Assignment: Analyze 12 lines in the 3rd stanza of the poem Việt Bắc
1. Outline
2. Sample Essay 1
3. Sample Essay 2
4. Sample Essay 3
5. Sample Essay 4
6. Sample Essay 5
4 exemplary essays Analyzing 12 lines in the 3rd stanza of the poem Việt Bắc
Tips Methodology for analyzing poems, achieving high scores
I. Outline Analyze 12 lines in the 3rd stanza of the poem Việt Bắc succinctly
1. Outline Analyze 12 lines in the 3rd stanza of the poem Việt Bắc - sample 1:
1.1. Introduction
- Introduction to the 12 lines of poetry in the poem Việt Bắc
1.2. Body
a. Analyzing the first 4 lines of the stanza
- The word 'ours' resonates closely, familiarly → intimate, affectionate feelings
- Questions are both accusatory and concerned, poignant: rain from springs and floods; clouds and fog; rice with salt; common enmity
- The rhythm of 2/4; 2/2/4 consistently demonstrates the sincerity in the hearts of those who stay behind
b. Analyze the next 6 lines
- The use of pronouns 'ourselves', 'we' is unique, indicating the unity of those revolutionary people who have returned.
- 'Forests and mountains' is a metaphor referring to the people in the combat zone of Việt Bắc.
- Revolutionaries leaving not only leave a longing in the hearts of those who stay behind but also the landscape is tinted with sadness, nostalgia: falling leaves of resin; aged bamboo shoots.
- The affection of the people of Việt Bắc is always 'deep in the heart of bronze'
=> The people of Việt Bắc still maintain an intimate bond with the revolutionaries, with the officials in distant regions.
c. Analyze the last 2 lines of the stanza
- The 3 instances of ' ourselves' in the two lines of poetry signify those who stay and those who depart
- The harmony, mutual understanding between the people and the revolutionaries
1.3. Conclusion
Reaffirm the value of the excerpt and the talent of the author.
2. Outline Analyze 12 lines in the 3rd stanza of the poem Việt Bắc - sample 2:
2.1. Introduction:
- Provide a brief overview of the author, the work.
- Overview of the content of the 12 lines in the 3rd stanza of the poem Việt Bắc.
2.2 Body:
a) General overview:
- Creative context:
+ October - 1954, the Central Party and Government agencies moved from Việt Bắc to the capital. The farewell, full of emotions and memories, inspired Tố Hữu to write the poem.
+ Theme: The poem glorifies both the heroic resistance of the nation and the revolutionary sentiments of loyalty and dedication.
b) Analyze 12 lines in the 3rd stanza:
- 'We leave, do you remember the days': Rhetorical questions echo as reminders to those leaving whether they remember the memories here or not.
- 'Rain from springs and floods', 'clouds and fog': The harshness, wilderness of the weather here.
- 'Remembering the combat zone': Where soldiers fought together.
- 'A meal with a pinch of salt': Difficult, harsh life.
- 'Heavy burden of enmity': Enmity with the enemy, with France.
After reminiscing about the old days, the people continue to express sincere feelings, a lingering attachment to those who have departed.
'I return, the forests and mountains remember someone,
Trám bùi leaves fall, bamboo shoots grow old'
The use of 'I' and 'someone' is unique, only two but one, portraying the image of the returning revolutionaries. 'Forests and mountains' is a metaphor referring to the people in the Viet Bac combat zone. Have the officials returned to the capital of prosperity and cool breeze, still remembering the mountains and forests, the sun and wind? For those who remain, the iron-clad 'longing' is deeply felt, embedded in every scene here: forests, trám bùi leaves, bamboo shoots... The sadness of parting is sincerely, deeply, and emotionally felt by the people for the soldiers.
The longing intensifies when thinking of those who have departed, the people cannot quell the fear that someone will forget the 'ones left behind,' prompting them to ask:
'I depart, do you remember the homes
Where gray leaves rustle, the heart imbued with redness?
I return, do you remember the mountains and hills
Remember the resistance against the Japanese, in the days of Viet Minh.'
The author selects the image of rustling gray leaves as a distinctive feature of the nature of Viet Bac to inquire about the affection that revolutionaries hold for them. Do those who depart still recall the faint houses behind the bamboo groves, faint amidst the majestic mountains and forests? Do those who depart remember the warm, profound feelings of those who stay behind? For the people of Viet Bac, there always remains a heartfelt bond with the revolution, with the officials of distant regions.
The poem concludes by recalling proud historical events of the officials and people:
'I depart, do I remember myself
Tan Trao, Hong Thai, the communal house, the banyan tree.'
2. Analyzing 12 sentences in passage 3 of the super awesome Viet Bac poems, model number 2:
The Viet Bac poem stands as the pinnacle of Tố Hữu's poetic career, a testament to the resistance poetry against the French colonialism. One might say, Viet Bac is both a love song and an epic, portraying the profound affection and loyalty of the poet towards the revolutionary base throughout the country. This sentiment is vividly depicted in the verses:
I roam, recalling the days.
Tan Trao, Hong Thai, village hall, ancient banyan tree?
Viet Bac is an epic work, spanning 150 lines, penned by Tố Hữu in October 1954 when the Central Party and government, along with Uncle Ho and officials bid farewell to the capital's windy plains to return to the capital of golden flowers and Ba Dinh sunlight. Encompassing the poem is a nostalgic longing for the years in the Viet Bac warzone, a poignant reminiscence, a melancholic sentiment, an attachment of those who stayed and those who fought.
The poem begins with a series of sweet questions:
I wander, do you recall those days
Source stream rain, clouds and rain together
I return, do you remember the warzone
A grain of rice dipped in salt, the burden of enmity
In the verses, a series of phrases evoking memory appear, allowing us to sense the emotions of those who stayed - a sense of concern, worry: Officials return downstream, Do officials still remember the VB warzone? To prompt those who stayed to ask because the poet wants to evoke the hardships of the resistance days. Remembering the nature of Viet Bac, the source stream rain, clouds and mist, the verses vividly describe the rugged natural scenery, harsh weather in the Viet Bac mountains and forests, although the scenery may be somewhat bleak but still imbued with romantic, dreamy, and majestic qualities. Besides facing the harshness, difficulties of nature, we also have to face a life of deprivation, full of hardship with a grain of rice dipped in salt. The imagery metaphor of the burden of enmity evokes thoughts of the deep-seated hatred of the people towards the invaders, those who treacherously sold our country to the enemy. At the same time, it is a discreet reminder of those who stayed about a time of great pride, we and they stood side by side, together defeated the common enemy, regained independence and freedom, and brought happiness, warmth, and prosperity to the people. The juxtaposition of opposites combined with the regular 2/2/2 - 4/4 rhythm makes the verses smooth, balanced, and the words more heartfelt.
Analyzing 12 sentences in passage 3 of Viet Bac poems, model number 2
Continuing the emotional thread, Viet Bac's inquiries remain, but hidden within the verses are the candid confessions of those who stayed, expressing their nostalgic affection for the returning officials:
I return, the mountains remember someone
Falling leaves for farewell, bamboo shoots for aging
Tố Hữu employs the metaphor of the mountains remembering someone, where the mountains symbolize those who stayed, and the pronoun someone refers to the officials returning downstream, emphasizing the profound affection and poignant longing of the people of Viet Bac for the resistance fighters, for the Party and the government. The nature and people of Viet Bac remember the returning officials to the extent that leaves fall for their departure, bamboo shoots for their aging. Leaves and bamboo shoots are everyday meals of the soldiers, of the resistance officials; they are also specialties of the nature of Viet Bac. My return renders the Viet Bac mountains suddenly desolate, strangely melancholic, even when leaves and bamboo shoots are left unpicked. Those who stayed have sincerely and earnestly revealed their feelings.
The people of Viet Bac continue to inquire, but in this verse, the questions are emphasized, more specific and clear: 'Do the officials returning downstream remember the scenery of Viet Bac, the people of Viet Bac, remember the years of fighting together?'
I wander, do you remember the homes
Rustling bamboo, the earthy warmth
The phrase 'remembering the homes' - a metaphorical device - allows us to sense the anxious feeling of not knowing: Do the officials remember the people of Viet Bac or not? The people of Viet Bac remember the officials so much, to the point of rustling bamboo. The term 'rustling bamboo' combined with the characteristic image of the grayish-green foliage of Viet Bac's nature highlights the desolate, simple, and quiet scenery of the mountains and forests. But contrasted with that scenery is the heart of gold, the warm and sincere heart of the people of Viet Bac. Furthermore, the people of Viet Bac also want to know: Do the officials returning downstream remember the mountains, remember the majestic nature of Viet Bac or not? Do they remember the time of fighting against the Japanese, the days of Viet Minh? The righteous affection of the Vietnamese people towards the soldiers, towards the Revolution; the empathy and sharing of all hardships, joys, and burdensome tasks make Viet Bac - the homeland of the Revolution, the nurturing source of the Revolution - shine even brighter in the mind of the poet specifically and in the hearts of readers in general.
Concluding the poem is the longing for historical landmarks:
I wander, do I remember myself
Tan Trao, Hong Thai, village hall, ancient banyan tree.
With just two lines of poetry, the author has conveyed a wealth of emotions, harboring many things; especially in the six-word line where three words are intertwined, sounding truly heartfelt and sincere. The first and second 'me' are used to refer to the officials returning downstream, while the third 'me' can be understood in many ways. Broadly interpreted, 'me' is Viet Bac - the pronoun of the second person - then the verse implies: Officials returning downstream, back to Hanoi, do not know if they still remember the people of Viet Bac, remember those who stayed or not? In a narrower sense, 'me' is the officials returning downstream - the pronoun of the first person - which gives the verse another meaning: Officials returning downstream, do they remember themselves or not? Do they still remember their own past, remember the years of fighting for noble ideals, for the nation's independence and freedom? With this second interpretation, those who stayed have raised a topical issue, fearing that people will fall asleep on their victories, forget their glorious past, or even betray their noble ideals. Poet Tố Hữu foresaw the psychological development of people after victory, this is indeed a verse with abstract and profound philosophical implications.
Tan Trao, Hong Thai, village hall, ancient banyan tree.
In the final verse of the triplet, those who stayed recall two famous landmarks associated with two important events that once took place in VB. The first location: the Tan Trao banyan tree event (12/1944), where the Vietnamese team announced the launch of the liberation army, initially with only a few members but later became the Vietnamese army - the key force that achieved today's victory. The second location is the Hong Thai village hall, where Uncle Ho chaired the meeting (8/1945) to decide to launch the August Revolution; it was thanks to this wise decision that the anti-French resistance was resoundingly successful, possibly regaining independence and freedom for the country. Tố Hữu embeds two historical landmarks in the verse to emphasize the question of those who stayed, while also gently reminding: Do the officials returning downstream still remember that VB is the cradle of the Revolution, the nurturing source of the Revolution? And do the officials returning downstream still remain loyal, attached to VB as before or have they changed their minds?
With just 12 lines of poetry in the third stanza of VB, Tố Hữu has brought us into a world of nostalgia and memories, into a gentle, sweet, and melodious world of Revolutionary comradeship. The best thing about the stanza is Tố Hữu's clever and distinctive use of the contrasting phrases 'I go - I return.' Usually, 'go' and 'return' are two opposite directions, but in this stanza, 'I go - I return' both point in one direction, back to downstream, back to Hanoi. With the structural rhythmic pattern combining 2/2/2 - 4/4, making the poetic rhythm smooth, balanced, like the swinging rhythm of a hammock, very suitable for Tố Hữu's romantic-political poetic style.
Tố Hữu's 'Sweet, heartfelt poetic voice and rich national artistic expression' contributed to the success of Viet Bac. Details about light and humanity, from a grain of salted rice, bamboo shoots, forest homes with grayish-green foliage to the shared burden of enmity, these hearts of gold will never fade, they will live forever in the poet's heart and in the minds of the people of Viet Bac, of the returning officials.
3. Analyzing 12 lines in stanza 3 of the poem Viet Bac by an excellent student, model 3:
When it comes to Tố Hữu, everyone knows he is one of the foremost revolutionary romantic poets of Vietnamese literature. Tố Hữu's poetry is the voice of the great life, the great emotions, and the great joy of the revolutionary people and revolutionary life. The poem Viet Bac is the pinnacle of Tố Hữu's poetic career in particular, and of resistance poetry against the French in general. Viet Bac can be said to be both a love song and an epic, expressing the deep affection and loyalty of the poet towards the revolutionary base throughout the country. This is further vividly depicted in the stanza:
I wander, do you remember those days
.........
Tan Trao, Hong Thai, village hall, ancient banyan tree?
Viet Bac is an epic poem, consisting of 150 lines, written by Tố Hữu in October 1954 when the Central Party and government, Uncle Ho, and officials bid farewell to the capital city's thousands of winds to return to the golden flower and sunshine capital of Ba Dinh. Encompassing the stanza is a nostalgic reminiscence of the years in the Viet Bac battlefield, a poignant longing, a melancholic sentiment, a fondness of those who stayed and those who fought.
The third stanza begins with a series of very sweet questions:
I walk, do you remember the days
Source water rain, the clouds with mist
I return, do you remember the battlefield
A grain of salted rice, a heavy burden of enmity
In the stanza, a series of phrases appear 'remembering,' which allows us to sense the mood of those who stayed, a mood of concern, worry about whether the officials returning remember the Viet Bac battlefield or not? Viet Bac asks because the poet wants to evoke the harsh fighting days. Remembering the nature of Viet Bac, the source water rain, the clouds with mist, the verse has described the scene of the wild nature, the harsh weather in the Viet Bac mountains and forests, though the scene may be somewhat bleak, it still carries the essence of sentimentality, romance, freedom, and grandeur. In addition to facing the harshness, difficulties of nature, we also have to face a life lacking, full of hardships, a grain of salted rice. The metaphorical image of a heavy burden of enmity evokes thoughts of the deep-seated enmity of the people towards the invaders, those who sold our country to the enemy. It also discreetly reminds those who stayed behind of a time of great pride, when we stood side by side, together defeated the common enemy, regained independence and freedom, and brought happiness, warmth, and contentment to the people. The contrasting art combined with the 2/2/2 - 4/4 rhythm interruption makes the verses become smooth, balanced, and increasingly earnest.
Analysis of the 12 lines in section 3 of the poem Viet Bac, sample number 3
Continuing the emotional flow, it's still the questioning of Viet Bac, but hidden within the verses is the candid confession of those who stayed, expressing a lingering affection for the officials returning:
I return, the forests and mountains remember whom
Falling leaves, aging bamboo shoots
Tố Hữu used the metaphor of forests and mountains remembering someone; the forests and mountains symbolize those who stayed, while the pronoun 'whom' refers to the officials returning, emphasizing the deep affection and poignant nostalgia of the people of Viet Bac for the resistance fighters, for the Party and government. The nature and people of Viet Bac remember the returning officials so much that leaves fall and bamboo shoots age. Fallen leaves and aging bamboo shoots are everyday food for the soldiers, for the returning officials; at the same time, they are specialties of the nature of Viet Bac. My return makes the forests and mountains of Viet Bac suddenly empty, strangely desolate, even when there are fallen leaves and aging bamboo shoots, no one picks them. Those who stayed behind have sincerely and earnestly expressed their feelings.
The people of Viet Bac continue to inquire, but in this stanza, the questions are emphasized more, demonstrating specificity and clarity: Do the returning officials remember the scenery of Viet Bac, the people of Viet Bac, do they recall the years of resistance together?
I depart, recalling the homes
Gray bamboo leaves, rich with the hue of affection
I return, remembering the mountains and forests
Recalling the resistance against the Japanese, the days of Viet Minh.
The phrase 'recalling the homes' serves as a metaphor, evoking a sense of worry about whether the officials remember the people of Viet Bac or not. The people of Viet Bac remember the officials so much that bamboo leaves turn gray. The term 'bamboo leaves turning gray' combined with the characteristic image of the gray bamboo leaves in the nature of Viet Bac further highlights the desolate, simple, and silent scenery in the mountains and forests. However, contrasting with that scenery is the heart of gold, the warm and sincere heart of the people of Viet Bac. Moreover, the people of Viet Bac also want to know if the returning officials remember the mountains and forests, the majestic nature of Viet Bac. Do they recall the time of resisting the Japanese together, the days of being Viet Minh? The righteous affection of the people of Viet Bac towards the soldiers, towards the revolution; the empathy and sharing of all hardships, joys, and the heavy burden of responsibilities make Viet Bac, the homeland of the Revolution, the nurturing source of the Revolution, shine brighter in the mind of the poet and in the hearts of readers in general.
Summing up the stanza is the nostalgia for historical landmarks:
I depart, do I remember myself
Tan Trao, Hong Thai, the communal house, the banyan tree.
With just two lines of poetry, the author conveys a wealth of emotions, hidden meanings, especially in the six-word line where three words blend together, sounding sincere and heartfelt. The first and second 'myself' are used to refer to the returning officials, while the third 'myself' can be understood in various ways. In a broader sense, 'myself' refers to Viet Bac—the pronoun in the second person plural—then the verse implies: Do the returning officials, returning to Hanoi, remember the people of Viet Bac, remember those left behind? In a narrower sense, 'myself' refers to the returning officials—the pronoun in the first person singular—giving the verse another interpretation: Do the returning officials remember themselves? Do they still remember their own past, remember the years of arduous struggle for noble ideals, for the nation's independence and freedom? With this second interpretation, those left behind have raised a current issue, fearing that people might fall asleep on their victories, forget their glorious past, even betray their own noble ideals. Poet To Huu anticipated the psychological dynamics of individuals after victory, making this verse abstract and deeply philosophical.
In the final verse of the third stanza, those left behind mention two famous landmarks associated with two significant events that once occurred in Viet Bac. The first location: the Tan Trao banyan tree event (12/1944), where the Vietnam team declared the launching of the liberation army, initially with only a few dozen members but later becoming the Vietnamese army, the key force that secured today's victory. The second location is at Hong Thai temple, where Uncle Ho presided over the meeting (8/1945) to decide on the August Revolution; it was thanks to this wise decision that the resistance against the French succeeded resoundingly, possibly regaining independence and freedom for the country. To Huu embedded these two historical landmarks in the verse to emphasize the question of those left behind, while also gently reminding: Do the returning officials remember that Viet Bac is the cradle of the Revolution, the nurturing source of the Revolution? And do the returning officials remain faithful, attached to Viet Bac as before, or have they changed their minds?
With just 12 lines of poetry in the third stanza of the poem Viet Bac, To Huu has brought us into the world of nostalgia and memories, into a peaceful, sweet, and nostalgic world of revolutionary camaraderie. The best part of the poem lies in To Huu's clever and distinct use of contrasting phrases 'going' and 'returning.' Usually, going and returning represent two opposite directions, but in this stanza, both 'going' and 'returning' point in one direction, towards Hanoi. With a structured message combined with a regular rhythm of 2/2/2 - 4/4, the poetic rhythm becomes smooth, balanced, resembling the swaying rhythm of a hammock, perfectly suited to To Huu's style of sentimental-political poetry.
Tone in the poetry, sweet and sincere, rich in national identity, by To Huu, contributed to the success of the poem Viet Bac. Details of light and human emotion, from a grain of salted rice, fresh bamboo shoots, to the thatched roof, gray with moss, to the shared burden of enmity, these hearts of gold will never fade, living forever in the poet's heart and in the minds of the people of Viet Bac, of the officials returning.
4. Analyzing 12 lines in the third stanza of the poem Viet Bac, concise, sample 4:
'On the road back to the capital
The red flag flies around the silver-haired Uncle Ho'
(We move forward)
After more than three thousand days of fire, the capital Hanoi and the North were completely liberated (10 - 1954). Tố Hữu's poem 'Viet Bac' was born in that heroic and glorious historical context. With the scale of an epic, consisting of 150 six-eight verse lines, the poem praises the love for Viet Bac, the profound and touching memories of the revolutionary fighters towards Viet Bac, with countless loyal affections 'those 15 years so earnestly passionate'.
The opening part of the poem 'Viet Bac' consists of 20 lines, a farewell from those staying behind to those returning, from 'we' to 'us'. The following 8 lines (from line 9 to line 16) are in the opening part of the poem 'Viet Bac':
'We depart, do you remember the days
...
The gray mossy thatch, rich with sonorous hearts'...
The stanza is filled with memories of Viet Bac, 'The revolutionary homeland creating the Republic', as 'we' ask 'us' if we remember. Two sentimental subjects, those who stay behind, the people of Viet Bac, the Viet Bac girl, singing the farewell song 'earnestly by the islet'. 'Us' is also a sentimental subject, nostalgic, along with 'we', forming a pair of characters in farewell, here are the returning revolutionary fighters, including the poet. Each pair of six-eight verses recalls a memory of Viet Bac. The artistic details are both specific and symbolically rich in emotional expression.
The hexameter lines in the stanza are consecutive gentle questions, like reminders, like evoking nostalgia and longing: 'We depart, do you remember the days'..., 'We return, do you remember the war zone'..., 'We return, the mountains and forests remember whom'..., 'We depart, do you remember the houses'... The phrase 'do you remember' evokes lingering emotions, the poetic tone becomes earnestly anxious, sweetly profound. The two phrases 'we depart' and 'we return' alternate, transform dynamically, vividly expressing the scene of bidding farewell with much melancholy, the image of the returning revolutionary fighters gradually moving away, but still carrying the song and memories in their hearts.
Analysis of the 12 verses in the 3rd stanza of Viet Bac, sample number 4
The eight-syllable verses in the stanza are all composed of two balanced and harmonious 4/4 subordinate clauses. The profound memories filled with affection and gratitude for those staying and those returning are recalled, evoking many feelings of 'melancholy in the heart, anxious steps'...
Do we remember 'The source rain floods // even the clouds are blind' when we depart? The scene of white rain from the source, the streams flooded with water, the clouds covering the mountains... depicts the harshness of the weather, of the nature of Viet Bac. Rain, floods, clouds, blindness also symbolize the hardships, the challenges that our troops and people had to endure during the long years of struggle.
Returning, do we remember 'A pinch of salt-dipped rice // the burden of grudge weighs heavy on the shoulders'? Tố Hữu used the specific 'A pinch of salt-dipped rice' to express the abstract: hardship and deprivation. 'The burden of grudge weighs heavy on the shoulders' is also a concrete expression. The burden of enmity against the invading army weighs heavily on the shoulders, always reminding to nurture the fighting spirit to liberate the country, regain freedom, and peace for the people. 'The burden of grudge weighs heavy on the shoulders' can never be forgotten.
Asking the mountains and forests 'do you remember whom', is also asking 'upon returning, do we remember'. Personification and the pronoun 'whom' evoke many sentiments and nostalgia:
'Returning, do the mountains and forests remember whom
Trám bùi falls // bamboo shoots grow old'.
Trám bùi, bamboo shoots are the endless food source of the Viet Bac mountains and forests to feed the soldiers fighting the enemy during the difficult days. The taste of the mountains and forests symbolizes the deep and heavy affection of Viet Bac. The words 'falling', 'growing old' carry a hint of bitterness, loneliness, and longing.
As we recall the fourth memory, we ask, 'upon leaving, do we remember':
'Upon leaving, do we remember the homes
Grey moss drapes // rich hearts'.
These two lines exhibit striking symbolic and contrasting imagery. The term 'the homes' encompasses all the people of the Viet Bac nation. 'Grey moss drapes' depict the desolate wilderness of the mountains and forests, symbolizing poverty and material deprivation. Contrasted with 'grey moss drapes' is 'rich hearts,' a beautifully implied image praising noble hearts. The beauty lies in the imagery and the rich emotional expression. Through the contrast, Tố Hữu praises the people of Viet Bac, though impoverished and lacking, for their love of the country, their steadfast commitment to the revolution, and their resistance.
Together with the word 'we,' the word 'upon leaving' appears frequently in the poem 'Viet Bac' as well as in this stanza, creating a poignant and deeply nationalistic sentiment. Tố Hữu creatively employs the vernacular expression and emotional expression of the folk in folk poetry and songs. The emotions of the revolution and resistance, the sentiment for Viet Bac, the nostalgia of those who stay and those who return are expressed through these two words, 'we - upon leaving.'
Throughout the 9 years of resistance against the French, Tố Hữu lived and worked in Viet Bac, sharing with comrades, fellow countrymen, and soldiers the arduous yet glorious days. The farewell words were earnest, profound, stirring in the hearts of those staying and those returning. That emotion is the heart's voice of 'us - we,' and also the poet's heart.
'Poetry is the voice of the soul's journey.' 'Viet Bac' is the soul's journey of the revolutionary cadre with all its 'loyal affections.'
5. Analyzing 12 lines in the super awesome poem Viet Bac by hsg - Sample 5
In evaluating Tố Hữu, poet Nguyễn Đình Thi once wrote, 'Throughout his life, Tố Hữu is a revolutionary soldier making poetry and poetry of the revolution [...], and within the flames of his poetry, there is so much tender love for the country, the homeland, and the people of the country, the homeland. From modern life, his poetry increasingly draws back to the ancient soul of the nation's poetry.' Indeed! This assessment is clearly demonstrated in Tố Hữu's poem 'Viet Bac.' Through the first twelve lines, the author allows readers to feel the profound humanity in the resistance.
The poem emerged in the context of October 1954, when the Party and Government central agencies moved from Viet Bac to the blossoming capital. The farewell, full of emotion and nostalgia, moved Tố Hữu to compose the poem. It praises both the nation's epic resistance and the revolutionary loyalty and affection.
The third stanza is a heartfelt message, a token of affection from those staying to those departing:
'I depart, do remember the days
Source of rain, spring, and flood, the clouds and the mist
I return, remembering the war zone
'A bite of rice with a pinch of salt, the burden of heavy grudge'
The word 'remember' is repeated to emphasize the fullness of nostalgia, filling both space and time. Those staying remind the departing if they remember 'the source of rain, spring, and flood, the clouds and the mist'? It's a picture of nature full of wilderness, hiding many dangers. Yet the soldier's footsteps can still overcome them all. Do we still remember when the meal was just 'a bite of rice with a pinch of salt'? Soldiers may lack food but not hunger, lack clothing but not cold. Because warm human affection will share all difficulties. Brushing aside the hardships, 'we' and 'you' shoulder the common mission – the mission of liberating the nation entrusted by the people, that's the 'burden of heavy grudge' – the grudge of the French enemy weighing heavily.
'I return, do the forests and mountains remember whom?
Mangrove leaves shed, bamboo shoots age
I depart, remembering the homes
Greyish-green reed sway, with deep heart of ochre
Nature also joins in the reminiscence of the departed. The phrases 'Mangrove leaves shed', 'bamboo shoots age', 'greyish-green reed sway' depict the desolation, the melancholy of the natural scenery. The returning ones fill everything with nostalgia. However, the phrase 'with deep heart of ochre' serves as an affirmation of revolutionary affection, unwavering loyalty that nothing can change.
Finally, those who stay remind the departing ones of the nation's resistance journey:
'I return, still recalling the mountains and hills
Remembering the resistance against the Japanese, in the days of the Viet Minh
I depart, yet I remember myself
'Tân Trào, Hồng Thái, village communal houses, ancient banyan trees'?
Those who stay evoke memories of the resistance against the Japanese, the Viet Minh era. Those battles marked numerous memories, both hardships and joys of the soldiers. The line 'I depart, yet I remember myself' contains three instances of 'myself'. The first and second 'myself' refer to the departing person. The third 'myself' could also refer to the departing person. Those who stay want to remind the departing ones if they still remember their own selves from the past. Human sentiment, steadfast loyalty.
Through artistic techniques of metaphor and personification combined with the emotional tone of poetry, To Huu reminds readers of the years of resistance, the revolutionary sentiment that cannot be forgotten. It is these brave individuals who have achieved many glorious victories for the nation.
Through the poem, To Huu successfully demonstrates his talent and sensitive soul, rich in emotions. He also affirms the feelings of nostalgia, the ironclad hearts towards nature and the people of Viet Bac. As a result, readers admire and cherish To Huu's poetic soul even more. At the same time, they deeply appreciate the sacrifices of past generations who spared no effort to preserve independence and freedom for the homeland.
