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Topic: Analyzing the Ascent of Thị Mầu to the Temple
Analyzing the Graceful Ascent of Thị Mầu to the Temple (Excerpt from Quan Âm Thị Kính)
I. Outline of Thị Mầu's visit to the temple:
1. Introduction: Present the chèo performance and excerpt.
2. Body:
2.1. Summary of the excerpt's content and theme:
a. Summary of the excerpt's content:
- The excerpt narrates Thị Mầu's visit to the temple, witnessing Kính Tâm, and immediately falling in love, expressing affection with sweet words to the young man.
b. Theme:
- Critique of promiscuous and careless women.
- Appreciation of those who uphold modesty and ethical standards.
2.2. Analysis of the excerpt:
The theme of the excerpt is portrayed through the contrast between two characters, Thị Mầu and Kính Tâm:
a. Character Thị Mầu:
* Background: daughter of a wealthy man.
* Personality: carefree, promiscuous:
- Speech:
+ Sweet words to woo and flatter Kính Tâm.
+ Teasing the young man.
+ Bold and inappropriate for the solemn monastery.
- Actions:
+ Sings and speaks to woo the young man.
+ Comes forward, holds hands to express feelings for Kính Tâm.
b. Character Kính Tâm:
* Background: daughter of a poor farmer, married into a well-off family, disguised as a man to practice Buddhism in the monastery.
* Appearance: beautiful, graceful, as noted by Thị Mầu.
* Personality: calm, measured, dignified:
- Speech: Standard, adhering to etiquette.
- Actions:
+ Runs away, seeks to refuse and avoid -> demonstrates honesty, straightforwardness.
2.3. Evaluation of the excerpt:
a. Content evaluation:
- Thị Mầu represents rebellious women, while Kính Tâm symbolizes virtuous women in feudal society.
- The author praises loyal women and criticizes those who are promiscuous and careless.
b. Artistic evaluation:
- Character depiction through speech, actions.
- Unique literary devices: comparisons, metaphors.
- Traditional folk poetry, folk songs.
3. Conclusion: Affirm the significance of the excerpt.
Analysis of the work 'Thị Mầu's visit to the temple'
II. Sample essay analyzing Thị Mầu's visit to the temple:
Alongside famous traditional dramas like 'Truong Vien', 'Chu Mai Thanh', 'Kim Nham', 'Luu Binh - Duong Le', and 'Quan Am Thi Kinh', another gem in the treasury of Vietnamese classical drama is the outstanding play segment titled 'Thi Mau Visits the Pagoda'. This excerpt vividly reflects the folk author's perspective on women in ancient society.
The text 'Thi Mau Visits the Pagoda' narrates Thi Mau's journey to the pagoda to make an offering. Upon seeing Kinh Tam, she is immediately captivated and skillfully uses sweet words to woo the young lad. This passage illustrates the stark contrast in character between the two main figures, Thi Mau and Kinh Tam.
First and foremost, Thi Mau hails from a noble background, being the daughter of the village's wealthy man. However, despite her privileged upbringing, Mau exudes an air of nonchalance and freedom. While others typically visit the pagoda on the full moon day, Mau chooses the thirteenth day, earning her the reputation of being 'carefree':
'Yet, my Thi Mau is labeled carefree
The boat carried me up to the temple at thirteen.
Thirteen,
I ascended the temple and saw the little thirteen.
Encountered the venerable fourteen, an astonishing fifteen-year-old monk.
I wish for a romantic month under the full moon
Before entering the Buddha's ceremony, I explore the ancient temple grounds
I step into the ceremony of Buddha Shakyamuni
Celebrating the Triple Gem, the king and the heavenly emperor.'
Mau's invitations and tales have painted an initial picture of the character's traits and features. The repetition of the phrase 'thirteen' emphasizes Mau's days ascending the temple for offerings. Mau visited the temple for three days—thirteen, fourteen, and fifteen—to fulfill the desire of meeting the temple's residents.
The moment Thị Mau laid eyes on the charming little one, she employed sweet and enticing words. When Kinh Tam requested her name for the temple records, Thị Mau intentionally shared information about herself. She repeatedly mentioned being unmarried while expressing the desire to find a partner.
Mau's yearning for a fateful encounter is revealed through her words:
'Hey, dear little master!
The teacher, like an apple falling in the temple yard.
She, resembling a ripe girl, roams around with sourness.'
Apples in the temple yard often ripen and fall after spring. Due to neglect, they become both sour and bitter. As for the ripe girl, she always craves the tangy and exotic flavors. Her demeanor is akin to a fallen apple, expressing the desire to be paired with a little one. Despite dressing up for temple rituals, her focus is not on the divine but on teasing the little one. Upon hearing about a lost buffalo at home, she cheekily retorts, 'My family still has plenty of buffaloes!' In response to criticisms, Thị Mầu confidently declares herself as the most mature in the family, 'My family has nine siblings, and I am the most mature one!'.
Not stopping at sweet words, Thị Mầu playfully teases the little one through a song:
Standing in front of the temple gate, a melody unfolds
I step in, calling out, the monk remains silent, and I feel a sense of melancholy
Oh, dear little monks!
A cluster of bamboo, seven branches in all
Fate dictates the perfect union, not the ties of kinship
[...] Oh, dear mentors of wisdom!
Bamboo stands gracefully in the courtyard
She, lovely and alone, outshines her own beauty!
Listen closely to my words
True sound doesn't reveal its true sound
Let me cherish the tender memories silently alone!'
Beyond words, the character's personality is also revealed through actions. Defying all norms, standards, Thị Mầu has bold gestures, regardless. That is reaching out to hold hands, bravely accepting the challenge to replace Tiểu Kính on the field. It can be said that Thị Mầu's language and actions both show us the nonchalant, free-spirited nature of this individual.
The essence of one's spirit lies in the teachings of the path
Offering with reverence the sacred tribute
[...] O enlightened Buddha! I have lit the incense, inviting her to the Buddha's ceremony,'
This is truly the language of a devout practitioner. Every word adheres to the principles and doctrines of the Buddhist tradition. With each utterance from Thi Mau, Kinh Tam silently recites 'Homage to Amitabha Buddha!' as a gentle form of decline. Witnessing the blindness of Thi Mau, Kinh Tam expresses inner sentiments through monologue:
Contemplating injustice often brings tears
Reflecting on destiny seems ironically amusing
Surely coincidental, that's how it mocks us
Because of intention, it startles the eyes
Little did I know, I was just a...'
These are reflections and musings of a person who has endured not a few hardships and tribulations. Going through life to the extent of having to cut hair for monasticism, Kinh Tam finds it amusing in the face of the twist of fate. There are unintentional circumstances that lead individuals to ironic situations. It's similar to Thị Mầu's situation now. Because of Thị Mầu's affection, she misunderstood, little did she know that Kính Tâm is just a girl disguised as a boy. When Thị Mầu rushed forward to hold hands, Kính Tâm gently said: 'Let go so I can sweep the temple, lest the master scolds me to death!' There are times when, out of sheer terror from Thị Mầu's bold and daring advances, Kính Tâm has to run away, finding ways to decline. This is the manifestation of an upright and straightforward person.
It can be said that Thị Mầu represents the rebellious women, while Kính Tâm symbolizes the virtuous women in feudal society. Through this passage, the folk author wants to praise faithful women and criticize those who are loose and unrestrained. To highlight the contradiction and contrast between the two characters, the author focused on depicting through words and actions. At the same time, unique literary devices such as comparisons like 'The teacher is like a fallen apple in the courtyard/ I am like a stray girl, going around the temple', idioms like 'Hey little teacher!', 'not yet married', and traditional folk proverbs and materials were used.
The excerpt 'Thị Mầu goes to the temple' demonstrates the folk author's perspective on women in ancient society. The text 'Thị Mầu goes to the temple' in particular and the play 'Quan Âm Thị Kính' in general will forever leave a mark in the hearts of the Vietnamese people because of the human values and meanings they carry.
