go to the temple to pray. Many maids envy her voice when she goes and sings for the Emperor. Later at night she goes to the temple to pray and there she meets Hideo. Hideo is her mistress’s lover but despite that fact Takiko starts to have feelings for him.
The emperor and his mother were very pleased with Takiko and her singing. She leaves her mistress and moves in with the Emperor. There she sings for him everyday and serves with his needs. The war in which Takiko’s father died has now reached the Capital. Everyone in the Imperial palace is forced to run away for the safety of the Emperor. Takiko was also a part of this.
Yoshinaka (the enemy attacking the city) enters the capital.
War breaks out between Yoshinaka and the capital. Takiko and the Emperor’s crew watch and pray on safely of a near by boat.
The empress decides that it’s not safe to harbor near the capital. The whole boat travels to a land further away from the capital.
Spring has now come, and Hideo risks his life to come and visit Takiko despise she is living on his enemy’s ground. Takiko does not know whether to feel delighted, or scared. In the end, she calls for guards, but Hideo escapes before they catch him.
Takiko gets constant love letters from Hideo. They meet at a temple, and embrace.
Takiko’s stepfather Goro comes to convince her to go back to her home as her mother has a baby due soon. However, Takiko unable to leave Hideo uses the excuse that she needs to play music to the emperor to escape the offer.
A fire breaks out on the boat they there living on. The Emperor’s grandma believes it an enemy attack. They hurriedly transfer to another ship while sign from heaven points to their defeat.
A plague hits Takiko’s old home killing off her bother, and mother. Goro burns his house in anger and grief because he that it was all Takiko’s fault.
Yoshinaka’s warriors break into Takiko’s ship, and people flee. Many jump into the waters to drown to protect and honor their pride, and loyalty towards their people. The Emperor and Empress die. Takiko tore between her love for Hideo is unable to jump, and gets captured.
After being imprisoned Hideo seeks her out in secrecy and gives her clothes, and materials for escape. They swore to meet each other again in the future, and Takiko avoids death and escapes.
Takiko returns to her home longing to greet her mother, and brother but finds them dead, and herself hated by Goro.
Takiko and Goro live together and begin to warm up to each other again. Goro’s hate for Takiko slowly faded, and the two supported each other in order to live.
Hideo after two years came to visit Takiko. Only to find her worn out from the hard country work, and had loss her beauty. Hideo realizes that he does not feel love for Takiko anymore, and tells her to take care. Takiko takes the hint, and knows that Hideo was now only saying this out of politeness. Silently, Takiko ends her love fantasies.
During the New Years, Takiko proposes the idea of living with the former Empress living in the city, as she was a grown woman now, and can’t live all her life with Goro. Goro sadly respects her choices, and accompanies her to the city.
There, the Empress questions Takiko if this is really the right choice. Is this what she wants, and needs? Takiko recognizes that its not, and she chases after Goro.
Reaching Goro, Takiko cries. She says she will be his wife, prepare his meals, tend his fields, and bear him lots of beautiful children. The two smile and make it back to have New Years soup.
Takiko had a baby girl and the three lived happily ever after.
Of Nightingales That Weep By: Katherin Paterson 